1984 Totalitarianism Essay

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: 1984 Throughout America, our citizens have a say in their government. This is an example of democracy, something that those in 1984 were not fortunate enough to be a part of. Unfortunately the government that they were under control of was a totalitarian government. In 1984, George Orwell uses allusions to “Big Brother” to show the absolute control of the government over the people of Oceana throughout 1984. George Orwell uses these allusions to help paint a picture of the totalitarian government that “The Party,” associated with “Big Brother,” imposed upon all the citizens of Oceana, including Winston Smith. According to Britannica Online, Totalitarianism is characterized by “strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression.” People of Oceana were under many forms of oppression. The most apparent and present form of this oppression is “Big Brother.” The phrase “Big Brother is watching” is stated throughout the novel to instill fear within Winston and the other citizens of Oceana. “The Party” implements a wide array of tactics to domesticate the average human. These forms of brainwashing included the mental bombardment of propaganda through the two way televisions, as well as posters of Big Brother with the message “Big Brother is watching.” These constant…show more content…
Like a Big Brother, the totalitarian government had a watchful eye over its “little brothers.” These watchful eyes that laid a deadly gaze upon the citizens were successful in maintaining total compliance within the tyrannical city of Oceana throughout the novel. Making the city a living, breathing watch dog, Big Brother was able to instill fear within all of the non-believers of The Party. Orwell’s depiction of the totalitarian government through the use of Big Brother lead this novel to become a hit in my
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