For the AP Literature and Composition Class of 2008-2009.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Orwell's Influences
See Zamyatin's "We", James Joyce's "Dubliners" and Max Weber's definition for "The State".
18 comments:
Anonymous
said...
The the great correlation between Zamyatin's "We" and "1984" is overwhelmingly unquestionable. Orwell explicitly claimed that "1984" was modeled after "We". Some obvious similarities include the dystopian society "One State" which in "1984" is Airstrip One. The people in "We" are named by numbers, similar to Winston Smith's identification code 6079. Most of all activities in "We" are limited to mathematical equations. This is most likely where Orwell's "2+2=5" equation references to. Another similarity includes a rebellious woman named Memphi, presumably Orwell's inspiration for Julia. The Benefactor in "We" is practically Big Brother's "brother", but the Benefactor actually exists.
On a side note: The guy on the book cover of "We" looks just life the people in this "1984" commercial:
Also, the play on the "2+2=5" is a metaphor for Orwell's doublespeak, which, oddly, makes sense; or rather you can see it pervade society in the very language that we use. Math is important to linguistics. The aim of The Party's Newspeak Dictionary, #6079 tells us, at present, in its 11 ed. is to literally gut conceptual and symbolic reasoning. Thus, adjectives, adverbs, gerunds, and the like must become "unwords" in an "unworld" with "unhistory" i-d-e-a-s prevalant in both dystopic novels. Very cold, calculated technocracy.
Zamyatin’s “We” is a novel based on the influences of 1984 because it details the author’s own experiences with the Russian revolutions. In “one state,” where D-503 lives, the people live in a nation constructed of glass where their “actions” must first be approved by the government. Everyone in this area is not given their own identity for they are forced to wear similar clothing and are given names that dehumanize them. This creates a similarity with 1984, for the people who live in these forms of society are left without their freedom to choose for themselves. The totalitarian state monitors everyone’s actions and makes sure they are not committing treason. James’s Joyce’s “Dubliners” is about life for the Irish middle class in the 20th century, where Irish nationalism is at its peak. The characters in the novel obtain an epiphany or self-understanding. This is similar to Winston Smith in "1984" because through the “book” that he obtains from O’Brien he has a clearer understanding of his own thoughts.
Both in Zamyatin’s, “We,” and Orwell’s, 1984, the population is in a state of mindlessness and constantly monitored by their corrupted rulers. In “We,” people are watched through the glass walls of their houses; whereas, in 1984, Winston and the others are scrutinized through telescreens located in their workplace and homes. This not only demonstrates a similarity between the works of Orwell and Zamyatin, it demonstrates the obsessive control and manipulation by the government towards its citizens. Max Weber defines a state as a “monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” This means that authoritve forces, such as the police or the courts, can have physical domination over a certain area. This relates to 1984 because Winston’s totalitarian state, “the Party,” uses “thought police” and the different departments, such as “the Ministry of Truth,” to govern the people and have control over their movements, minds, and emotions.
James Joyce in his collection of works entitled Dubliners evokes the feelings of his splitting nation, as Ireland at the time was looking for its own political and national identity. It is the many characters of these stories and that can be seen as an influence for Orwell, as they each discover a certain truth about life - such as the character Gabriel’s realization that with the loss of enthusiasm in life comes death. This and others mirror the realizations the Orwell’s Winston must face in 1984. Winston must come to deal with the harshness of his environment - the totalitarian state that is Oceania. Ideas that might have influenced this setting may have been Zamyatin’s We, a story of a functioning “dystopia”. In it, the concepts of complete lack of privacy and humanity are displayed, as the entire nation is constructed almost entirely of glass and the individual’s are addressed by numbers. Though the applications of these concepts are different, the idea that it is the state - ever-powerful and ever-watching - which truly controls life and causes the destruction of humanity is apparent in both We and 1984. Another incredibly influential figure concerning the idea of “the state” is Max Weber, who identified it as “that entity which possesses a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force.” With this definition, the Party in Orwell’s book can be seen as a state, because through its thoughtpolice, room 101, and Ministry of Love, it controls every aspect of physical force, meaning that it can likewise have complete control over the individuals of Oceania.
