Soulless Humanity in George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) :: Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 Essays

Soulless Humanity in 1984    The year 1984 has since passed but George Orwell's prophetic vision of the future could still happen.   1984   portrays a society that has lost all trace of individuality, love, and critical thought.   George Orwell's "Negative Utopia" depicts the despair of the future of humans and also serves as a warning about fascism.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Orwell's sets the mood of the book as one of hopelessness for the future of humans.   He contrasts this mood with a popular philosophy: belief in the progress of humanity and the ability of people to institute peace and justice in the world.   These contrasting views set up the premise for the life of Winston Smith, who is one man caught in a society devoted to conformity.   Orwell's warning to this is that if people cannot change the way things are going, our society will lose their human qualities.   They will become soulless machines and not have a clue as to their new world they created.   This is the world in which Winston Smith is caught in.   He is different from the others and in a civilization which does not approve of individuality, Winston is targeted by the government from the beginning.   Being different in this populace only means rebellion and that exactly is what Winston sets out to do.   Winston believes that although he must conform on t he outside, that no one can take his individual thought away.   Winston's individuality is the only hope for human nature for he questions the most basic principles of the regime, a thoughcrime.   One doctrine Winston questions is the concept of freedom-    "How could you have a slogan like 'freedom is slavery' when the concept of freedom has been abolished?"    Winston goes on to say there will be an end to thought.   "Orthodoxy means not thinking..."   "Orthodoxy is unconscienceness."   Ã‚  Ã‚   The belief that humanity is progressing while they are really losing their individuality is actually halting human progress.   Every aspect of life is changing for the worse while people believe humans are advancing.   One example is Newspeak.   As Syme put it, "You don't grasp the beauty of the destruction of words."   The destruction of words is seen as progress while in actuality, it is another step in destroying individuals and creating a hopeless future.   Once this happens, Orwell warns, all hope is lost.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Currently, Winston lives in a world filled with the ravishes of war.