An Introduction to 1984

The book 1984 was written by George Orwell in 1948 and was published in 1949 by Secker and Warburg. The book takes place in an absolute and totalitarian government that is suffocating its people by its many rules and guidelines. “The Party”, as it is known, is in completely control of everything. They have the final say in all aspects of politics, economy and daily life. This control over the people has only pined for more power and control up to the point where the government prohibits all forms of rebellion. Thinking of rebellion is the worst of all crimes, the constant vigilance and spying has the protagonist, Winston Smith at the edge of madness where he doesn't care whether he rebels or not, just to feel as if he had some freedom is what he wants and so do the people who live under “The Party's” rule.

The Oppressed become the Oppressors

Out of all the Communist regimes that have risen, the leaders have of the Communist movement are usually driven to bring equality and to stop the abuses of the last government. Sadly though, when these leaders concentrate their power they do the same as the old leaders and oppress the people. This is the terrible irony to all Communist regimes, the Commies always preach for the freedom of the people and the equality of all of its citizens but in the end all the people get is brutal suppression and subjugation. As in all regimes, Animal Farm has undergone the transitions of a oppressive government. Like all other Communist leaders, they take up the lifestyle of the old leaders and forsake their misguided but noble values. The pigs who once were repulsed by the idea of an animal behaving like a man are now learning how to read, write and have taken on human vices such as smoking, drinking and gambling. In page 139 the animals were looking in a card game between the pigs and neighboring human farmers and both parties caught each other cheating “Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from to pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which”. This shows just how the cycle of the angered and vengeful oppressed come back to oppress the people.

The Gullible Class

One of the most dangerous aspects of how Communism begins to set its foundations is how it fools and deceives to get into a position of power. No matter which group was oppressed by the foothold of a Communist regime, the people always seemed to have turned the other cheek and seem to be completely ignorant of the injustices that were happening. Although Napoleon has blatantly defied the Seven Commandments, no one has stepped up to name the injustices the system has committed . The other animals do not know of the abuses Napoleon's rule has done but their naivete has prevented them from pointing out how the whole system has gone awry. The other animals done question but support and through this blind ambition of making their farm great, they fuel Napoleon's thirst for more power and furthering his grip on the farm. In page 126 the loyal but naïve Boxer says “Comrade Napoleon is always right” and Boxer says this constantly. No matter what Napoleon does, Boxer says he is always right, and the same could be said about the animals in general. Napoleon has irrefutably abused his power and he has taken measures to protect his own power at the price of the other animals' welfare. Yet, no animal has said anything, Napoleon's public relations aid, Squealer comes to soothe over any qualms and feeds the other animals a load of lies on how if Napoleon and his inner circle were to come to any discomfort then the whole farm will collapse. These kinds of lies are constantly thrown at the animals and it always works.