The novel 1984 by George Orwell is similar in ideology to Zamyatin's We. We was written in 1923. Like 1984, the setting of We takes place in a time period different than the time it is actually written. In Both We and 1984, the protagonists deal with a spirit of rebellion agaisnst the mechanized and rationalized world they live in. In Zamyatin's novel, the citizens of Utopia lose their individuality by being differentiated only with numbers, similar to the citizens of Oceania who have no individual thoughts. They live in glass houses, enabling the police, known as the "Guardians", to monitor their every move. The Guardians are similar to the 1984's Thought Police. Sexual encounters are closely monitored with ration books; in 1984, sex is also frowned upon. The state is ruled by a persona known as The Benefactor; likewise, 1984 has Big Brother plastered on walls everywhere.
James Joyce's Dubliners idea of an epiphany influences Orwell's 1984's Winston Smith. Joyce's epiphany is a moment where a character has a special moment of self-understanding or illumination. Winston Smith has an epiphany a few times in the novel. First, he finally realizes that the Party conceals the truth from its people; his work in the Ministry of truth reassures his suspicion. Second, although he rebels against the Party, at the end O'Brien brainwashes him into thinking that the O'Brien is the most intelligent person and that Winston should obey everything he says. Here, Winston has an epiphany that he should follow O'Brien's teaching and obey the Party's ways.
Max Weber defines the state as an entity which claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force, a definition which influences Orwell’s 1984. The state of Oceania has a monopoly of power over its people. By monopolizing power, the state is able to control its citizens’ every move.
Zamyatin's “We” is similar to 1984, because in both people are forced to act a certain way by a higher power. In “We,” the protagonist, D-503, falls in love with I-330. This is done illegally; this similar to 1984, where Winston Smith falls in love with Julia. In both cases this action of falling in love is illegal. In other words, no one is allowed to think for themselves. James Joyce “Dubliners” has the idea of epiphany. Epiphany is seen at times in Winston Smith. One of those times is when he realizes that his Party has been negating people from knowing the real truth. Max Weber defines “The State” as an “organization that (successfully) claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” This is seen in 1984 because the Party controls everything in its territory. This through the Thought Police, Ministry of Love, and others.
Zamyatin's novel We is about a society in which the conditions are miserable and is characterized by human misery, oppression, and violence. We is a fictional satire that depicts the cruel authority of the totalitarian state. Zamyatin published this novel to tell his personal experiences with the Russian Revolution of 1905 and 1917, the Newcastle suburb. The story is about the protagonist, D-503, who works as a mathematician for a resistance group called the Mephi. The D-503 lives in an urban nation where is life is organized by primitive mathematics. This novel shows how “We” is a group of people in the urban nation whose lives are controlled by the dystopian society. The novel is very similar to Orwell’s 1984 in that the people are controlled and oppressed by the authority. The Benefactor in We is equivalent to Big Brother. Although D-503 has an encounter with the Benefactor, which confirmed his existence, the Benefactor is used by the authority to make people believe that the Benefactor is their only ruler who is constantly watching them. Also, like the telescreen in 1984, the urban nation, One State, uses the “Table” to direct every single moment of one’s life. Orwell is influenced by Zamyatin’s novel because he uses Zamyatin story to show how the totalitarian state controls its modern industrial society and make the people believe that free will is the cause of unhappiness and that the authority should control their lives.
James Joyce’s Dubliners is a collection of unhappy tales that form a chronicle of lost innocence, eroding faith, missed opportunities, subtle hypocrisies, and devastating ironies. Each of the tales is an epiphany of a sudden spiritual manifestation. Through the character’s thoughts, words, and actions, the reader is able to obtain a moment of realization from the epiphany. Dubliners is about how we are everywhere. In 1984, Winston has an epiphany at the end where he realizes that he should obey the Party after he is tortured because he has loss all forms of hope of rebelling against the state because the Party has controlled his body, which prevents him from thinking independently and have the motivation to rebel.
Max Weber’s defines the state as the entity that possesses “a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force” (Weber). This means that the state might engage in any activity that they may use in order to influence the relative distribution of force. Therefore, politic is derived by power. This influences Orwell because in 1984, the state had authority over its people by using its power and engaging in activities that allow them to lead a totalitarian state.
