Discussing the Political and Psychological Aspects Ideas Pertaining to a Dystopian Society - Research Paper Example

?Evaluate the novels as works of literature and compare and contrast them. Discuss the political and psychological aspects of each novel and compare and contrast those ideas pertaining to a dystopian society and modern day life today The term dystopian means ‘bad place’. The conception of dystopian is just the opposite of utopia. Utopia represents a perfect place with healthy political system and dystopia represents the tyranny of the political regime and the psychological difficulty that the characters of the novels experience. Through the dystopian novel the writers expresses their opinion regarding the evil society more dramatically and its influence on the minds of the people. The protagonist of the novels who are victims of political oppression and sufferers from a psychological complexity carry a political message as designed by the author. The novel Nineteen Eighty-four, written by George Orwell, illustrates the central character Winston as a victim of the present political autocracy. Winston dreams of an ideal world where the difference between public and private life existed. He idealizes a world which is drastically different from the evil controlled society of 1984. Winston’s craving to go back to his childhood to the private world was similar to the mental condition of Orwell who longed to return to his past. The author states that the political and spiritual condition of the late forties was complex. He detests the totalitarian mentality that gave birth to the cruel Inner Party to attain the power in the fifties and sixties. (Gottlieb, 271, 278-279) Alex in ‘A Clockwork Orange’ is also a victim of the totalitarian society. The complexities faced by Winston and Alex both politically and psychologically, experienced in the dystopian society reveal the mental conflict of both the characters to adjust with the prevalent regime of the government. In George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-four, Winston who is the protagonist of the story is an epitome of sanity in the society which diverges completely from the perception of reality. O’Brien, who was an orthodox government agent remarked about the star that, “they are bits of fire a few kilometers away. We could reach them if we wanted to. Or we could blot them out.” (Plank 118) Winston’s character possessed different feeling that was a mixture of self destruction and insanity. The entire story centers on Winston and O’Brien. O’Brien plays a cat and mouse game with Winston. Both the characters complete each other by their roles and activities that they play in the course of the story. This novel comprises of both political historical as well as psychological moral side. Characters suffer from a psychological disturbance due to the effect of the Big Brother, a dictator leader of the state Oceania. Big Brother is the representative of God and is assumed that similar to the powers of God, this leader also has the power to control the lives of people. There is an indirect challenge that people should worship Big Brother like the way they worship God. The author has compared the activities of God with that of Big Brother. As people are ignorant about the intentions of God, similarly the intention and motivation of Big Brother and its party is completely vague in the minds of the people. Winston secretly hates the government and the Party. Through the characters Orwell expresses his own feeling that he possesses in his sub conscious mind. He exposes his feelings in such manner that it is easily accepted by the character by introducing a whole culture of Oceania so that the characters may “blend into the woodwork” (Plank 119). Canetti remarked on Orwell’s depiction of Winston as an inferior man than he was himself, “if one is nothing oneself, there is a peculiar kind of servile gratification to be got from ending in the belly of power” (Plank, 119). The power of the autocratic government ruled the entire life of Winston and invoked immense torture to him. Orwell presented Oceania as a gigantic state which had no limitation. The Inner Party was a small group that functioned in this huge state and kept strict vigilance on the activities and life of every individual. The structure of the Inner Party was very complex and comprised of six million members. The members who were in the privilege position of the party suffered from a sense of insecurity. Orwell through his mouthpiece Winston tried to project the incompatible structure and activity of the Inner Party and its control on the mind of the protagonist. Winston mind was conquered by the pressure and rigid rules of the dictator government. Winston was the member of the Outer Party which gave him the liberty to grow beard but the Inner Party strongly opposed it. There was a big contradiction related to the job of Winston. Winston worked for the Party with immense sincerity and enthusiasm but hated the Party from the core of his heart. The totalitarian regime discouraged an individual to withdraw in his private life or fail in fulfilling the commitments of the designated job. (Plank, 118 -123) George Orwell’s work reflects the technique that the government has adopted to manipulate the citizens by maneuvering the truth and controlling the news. This novel sets an argument against the unregulated power of the government. Nineteen Eighty-four of Orwell possesses similar features of the dystopian conception comprising of authoritative government and oppressive people. Spain and Russia during that period of time viewed totalitarian government. Orwell’s novel was an alarm to the other western nations who were looking forward to the rise of