Themes

Language is power:

To what extent does George Orwell use the medium of language in this novel to enable the "Ingsoc" (p. 4. l. 25 f.) party to come to power in the present work? The so-called "Newspeak" (p. 51, l. 16) carries no other use than the sole elimination of undesirable words. No empathetic consensus can be attributed to the "cleansing" of the previous linguistic style carried out in the dystopian novel. The opposite is the case: the "Big Brother's" (p. 3, l. 22) goal of limiting the thinking of citizens through an imposed linguistic caesura serves only the abuse of power. Abuse of language happens in 1984 insofar as it is not an exercise of power that produces a positive outcome but rather primarily has destructive consequences for society. Thus, the intervention in the linguistic structure in 1984 is not only power but a form of violence. Given language is inevitably coupled to thinking: Does one wonders what distinguishes a human being from a machine at all if a large memory area of his brain is erased? Isn't the right to freedom of thought what keeps us alive as individuals? Language shapes our ways of looking at things, our opinions and our views of life more profoundly than we realize. By intervening in its laws, one directly intervenes in deep-psychological spheres, which the layman is not aware of and therefore cannot be classified as risk-free. A language is an essential form of power since its communicative function is what makes social interaction possible in the first place. "Newspeak" (p. 51, l. 16) forms a new linguistic convention, albeit in a very extreme form. "Newspeak" (p. 51, l. 16) pursues the intention of breeding the most isotropic society possible. The vocabulary of "Newspeak" (p. 51, l. 16) is designed in such a way that destructive or sceptical thoughts about the regime are impossible to formulate and thus cannot be expressed. Providing that one adheres to the order of "Newspeak" (p. 51, l. 16) and does not fall back on the "Oldspeak" (p. 317, l. 10). The old language, as the only connector to the past, should be destroyed because in this way the potential discontent of the citizens could no longer be put into relation with the past. Literature, like the old familiar language, must be liquidated or at least changed. So, the protagonist Winston from 1984 performs the task of transcribing already printed newspaper articles and literature from the old to the new language.

The scapegoat as a fascist strategy:

As we all know, a common consensus welds society together. If this common consensus is a scapegoat, it is easier for an ideology based on fascist thinking to push through its hateful slogans. Regarding the present work, the scapegoat is represented by the ideology's former leader and now "Big Brother's" (p. 3, l. 22) greatest enemy, Emmanuel Goldstein. The countries with which "Big Brother's" (p. 3, l. 22) state of Oceania is currently at war also represent an enemy position. The "Two-Minutes-Hate" (p. 13, l. 6) is dedicated to the enemy territory, as well as Goldstein, every day. These are two minutes of concentrated humiliation and contempt. This agitation is also compulsory, and anyone who does not take part runs the risk of also becoming a scapegoat. There is also an annual "Hate Week" (p. 148, l. 11), which differs from the "Two-Minutes-Hate" only in its time frame. Totalitarian leaders like "Big Brother" (p. 3, l. 22) in 1984 get their power by controlling public opinion. They do this by, for example, choosing a scapegoat for all existing ills. This is how fascist governments keep their power by shifting the focus away from themselves and towards a supposed adversary.

Motives

The ministries as paradoxes:

Behind the naming of the various ministries in 1984 lies a paradox that transforms each name of the individual institutions into the opposite of what they appear to be. For example, the "Ministry of Truth" (p. 54, l. 28), where the protagonist Winston Smith works as a research editor, obscures and distorts the truth. In "the Ministry of Love"(p. 241, l. 2 f.), Winston and Julia experience the worst physical and psychological torture of their lives. And finally, in "the Ministry of Peace" (p. 6, l. 17), further manoeuvres in the war against Eurasia are being planned. "The Ministry of Peace's" (p. 7, l. 5) slogan "War is peace" (p. 6, l. 5) also suggests that it is not peace as we would define it, but a new definition of "Big Brother" (p. 3, l. 22) that is far from logical. The fourth ministry is "the Ministry of Plenty" (p. 6, l. 19) which, contrary to its name, rations food and lulls the citizens of Oceania into believing that they live in prosperity and abundance.

"Room 101" (p. 357, l. 22):

"Room 101" (p. 276, l. 27) is a chamber in the basement of the "Ministry of Love" (p. 241, l. 2 f.). That is where those whose will is to be broken, are taken to. O'Brien, who has his victims monitored years before their arrest, knows the weaknesses and sore spots of his inmates. For everyone who comes to "Room 101" (p. 276, l. 27), torture looks different: O'Brien's perfidious method is to use type-specific and individual phobias and fears of the prisoners to bring them to the brink of madness. In Winston's case, the object of his fear is rats that O'Brien threatens to let out of a cage and which would maul Winston as soon as they were free. The mere thought of being savaged by the rats sends the protagonist into such a state of emergency that he proposes to unleash the rats on his former beloved Julia, instead of himself.

"Doublethink" (p. 9, l. 11):

"Doublethink" (p. 9, l. 11) is a neologism that originates from "Newspeak" (p. 51, l. 16). It means having two opposing thoughts at the same time, which should be mutually exclusive. Any thoughts that speak against the party or the ideology of "Big Brother" (p. 3, l. 22) are forbidden and the paradoxical slogans of the regime enter the thinking of the citizens of Oceania. From childhood on, the population is taught that "Doublethink" (p. 9, l. 11) is the foundation of the regime's domination and oppression. The "Ingsoc" (p. 4, l. 25 f.) Party uses the thought police to control the minds of the citizens. So, any information provided by the regime is classified as correct and true.