The relation between 1984 and We is that both of the societies live in totalitarianism. Oceania is controlled by Big Brother while the One State is controlled by the one and only Benefactor. Similar to telescreens, One State has “The Table” to control their every move every waking second. Even though both of the stories have directed lives, Oceania has more free time than One State where they only have two hours of free time. Both of the societies believe that freedom makes societies rebellious so they respond by controlling people’s decisions.
Dubliners is similar to 1984 with the different plot stories that they follow. The story of the Two Gallants has two men who trick a maid to steal from her employer. In 1984, O’Brien tricks Smith into thinking that he is similar to him. By the end of the novel, O’Brien seems to have become alien to Smith, information about Oceania come out like drool coming out of his mouth showing that everything that Smith knows is a lie. In a Painful Case, a man loses his love which is similar to Smith losing his lovely Julia. The stories in Dubliners are about middle class people in everyday life. Smith is a middle person who witnesses other lower classes like himself and even lower.
Weber’s theory of monopoly on the legitimate use of violence is to maintain control over the people. The monopoly controls violence in society. In 1984, there is a food ration, even though they are a super power, which limits or completely shuts off the tasty foods from the public. Only the Party has the foods that are delicious and that are shut off to the public. When Julia gives Smith coffee and chocolate he is amazed at the texture and taste since the foods that the Party releases are rather stale and dull. They contain no taste or satisfaction. The Party maintains order and satisfaction through these food rationings for the war.
Both We and 1984 deal with a totalitarian state that has become so manipulative that they change the way life is perceived. In both novels the people of society are made to believe that life has always been they way they live it. In We, society thinks life is perfect because they have never known anything else, where as in 1984, they are manipulated by the Ministry of Truth to believe that life is perfect they way they live it. In both novels, the main character begins the novel as a follow of their absolute ruler (the Benefactor in We and Big Brother in 1984). The characters of D-503 and Winston Smith make transformations that expose them to lies of the totalitarian state. Inevitably, both characters, the fall back into the role of blissful ignorance by the end of their respective novels, forgoing their intents for revolution. Though it all seems hopeless, both novels encompass hope for the masses if they abandon their ignorance.
Much like 1984 we by Zamyatin share similarities. these similarities being the ability of men to take over and control other men. they both hint on the fact that humans are all alike, and are easily corrupted. and by being similar books it further shows that humans can be influenced by one another to think, or even write a curtain way, and by showing this Orwell and Zamyatin are urging people to step away from this way of life. stop being controlled and fight for freedom, because without freedom we humans as individual are nothing if we are restrained from not expressing ourselves.
The influences drawn from the novel "We" are quite obvious.The two societies are very similar. Airstrip One and Oceania are both totalitarian and militaristic. In "We" the citizens of Airstrip One all look similar and dress the same. The only way to tell one person from another is by their individual "bar codes". In 1984, each citizen also has their own number that the government recognizes them by. Also, sexual intercourse is strictly business in both societies. In Airstrip One, a person must file papers to engage in intercourse, and In Oceania intercourse is simply for procreation and is seen as a "duty to the party".
The characters actions in both novels also resemble each other very well. For example, both Winston Smith and D-503 fall in love with a rebellious woman and write in diaries of their exploits in their own societies. They both have inner conflicts between society and themselves, then they both also try to rebel against the society and are equally unsuccessful. In the end they both are captured and "deprogrammed" into accepting their society.
1984 and We share the same setting of a dystopian society where a dictator deprives individuals of individuality. They also share the rebellious female character that excites her partner, in 1984 it’s Winston, and in We, it’s D-503. Similarly to Winston, D-503 creates a diary describing his relationship with a resistance movement. In Zamyatin’s world, the world is ruled by primitive math similar to the incorrect math in 1984. In the end D-503 is re-brainwashed, where Winston is taught to learn 2+2=5. Max Weber defined “the state” as an entity which claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. The dystopian society in which Winston lives takes physical force as part of it’s governmental philosophy. It thrives on violence, allowing popular control. From the beginning of the novel 1984, Winston makes clear the fact that he is a dead man from the point he started the diary entry. The act of starting the diary is the beginning of Winston’s lack of passion toward The Party. According to the epiphany that Gabriel Conroy experiences. Passionless men are already dead. Winston was dead before the novel starts. The diary entry is where Winston starts living.
