Imagery and Diction Orwell’s 1984 In the opening scenes of 1984, George Orwell established the dystopian setting of the novel. Winston Smith, the protagonist, despairs in the bleak world of Oceania. Through the use of imagery and diction, the author establishes the decaying and menacing nature of this society. Through the imagery, the author conveys the decay apparent in Oceania. The narrator claims that the hallway of the building in which Winston lives “smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats”.
‘Marks of weakness, marks of woe’ Blake uses marks as an abstract noun to describe the sadness of the people that he meets and also as a concrete noun to describe the physical cuts and scars. This is also commented on in Jon Crook’s critical reading of London where he states that the word shifts from a verb to a noun and that by making marks Blake discovers worlds, in London he has discovered a world of misery marked in the faces that he passes. The second stanza has a semantic field of sadness and pain, the repetition of ‘in every’ is an effective way to show that this sadness is affecting everyone in the city of London at the time. It shows the emotion in ‘cry of every man’ and ‘infants cry of fear’ that they are all going through the same pain. It also symbolises the lack of freedom when he says ‘in every ban.’ The last line in the second stanza is ambiguous ‘The mind-forg’d manacles I hear’ is a metaphorical phrase that reinforces the feeling of being trapped in London, the word manacles has connotations of slavery and that the people of London are enslaving themselves.
“Ash” could connote the remains of the dead or of a crumbling building, insinuating decay and sorrow. The metaphor “play fortresses” gives connotations of danger, suggesting the residents feel threatened by the outside world. This relates to the theme of violence and highlights a sense of detachment between the desolate flats and the rest of the world, again focusing on the main theme of
The dark and gloomy mean streets emphasise the film noir aspects present in the film, and the slow eerie Vangelis music and constant acid rain is used by Scott to create a melancholy ambience. In contrast, the Tyrell Corporation is depicted as a majestic Mayan inspired pyramid. This dreary and depressing landscape shows audiences the impact of technology and mass consumerism on the environment. Both Brave New World and Blade Runner depict chilling dystopic futures where the materialistic scientific and economic ways of thinking have been allowed to quash the humanistic morals and values, in the name of progress. Through language features and film techniques, stark pitiful visions of a future devoid of nature and humanity are presented to question
The settings in chapter two contrast enormously with those of chapter one; The ‘Valley of Ashes’ that Tom and Nick travel through at the beginning of chapter two are bleak and miserable: ‘...and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-grey men, who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.’ This illuminates the repercussions of the American dream that seem to go unnoticed. It wildly differs from the picturesque ‘East Egg’ in chapter one, home to Tom and Daisy, bringing attention to the divide between rich and poor in 1920’s America. The setting of which most of chapter two is set in, the cramped apartment, symbolises the disorder of the situation and the seedy affair of which Tom and Myrtle are involved in. All of the furniture is too large for the small apartment, and the items lying around the apartment are clearly Myrtle’s: ‘Several old copies of Town Tattle lay on the table together with a copy of Simon Called Peter, and some of the small scandal magazines of Broadway.’ Fitzgerald is using the settings to give the reader some insight into what sort of a woman Myrtle is; lower-class and uncultured. The language techniques used by Fitzgerald in the novel successfully tell the story.
Following the recent Cold War, capitalist America’s controlling nature typically victimised plebeians on the basis of their political perspective. Through the employment of mise-en-scene where the campfire is placed in the middleground of the dark Atacama Desert, Salles creates a salient point which emphasises the disassociation of the Chilean miners from society. Ernesto’s authorial voiceover ‘tragic and haunting faces’ in conjunction with a close-up shot of their dirt-stained faces, the mining couple are presented as politically dispossessed. This draws sympathy from the audience towards the couple as they are victimised and oppressed due to American capitalism. Moreover, when being chosen by the mining company, the unsteady camerawork and constant switching of perspectives highlights the controversial nature of the conversation and presents Ernesto as an authoritative figure fighting the inhumane treatment of the impoverished in South America.
Throughout the film, we see how Kazan uses different shades of lighting to accentuate the harsh lifestyle the characters are situated in. At the very beginning, viewers are made to feel unwelcome by the bleak, murky streets and alleyways that were filmed in lowlight. Not only does this suggest that the dock adopts an uneasy environment, it also adds a sense of mystery; in which ‘behind’ such darkness lies the corruption of Johnny Friendly’s (the antagonist) union. The dark representation of Hoboken essentially implies that the dockworkers and residents within the town are being ‘overshadowed’ and controlled by a hidden force, living an uneasy lifestyle. Kazan’s decision to make the film black and white also aids in portraying these elements.
Sang Hee Gina Park Writing 30 Prof. Lena Firestone Midterm Root Cellar The poem, “Root Cellar,” written by the poet Theodore Roethke describes the unfavorable condition of root cellar, and how the living organisms are affected from it. Throughout the poem, the author portrays the negative outlook and perspective of the ‘stinking’ cellar. He writes strongly and pessimistically that not a single organism would be able to sleep, or even live due to the molded surroundings. The description of the cellar setting is vividly and thoroughly written as it symbolizes the reality of human life. Regardless of the filthy tone that introduces the unfortunate and evil atmosphere, Roethke manages to convey that the organisms in the extenuating circumstances have become successful as they overcome the difficulties, challenge themselves to
Springer 1st 02 May 2011 Banned Book and Censorship Essay In 1984 by George Orwell, the novel describes a grim, totalitarian society set somewhere in the future. 1984 epitomizes the dystopian society and it depicts the horrific consequences of totalitarianism. Winston, the protagonist of the novel, rebels against the totalitarian government in the Oceanian province of Airstrip One. Life here is constantly filled with never-ending war, intrusive government surveillance, and abusive mind control through physical and mental torture. The novel reveals how Winston comes to the point of seeking rebellion against Big Brother, which eventually leads to his arrest, torture, and brain-washing so that he submits to the Party.
John Steinbeck, the author, showed a good example of social injustice in this book. He demonstrates how the weak were abused by the strong and all humans suffered because of it. First of all, Crooks is an outcast not only because he is black, but also because of his curved spine. Crooks is forced to sleep in