communism. The novel showed that modern society was controlled by the use of new technologies which were already dominating the people. The conception of ‘Big Brother’ was vague. The caste system of 1984 was very rigid. The ‘Big Brother’ had a huge significance in the lives of the people. Most of the people supported the Outer Party and only merge amount of people followed the Inner Party and ‘Big Brother’. The ‘Big Brother’ was the representation of the strict and rigid regime of that period of time that was impossible to change. The citizens had no personal liberty and were in constant supervision of the government. In this bleak age, women were only the ray of hope and resembled the best aspects in the universe. Women represented beauty, vitality, love, affection and motherhood. In every age women have always been represented as a victim of the cruelty of men and society. The same situation was reflected in Orwell’s novel 1984.   Orwell’s 1984 reflect the dystopian is very similar to the modern day world. The ‘Telescreen’ described in 1984 that provides daily news of Big Brothers orders is very similar to the conception of Television of today that provides news which are mostly half truth. The orders directed by Oceania in 1984 were very convincing which is very similar to the advertisements that are broadcasting in the television today that mostly influences people to believe in false news. In 1984, the totalitarian government used to convince the citizens to live life according to their rules and the people were forced to believe the truth created by the government. In the modern day society the similar system exists. The government officials and organizations like CIA and FBI very often distorts the truth and project a false information to the people and forces the citizens to believe the created truth. The Newspeak language that was used in 1984 is similar to the language used by the people in modern society. The language is very impersonal, and the usage of abbreviations is very common in modern society which resembles Newspeak. Many strong words that create a heavy and negative impact on the people related to the propaganda are used in today’s world which resembles to the usage of language in Orwell’s 1984. Orwell projects in his novel that the government takes help of Emmanuel Goldstein an enemy to keep the people united and monitor them in the same way USA has also taken the help of enemies to unify the citizens especially when the country is in war with their enemies. Oceania in 1984, named the government Big Brother, which makes the government more vague and effective. In the same way during the Vietnam War, USA also took the same method by naming its government Uncle Sam to be more effective on the people. “Big Brother is watching you” the logo used by the totalitarian government in 1984 is similar to “Uncle Sam wants you” logo that USA had used during the Vietnam War. The society of 1984 was extreme but Orwell’s warning about dystopian society is beginning to surface in the modern day society. If proper reformation and precautions are not taken in time then very soon the modern day life will transform into an extreme dystopian society similar to the society reflected in Orwell novel 1984. A Clockwork Orange was written by Anthony Burgess. This is another dystopian novel which has a grey theme and the characters of the novel are ruled by the totalitarian society. In this novel Alex is the protagonist who is the victim of the autocratic government. There is a constant comparison between the free will of the people and the rigid control of the government. Alex is described as a ruthless character that possesses lots of vices and an epitome of violence and destruction creates havoc in the society. On the other hand Alex loves music, especially Beethoven. Music is a symbol of life which is just the opposite of violence. A note of contradiction runs through the depiction of Alex’s character. This novel portrays the dominance of the patriarchal society which resembles evil and horrible side of human nature. Women in this novel have been reflected as a mere commodity and the symbol of sexuality. The story begins with the description of a drugged milk bar which consists of furniture’s that are made in the shape of naked women. This is a symbolic representation of a woman who is treated as an object. Alex commits a crime by murdering an old woman for which he is jailed for fourteen years. A subversive problem exists in the concept of humanism in this novel. Bureaucracy in this story acts as a threat to the existence of the people. Freedom is a necessity in everyone’s life. Though Alex is described as a negative character in the beginning of the story who exercises his freedom in an atrocious manner, still freedom is morally valuable to him. Women are presented as a victim of Alex’s self expression. Freedom is reflected as a partial right which only could be enjoyed by the male members of the society and women were refused the minimum right to live a dignified life. (Kawin, 33-37) During the time when this work was composed, the society was in a state of topsy-turvy. People were majorly addicted to drugs and committed huge number of crimes which disrupted the entire legal system of the society. Prisons were overcrowded with young criminals. The youth were unruly and indiscipline. They used to commit crime by beating and raping anyone they encountered on the streets for fulfilling their lust. The novel illustrates on the problems that was prevalent in the society at that period of time without offering any solution. It mostly points at the hindrance that faced by the characters to build up a more perfect society. Alex the main protagonist of the novel went through