The existence of a totalitarian state is present in “We” and 1984. In “We,” the people of Airstrip One dress alike and look similar, the notable difference to tell them apart is their barcodes. Within 1984, people contain numbers that “the Party” classifies them by. Another ridiculous similarity is lack of sexual intercourse. In 1984, no pleasure is allowed during the intercourse… “Big Brother” is watching every move. If the intention is procreation, then the intercourse is valid. Similarly, in “We,” to have sexual intercourse, a person must fill the papers. Thus, the strict rules of Airstrip One and Oceania contribute to the manipulation of the totalitarian state. Furthermore, there are one extreme figure in each, the almighty Benefactor in “We,” and “Big Brother” in 1984. It is suggested that both are the figures that constantly watch and observe the people. In the end, Orwell and Zamyatin inform readers about the possible dangers of absolute power. With an idea of “the state” shown, the evil and corruptible nature of human kind is exposed within Zamyatin’s and Orwell’s writing.
What is reality? The way the people look at life seems unrealistic but at the same time, what are we to say what is true. Orwell is angry during the time period that is set in "1984" yet the way life is shown is a prison. We as humans have the right to live the life we choose, but in the end of the novel, Winston Smith is left with the reality of a lie. this is the message that Orwell is showing and thus influences him on what is the truth.
In "we" by Zamyatin and Orwell's 1984 both protagonists are nobodies in their society. They both are dispensable members that live in a dictatorship. Like Winston Smith, the narrator in "we" also writes in a diary. Furthermore, both novels deal with the theme of forbidden love. Like Smith, the protagonist in " we" also falls in love and only mishap follows him. In both stories sexual intercourse is forbidden as it offers pleasure. This illustrates that in both stories the dictator forbids all types of happiness and pleasure so that he may continue ruling with an iron fist. In the end both protagonists are brought into captivity and "reprogrammed" so that they become blind followers of their rulers once again. In other words, both stories have a variety of themes in common such as forbidden love and futile rebellion against society.
This novel is a precursor to George Orwell’s 1984. Both We and 1984 foresee a pain-free future in which the government controls humans by satiating rather than repressing their desires.
For "totalitarianism" is not only a terroristic political coordination of society that both of these novels include, but also a non-terroristic economic technical coordination which operates through the manipulation of needs by vested interests. It thus precludes the emergence of an effective opposition against the whole.
18 comments:
The the great correlation between Zamyatin's "We" and "1984" is overwhelmingly unquestionable. Orwell explicitly claimed that "1984" was modeled after "We". Some obvious similarities include the dystopian society "One State" which in "1984" is Airstrip One. The people in "We" are named by numbers, similar to Winston Smith's identification code 6079. Most of all activities in "We" are limited to mathematical equations. This is most likely where Orwell's "2+2=5" equation references to. Another similarity includes a rebellious woman named Memphi, presumably Orwell's inspiration for Julia. The Benefactor in "We" is practically Big Brother's "brother", but the Benefactor actually exists.
On a side note: The guy on the book cover of "We" looks just life the people in this "1984" commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8
I think I'm on to something!
I wish for a world where I can correct my mistakes...I meant "like" at the end, not "life".
Also, the play on the "2+2=5" is a metaphor for Orwell's doublespeak, which, oddly, makes sense; or rather you can see it pervade society in the very language that we use. Math is important to linguistics. The aim of The Party's Newspeak Dictionary, #6079 tells us, at present, in its 11 ed. is to literally gut conceptual and symbolic reasoning. Thus, adjectives, adverbs, gerunds, and the like must become "unwords" in an "unworld" with "unhistory" i-d-e-a-s prevalant in both dystopic novels. Very cold, calculated technocracy.
Zamyatin’s “We” is a novel based on the influences of 1984 because it details the author’s own experiences with the Russian revolutions. In “one state,” where D-503 lives, the people live in a nation constructed of glass where their “actions” must first be approved by the government. Everyone in this area is not given their own identity for they are forced to wear similar clothing and are given names that dehumanize them. This creates a similarity with 1984, for the people who live in these forms of society are left without their freedom to choose for themselves. The totalitarian state monitors everyone’s actions and makes sure they are not committing treason.
James’s Joyce’s “Dubliners” is about life for the Irish middle class in the 20th century, where Irish nationalism is at its peak. The characters in the novel obtain an epiphany or self-understanding. This is similar to Winston Smith in "1984" because through the “book” that he obtains from O’Brien he has a clearer understanding of his own thoughts.
