Literary Devices Used By Orwell In 1984

Setting is a very important literary device especially within “1984” by George Orwell. This device helps to engage the audience within the world the author is trying to convey, and allows them to immersify themselves within it. Orwell's “1984” was written as a cautionary tale to display the effects a true totalitarian regime would have on a society. Orwell explores this idea through his use of different settings, such as Mr. Charrington's room and Room 101. Both of these significant settings help to effectively display Orwells true views on totalitarianism.

Room 101 brings a very interesting element within the story, by offering a torture chamber that contains the subjects greatest fear. It is within Room 101 where our protagonist Winston Smith, is broken down and forced to forget his obsession with the past and turn into a real comrade, one that is no longer a thought criminal. By introducing a subjects greatest fear, it allows the party to gain a psychological advantage over their people and therefore be able to break them down at any moment.

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Orwell's depiction of Room 101 displays the extremes a totalitarian government will go through to keep control over a society and how the use of fear can cause them to have absolute power over anyone. Room 101 represents fear, and how now matter what society tries to do, the party will break anyone down and destroy their fundamental base and make it what the government wants it to be. Orwell is clearly not in favor of totalitarian regimes and through torture chambers such as Room 101 the reader is able to see that within a totalitarian regime a government will do whatever it takes to have complete control over their people.

Mr. Charrington's room is introduced later on within “1984” and at first gives the reader a sense of peace. It is within this room where Julia and Winston are able to be truly free for the first time. At first they do not have to worry about no telescreen or anyone watching them and restricting their freedom. Furthermore, it is within Mr. Charrington's room where both Julia and Winston are able to rebel silently against the party by committing thought and sex crime. Orwell's portrayal of Mr. Charrington's room signifies how even though Julia and Winston believed they were not being watched and were free, they never truly were because it is soon introduced that a telescreen was there all along. This showcases Orwell's view that within a totalitarian regime no one is ever truly free because the government takes way the right to freedom and privacy. The people are constantly being watched and never able to express themselves freely, resulting in uniformity and a one dimensional society.

“1984” by George Orwell effectively illustrates how a totalitarian regime can affect a society. It is here where Orwell uses settings such as Mr. Charrington's room and Room 101 to effectively display his views on totalitarianism. Orwell is trying to show that the result of a totalitarian regime is a place where there is no true freedom or privacy. People are left completely under the control of the government and anyone who tries to remove themselves from this is punished. The government will use fear to break down a person and therefore have complete control over them and feed them whatever information they want. This extreme control and lack of freedom will result in a society that is completely lost and never able to truly succeed to better themselves and their people.