In the words of Bob Dylan, “No one is free, even the birds are chained to the sky.” It is ironic how this saying profoundly explains the political satire of the novel, 1984. Living under a tyrannical system, no one is safe in the novel, including 39-year-old, Winston Smith who lives in a society where he is taken away of all his rights and freedoms, in which even a tiny facial gesture can be deemed a detriment to society. 1984, written by George Orwell, depicts a dystopian future, where freedom and individuality are lost to totalitarian government systems like “Big Brother” and “The Party” who brainwash society through inhuman tactics of psychological and physical control forcing its citizens into submission. Therefore, in a society where a totalitarian government exists, freedom is restricted through technology, psychology and history, and resistance is futile.
Personal privacy and space is never present throughout 1984. Surveillance is almost everywhere in Oceania. Every person is a victim of constant observation. It is impossible for individualism to exist since “Big Brother” is always watching. The use of technology is a powerful tool in 1984. The giant telescreens in every citizen’s room, used for scrutinizing its citizen’s blasts various forms of propaganda designed to make the Party appear triumphant and successful. The telescreens which operate 24/7 also monitor behavior, where miniscule facial twitches could be caught through surveillance cameras. Ubiquitously, citizens are always reminded, by the pervasive propaganda signs that, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU”( 3). Propaganda signs are used as effective tools to influence society into believing that its citizens are permanently being watched. Telescreens are not the only…
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…984 in which the government used telescreens to control its citizens. Our government’s capability to control us is underestimated and should be more carefully observed. The information of our daily activities and transactions are constantly being monitored similarly to 1984. Our privacy is being infringed upon by our government. In both worlds of 1984 and our society today, daily activities are monitored, and rights and freedoms of citizens are restricted. Seeing that political leaders in 1984 seek control over its citizens, it should not be surprising that the control that our own government has over us evolves in only one direction; towards more control. In this world, no one is free, even a bird.
Works Cited
• Orwell, George. 1984. Ed. Erich Fromm. New York: Harcourt, 1949. Print
• Dylan, Bob. “Bob Dylan Quote.” BrainyQuote. Xplore, 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