Both in Zamyatin’s, “We,” and Orwell’s, 1984, the population is in a state of mindlessness and constantly monitored by their corrupted rulers. In “We,” people are watched through the glass walls of their houses; whereas, in 1984, Winston and the others are scrutinized through telescreens located in their workplace and homes. This not only demonstrates a similarity between the works of Orwell and Zamyatin, it demonstrates the obsessive control and manipulation by the government towards its citizens.
Max Weber defines a state as a “monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” This means that authoritve forces, such as the police or the courts, can have physical domination over a certain area. This relates to 1984 because Winston’s totalitarian state, “the Party,” uses “thought police” and the different departments, such as “the Ministry of Truth,” to govern the people and have control over their movements, minds, and emotions.
James Joyce in his collection of works entitled Dubliners evokes the feelings of his splitting nation, as Ireland at the time was looking for its own political and national identity. It is the many characters of these stories and that can be seen as an influence for Orwell, as they each discover a certain truth about life - such as the character Gabriel’s realization that with the loss of enthusiasm in life comes death. This and others mirror the realizations the Orwell’s Winston must face in 1984.
Winston must come to deal with the harshness of his environment - the totalitarian state that is Oceania. Ideas that might have influenced this setting may have been Zamyatin’s We, a story of a functioning “dystopia”. In it, the concepts of complete lack of privacy and humanity are displayed, as the entire nation is constructed almost entirely of glass and the individual’s are addressed by numbers. Though the applications of these concepts are different, the idea that it is the state - ever-powerful and ever-watching - which truly controls life and causes the destruction of humanity is apparent in both We and 1984.
Another incredibly influential figure concerning the idea of “the state” is Max Weber, who identified it as “that entity which possesses a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force.” With this definition, the Party in Orwell’s book can be seen as a state, because through its thoughtpolice, room 101, and Ministry of Love, it controls every aspect of physical force, meaning that it can likewise have complete control over the individuals of Oceania.
The novel 1984 by George Orwell is similar in ideology to Zamyatin's We. We was written in 1923. Like 1984, the setting of We takes place in a time period different than the time it is actually written. In Both We and 1984, the protagonists deal with a spirit of rebellion agaisnst the mechanized and rationalized world they live in. In Zamyatin's novel, the citizens of Utopia lose their individuality by being differentiated only with numbers, similar to the citizens of Oceania who have no individual thoughts. They live in glass houses, enabling the police, known as the "Guardians", to monitor their every move. The Guardians are similar to the 1984's Thought Police. Sexual encounters are closely monitored with ration books; in 1984, sex is also frowned upon. The state is ruled by a persona known as The Benefactor; likewise, 1984 has Big Brother plastered on walls everywhere.
James Joyce's Dubliners idea of an epiphany influences Orwell's 1984's Winston Smith. Joyce's epiphany is a moment where a character has a special moment of self-understanding or illumination. Winston Smith has an epiphany a few times in the novel. First, he finally realizes that the Party conceals the truth from its people; his work in the Ministry of truth reassures his suspicion. Second, although he rebels against the Party, at the end O'Brien brainwashes him into thinking that the O'Brien is the most intelligent person and that Winston should obey everything he says. Here, Winston has an epiphany that he should follow O'Brien's teaching and obey the Party's ways.
Max Weber defines the state as an entity which claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force, a definition which influences Orwell’s 1984. The state of Oceania has a monopoly of power over its people. By monopolizing power, the state is able to control its citizens’ every move.
Zamyatin's “We” is similar to 1984, because in both people are forced to act a certain way by a higher power. In “We,” the protagonist, D-503, falls in love with I-330. This is done illegally; this similar to 1984, where Winston Smith falls in love with Julia. In both cases this action of falling in love is illegal. In other words, no one is allowed to think for themselves.
James Joyce “Dubliners” has the idea of epiphany. Epiphany is seen at times in Winston Smith. One of those times is when he realizes that his Party has been negating people from knowing the real truth.
Max Weber defines “The State” as an “organization that (successfully) claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” This is seen in 1984 because the Party controls everything in its territory. This through the Thought Police, Ministry of Love, and others.