a great transformation from a violent person to a submissive character through psychological treatment. The author uses a unique style of usage of language called ‘Nadsat’ in the mouth of the characters. ‘Nadsat’ is a collection of slang words which is combination of Russian, English and Polish languages. This story reveals a heavy usage of this slang words through Alex and his friends. After Alex is imprisoned for murdering a person, he faces a new technique of treatment called Ludvico Technique. This technique is used to cure Alex from his violent streaks. Alex is released from this treatment after two weeks and after two years he is sent back to the social life among people. Alex was cured. He hated violence and even the thought or sound of violence and music created panic in him. Alex encounters his past victim, an author who was against the new rules and ideas of the government. He believes that the new system of the dictator-government has robbed the freedom from the citizens. Individuals completely lack in basic rights of choice and moral decision. The author uses Alex as an instrument to fight against this rigid system of the political system. But when Alex tries to commit suicide the state realizes that the technique that is adopted to cure Alex is completely useless and wrong. Alex at the end of the story realizes that the violent ways to achieve goals is wrong and so he decides to get married and begin a healthy life devoid of any vices and violence. ‘A Clockwork Orange’ by Burgess reflects a demand for a discipline in a society. Alex choice is not an option rather it is a condition that is forced on him. The influence of the dystopian society created by Burgess not only affects an individual but also changes him. The political situation of that time was weak because the government had no control over the criminal activities of the citizens especially the youth. Alex in ‘A Clockwork Orange’ lived on his free will and created problems in the lives of the innocent people. Government had no control over his evil activities. In modern society the country is ruled by the democratic government. Strict laws and regulations are prevalent to safeguard the lives of the people from being victims of any criminal activity. The author revolts against the lack of freedom in the society which is controlled by the government. The government had compete control of the all the properties of the citizens, media and jail. The scientific technique that was used to cure Alex from his violence is completely abolished in the modern life of today. Citizens have the liberty to live on their will without creating any harm to the society and people. In the democratic society government is formed by the choice of people and the government supports and works for the benefit of the people. The current society does not reflect the dystopian society. In both the novels Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, new form of language was introduced and utilized by the characters of both the novels. The language represents power and reveals the mentality and the attitude of the people who were holding the powerful position in the society. Newspeak of Nineteen Eighty-four was an invention of the dictator rule of the government where every revolutionary thought have been eradicated due to the abolition of notorious terms. In A Clockwork Orange, the language that the youth of the society used, ‘Nadsat’, was the depiction of the real life slang that the teenagers used due to the lack of government interference. As far as language is concerned that was used by the characters, both the novels are totally opposite. The impact of the language was mostly influence by the rigid autocracy to virtual anarchy. Both the novels represent a dystopian society which reflects pains and evils caused by the impact of strict government on the lives of the people. Both the novels resemble some similarities regarding theme, imagery and vision. A Clockwork Orange represents the world full of ruthless youth who mercilessly murders and rapes innocent citizens just to satisfy their immoral desires. Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four represents the worlds where citizens do not have any power over their life. Every positive and beautiful aspect is pressed out of their life so that the people are forced to spend their life in repression. The world that Orwell created had complete control on the lives of the people by the use of new technology which captures every personal incident of a person’s life. Music played an important role in the destruction of the main protagonist of both the novels. Winston in Orwell’s novel listens to the music that was sung by the Big Brother admirers which according to him sounded like war cries. A birds song that Winston hears, on the other hand invokes new hope for life. The music plays a positive role in Winston’s life because it brings new hope to the protagonist. