1984 Group

Question:

lafter
lafter
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In what ways does Orwell use satire to communicate his ideas?

Specific quotes/references would be great! Thanks!

Rate question:

Posted by lafter on Friday July 10, 2009 at 12:52 PM and tagged with 1984, ideas, satire.

Answers:


  1. michael336 Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Orwell is particularly satirzing the Soviet Union, with some references to Nazi Germany. The poster of Big Brother, by its description, looks similar ot both Joseph Stalin and Adolph Hitler. Both those leaders promoted their totalitarian form of government throughout the WWII.

    In the children's history book that Winston reads, this is similar to the rewriting of history that Stalin commaned in Russia. The communist slant and the direct condemnation of the "decadent" West were taught from a very early age.

    Winston works in the communication industry. In any totalitarian system, but especially Communist countries, the strict control of the media is a major use of propaganda. It was in fact the "revising" of the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion, which released a radioactive cloud over Europe that caused the Soviet Union to finally collapse. The obvious falsity of their reporting (such as Winston is involved in) exposed their duplicity as no war could have. The spirit of "glasnost" (openness) came forth soon after, and the fall of communism after that.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/1984

    Rate answer:

    Posted by michael336 on Friday July 10, 2009 at 5:56 PM