Zamyatin's novel We is about a society in which the conditions are miserable and is characterized by human misery, oppression, and violence. We is a fictional satire that depicts the cruel authority of the totalitarian state. Zamyatin published this novel to tell his personal experiences with the Russian Revolution of 1905 and 1917, the Newcastle suburb. The story is about the protagonist, D-503, who works as a mathematician for a resistance group called the Mephi. The D-503 lives in an urban nation where is life is organized by primitive mathematics. This novel shows how “We” is a group of people in the urban nation whose lives are controlled by the dystopian society. The novel is very similar to Orwell’s 1984 in that the people are controlled and oppressed by the authority. The Benefactor in We is equivalent to Big Brother. Although D-503 has an encounter with the Benefactor, which confirmed his existence, the Benefactor is used by the authority to make people believe that the Benefactor is their only ruler who is constantly watching them. Also, like the telescreen in 1984, the urban nation, One State, uses the “Table” to direct every single moment of one’s life. Orwell is influenced by Zamyatin’s novel because he uses Zamyatin story to show how the totalitarian state controls its modern industrial society and make the people believe that free will is the cause of unhappiness and that the authority should control their lives.
James Joyce’s Dubliners is a collection of unhappy tales that form a chronicle of lost innocence, eroding faith, missed opportunities, subtle hypocrisies, and devastating ironies. Each of the tales is an epiphany of a sudden spiritual manifestation. Through the character’s thoughts, words, and actions, the reader is able to obtain a moment of realization from the epiphany. Dubliners is about how we are everywhere. In 1984, Winston has an epiphany at the end where he realizes that he should obey the Party after he is tortured because he has loss all forms of hope of rebelling against the state because the Party has controlled his body, which prevents him from thinking independently and have the motivation to rebel.
Max Weber’s defines the state as the entity that possesses “a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force” (Weber). This means that the state might engage in any activity that they may use in order to influence the relative distribution of force. Therefore, politic is derived by power. This influences Orwell because in 1984, the state had authority over its people by using its power and engaging in activities that allow them to lead a totalitarian state.
The relation between 1984 and We is that both of the societies live in totalitarianism. Oceania is controlled by Big Brother while the One State is controlled by the one and only Benefactor. Similar to telescreens, One State has “The Table” to control their every move every waking second. Even though both of the stories have directed lives, Oceania has more free time than One State where they only have two hours of free time. Both of the societies believe that freedom makes societies rebellious so they respond by controlling people’s decisions.
Dubliners is similar to 1984 with the different plot stories that they follow. The story of the Two Gallants has two men who trick a maid to steal from her employer. In 1984, O’Brien tricks Smith into thinking that he is similar to him. By the end of the novel, O’Brien seems to have become alien to Smith, information about Oceania come out like drool coming out of his mouth showing that everything that Smith knows is a lie. In a Painful Case, a man loses his love which is similar to Smith losing his lovely Julia. The stories in Dubliners are about middle class people in everyday life. Smith is a middle person who witnesses other lower classes like himself and even lower.
Weber’s theory of monopoly on the legitimate use of violence is to maintain control over the people. The monopoly controls violence in society. In 1984, there is a food ration, even though they are a super power, which limits or completely shuts off the tasty foods from the public. Only the Party has the foods that are delicious and that are shut off to the public. When Julia gives Smith coffee and chocolate he is amazed at the texture and taste since the foods that the Party releases are rather stale and dull. They contain no taste or satisfaction. The Party maintains order and satisfaction through these food rationings for the war.
Both We and 1984 deal with a totalitarian state that has become so manipulative that they change the way life is perceived. In both novels the people of society are made to believe that life has always been they way they live it. In We, society thinks life is perfect because they have never known anything else, where as in 1984, they are manipulated by the Ministry of Truth to believe that life is perfect they way they live it. In both novels, the main character begins the novel as a follow of their absolute ruler (the Benefactor in We and Big Brother in 1984). The characters of D-503 and Winston Smith make transformations that expose them to lies of the totalitarian state. Inevitably, both characters, the fall back into the role of blissful ignorance by the end of their respective novels, forgoing their intents for revolution. Though it all seems hopeless, both novels encompass hope for the masses if they abandon their ignorance.
Much like 1984 we by Zamyatin share similarities. these similarities being the ability of men to take over and control other men. they both hint on the fact that humans are all alike, and are easily corrupted. and by being similar books it further shows that humans can be influenced by one another to think, or even write a curtain way, and by showing this Orwell and Zamyatin are urging people to step away from this way of life. stop being controlled and fight for freedom, because without freedom we humans as individual are nothing if we are restrained from not expressing ourselves.