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex who plays a grey character also loves music. This element of music establishes a contradictory feature of Alex’s character. Alex loves violence and ruthlessly destroys and murders people but on the other hand he loves Beethoven the music which reflects life, love and joy. In both the novels the progress of scientific technology is vividly emphasized. In the dystopian society the government takes the help of the advanced scientific technology to control the emotions and private lives of the people and brainwash them so that every citizen may follow the rigid rules laid down by the government. Alex in A Clockwork Orange encounters Ludvico technique that was used on him to cure him from the violence streak. This technique consisted of both chemical and visual treatment. Alex used to experience severe pain in his head and stomach whenever he used to entertain mischievous thoughts in his mind. The doctors used to force him to watch violent war movies till he got sick. Alex after being conditioned for several years in the prison forgot to realize his own feelings. This was the brainwashing technique that was used by the government on the people especially the criminals of that society which robbed one’s independence from them. In Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four brainwashing technique was prevalent in the entire society. The citizens were constantly monitored, sign of happiness was nonexistent. Children were initiated to spy on their parents. While brainwashing, Winston experienced unbearable physical torture. Winston’s brainwashing technique was similar to Alex’s. Fear played the central role in the brainwashing process which robbed both the protagonist of their humanity. In both the novels dystopian world represents gloomy and hopeless life. Government’s use of modern scientific technology to dominate the lives of the people reflects the negative side of the totalitarian government that was prevalent in the time when both Alex and Winston lived. Orwell’s novel and Burgess’s novel deal with the dystopian society, but are basically different. In both the novels, the authors depict the role of the government in the societies in different ways especially the reactions of the characters who are victims of the autocratic regime of the government. Orwell presents the impact of the dominant government which results into the repression of the people. Burgess presents completely an opposite ideology in his novel. He portrays the flaws of the government, who lacks the power to prevent crime which encourages the criminals especially the youth of the society to create havoc in the society. Alex had the power and the liberty to live on his own will whereas Winston was victimized by the dominance of the government who controlled the entire life of Winston. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex and his group of friends commits lot of crime without any serious cause rather just to fulfill their desires and fun. Alex comments, “Our pockets are full of deng, so there was no real need from the point of view of crasting any more pretty polly tolchock some old veck in an alley…..nor to so the ultra- violent on some shivering starry grey- haired ptitsa in a shop and go smecking off with the till’s guts. But, as they say, money isn’t everything.” (Burgess, 2) Alex and his friends snatched money from a man and scattered on the road instead of possessing it with themselves. One of the victims of Alex when being attacked by Alex and his group comments, “it’s a stinking world because it lets the young get on to the old like you done, and there’s no law nor order no more” (Burgess, 14). This comment reflects the inability of the weak government to protect the citizens from the harmful criminals. Burgess works portrays a society which is controlled by the individual than the government. This has been proved by the experience that Alex goes through in the story. Alex a murderer finds the world a better place to live in after been released from the prison. Life gives him another opportunity to live a settled and healthy life devoid of any violent or criminal activity. This reflects that the society was completely manipulated by the individuals. In Nineteen eighty four, the situation is completely opposite. Government rules the lives of the people and chokes their liberty and happiness completely. Here the ‘Big Brother’ rules over the lives of the people. Winston the protagonist of the story though works for the party still dreams of the past before the emergence of this rigid government. Winston had a diary where he used to pen down his hatred towards the rigid government. Winston states, “this is not illegal…. but if detected it was reasonable certain that it would be punished by death or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp” (Orwell, 6-7). Winston was brainwashed to believe in the rigid system of the government and ultimately succumbed to the rigid laws, “but it was alright, everything was alright, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” (Orwell 308). At the end of the novel, Winston failed to change the ideology of the party rather he himself started admiring it. Both the novels present an opposite character. Orwell’s novel reflects governments complete control on citizens where as Burgess’ novel reflects the lack of control of the government on the people especially the criminals. Winston failed to overthrow Big Brother and change the society for betterment in spite of his great efforts where as Alex was able to lead his life according to his own will and the government had no control over him. Alex was able to remain an influential character and was able to cast his power on the people and the government which helped him to improve his life. Orwell’s novel represents a flawless government yet dominates the people and robs off the basic rights from the citizens but Burgess’ novel allows the characters to live a carefree live without any influence of the political power. These two novels represent the true features of the dystopian society. References Gottlieb, Erika. Dystopian fiction east and west: universe of terror and trial, Montreal: McGill-Queen’s Press, 2001 Kawin, Bruce. How movies work, California: University of California Press, 1992 Plank, Robert. George Orwell’s guide through hell: a psychological study of 1984, Maryland: Wild side Press LLC, 1994 Orwell, George, 1984, Plume, 2003 Burgess, Anthony, A Clockwork Orange, W.W. Norton & Company, 1986 Read More