1984
Mechanical and routine are the words used by the American Heritage Dictionary, to define the term dehumanization. Dehumanization also means to deprive of human qualities such as individuality, compassion, or civility. In 1984, Big Brother, manages to take all three of these qualities away in the society which they live. Without these qualities, a person's self worth is taken away from them and forced to obey a higher power. The state dehumanized the people because they did not allow them to have any self worth. Every aspect of their lives was controlled. From using the bathroom to sleeping, one false move anywhere or one bad thought, and you could loose your life. The state did not allow the people to think for themselves. "It seemed to him (Winston) that it was only now, when he had begun to be able to formulate his thoughts, that he had taken the decisive step. The consequence...Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death" (Orwell pg. 27). That is how people had to think, to formulate your own ideas was a sure sentence to death. What the Party said is all that you could believe. Thinking freely was a major offence in 1984, so detest
In a totalitarian government, according to Michael Curtis, a government has total control of society for the purpose of dehumanizing. In dehumanizing a society, individual beliefs do not exist; suppressing them is the only way a person can survive. The concepts of a totalitarian system of government are so radical sometimes that dehumanizing an individual is inevitable. Submission to the Party is the only way to survive. Winston was submissive to an extent, but he still had ideas that were against the Party. In the end, during Wintson's interrogations he was forced to succumb and be dehumanized. The thoughts of the Party were so powerful that they even tried to make Winston think that two plus two equaled five. Even if he did think that though, and it was still in the back of his mind that it summed to four, the Party was not happy. "Obedience is not enough. Unless he is suffering, how can you be sure that he is obeying your will and not his own" (Orwell pg. 220)? In the privacy of your own home, men and women can act in such a way that allows them to be free. They can do what they want, say what they want, and express themselves how they want. Th
Some common words found in the essay are:
Newspeak Newspeak, Heritage Dictionary, Party Doing, Michael Curtis, Outer Party, Party Wintson's, Obedience Unless, Submission Party, orwell pg, , self worth,
Approximate Word count = 788
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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