The influences drawn from the novel "We" are quite obvious.The two societies are very similar. Airstrip One and Oceania are both totalitarian and militaristic. In "We" the citizens of Airstrip One all look similar and dress the same. The only way to tell one person from another is by their individual "bar codes". In 1984, each citizen also has their own number that the government recognizes them by. Also, sexual intercourse is strictly business in both societies. In Airstrip One, a person must file papers to engage in intercourse, and In Oceania intercourse is simply for procreation and is seen as a "duty to the party".
The characters actions in both novels also resemble each other very well. For example, both Winston Smith and D-503 fall in love with a rebellious woman and write in diaries of their exploits in their own societies. They both have inner conflicts between society and themselves, then they both also try to rebel against the society and are equally unsuccessful. In the end they both are captured and "deprogrammed" into accepting their society.
1984 and We share the same setting of a dystopian society where a dictator deprives individuals of individuality. They also share the rebellious female character that excites her partner, in 1984 it’s Winston, and in We, it’s D-503. Similarly to Winston, D-503 creates a diary describing his relationship with a resistance movement. In Zamyatin’s world, the world is ruled by primitive math similar to the incorrect math in 1984. In the end D-503 is re-brainwashed, where Winston is taught to learn 2+2=5.
Max Weber defined “the state” as an entity which claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. The dystopian society in which Winston lives takes physical force as part of it’s governmental philosophy. It thrives on violence, allowing popular control.
From the beginning of the novel 1984, Winston makes clear the fact that he is a dead man from the point he started the diary entry. The act of starting the diary is the beginning of Winston’s lack of passion toward The Party. According to the epiphany that Gabriel Conroy experiences. Passionless men are already dead. Winston was dead before the novel starts. The diary entry is where Winston starts living.
The existence of a totalitarian state is present in “We” and 1984. In “We,” the people of Airstrip One dress alike and look similar, the notable difference to tell them apart is their barcodes. Within 1984, people contain numbers that “the Party” classifies them by. Another ridiculous similarity is lack of sexual intercourse. In 1984, no pleasure is allowed during the intercourse… “Big Brother” is watching every move. If the intention is procreation, then the intercourse is valid. Similarly, in “We,” to have sexual intercourse, a person must fill the papers. Thus, the strict rules of Airstrip One and Oceania contribute to the manipulation of the totalitarian state. Furthermore, there are one extreme figure in each, the almighty Benefactor in “We,” and “Big Brother” in 1984. It is suggested that both are the figures that constantly watch and observe the people. In the end, Orwell and Zamyatin inform readers about the possible dangers of absolute power. With an idea of “the state” shown, the evil and corruptible nature of human kind is exposed within Zamyatin’s and Orwell’s writing.
What is reality? The way the people look at life seems unrealistic but at the same time, what are we to say what is true. Orwell is angry during the time period that is set in "1984" yet the way life is shown is a prison. We as humans have the right to live the life we choose, but in the end of the novel, Winston Smith is left with the reality of a lie. this is the message that Orwell is showing and thus influences him on what is the truth.
In "we" by Zamyatin and Orwell's 1984 both protagonists are nobodies in their society. They both are dispensable members that live in a dictatorship. Like Winston Smith, the narrator in "we" also writes in a diary. Furthermore, both novels deal with the theme of forbidden love. Like Smith, the protagonist in " we" also falls in love and only mishap follows him. In both stories sexual intercourse is forbidden as it offers pleasure. This illustrates that in both stories the dictator forbids all types of happiness and pleasure so that he may continue ruling with an iron fist. In the end both protagonists are brought into captivity and "reprogrammed" so that they become blind followers of their rulers once again. In other words, both stories have a variety of themes in common such as forbidden love and futile rebellion against society.
This novel is a precursor to George Orwell’s 1984. Both We and 1984 foresee a pain-free future in which the government controls humans by satiating rather than repressing their desires.
For "totalitarianism" is not only a terroristic political coordination of society that both of these novels include, but also a non-terroristic economic technical coordination which operates through the manipulation of needs by vested interests. It thus precludes the emergence of an effective opposition against the whole.
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