1984 -- Reading Blog 1

In 1984, George Orwell created equality/conformity by creating a fictitious government that regulates the people through their minds. The people in 1984 are carefully watched by telescreens and the Thought Police in order for the government to remain in control of their thoughts. The people blindly listen to Big Brother and accept that whatever he says is that truth. The government also instituted Two Minutes Hate, which all of Oceania participates in, to emphasis that Goldstein is the enemy.

The government reduced conflict in regards to religion by practically eliminating it all together; religion is only practiced by the proles who are synonymous to animals. Relationships are arranged by the government, thus eliminating conflict. Sexual desire in a relationship is also frowned upon and this is further emphasized by the Junior Anti-Sex League who preaches celibacy. Winston's former partner Katherine is a prime example of the repression of relationship, claiming that the two should have a child as their duty to the party. The government reduced conflict in regards to individual rights by discouraging opinions and praising ignorance. In fact, a Party slogan is "Ignorance is Strength".

The Party creates a forced happiness/conformity by altering the truth and destroying the past. Winston works in the Minitru in the department that rewrites history in order to reflect a better life. A prime example is the chocolate ration of the people. In the beginning of the book, the ration is reduced by 10 grams, but soon Minitru rewrites the statement as increased to 20%. The people of Oceania blindly accept this as the truth and are grateful of the "increase" in the chocolate ration.

Orwell creates an example of a dystopia through his novel 1984. To the sheep that follow the herd, life may seem fine and handy, but the intellectuals of the society capable individual thought see the society as truly dystopic. The society is made of lies, with history rewritten to reflect only Big Brothers' beliefs and history. Those that voice their opinion are hung and written to look like villains of the Party. In a world where "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength" everything is contradictory and untrue. As humans, we constantly seek improvement and encourage intellectual thinking, unlike the society in 1984.