1984 - Assignment 1 10/23/2017
"Suddenly they were both leaping round him, shouting ‘Traitor!’ and ‘Thought-criminal!’ the little girl imitating her brother in every movement. It was somehow slightly frightening, like the gambolling of tiger cubs which will soon grow up into man-eaters. There was a sort of calculating ferocity in the boy’s eye, a quite evident desire to hit or kick Winston and a consciousness of being very nearly big enough to do so. It was a good job it was not a real pistol he was holding, Winston thought." (23)
The children seem to believes in the Party. This could be a commentary about how propaganda affects children at young ages. The children are brainwashed, automatically accusing their neighbors of a thought crime calling him a criminal. The children are similar to the people of North Korea who believe their leader is a God. The children of Mrs. Parson and people of North Korea are entranced by their government, and as a result, being controlled the government.
Another idea is that this is a way for the government to turn on each other. It's implied that Mrs. Parson is sacred or nervous of her children. Parson's children are disloyal to her own mother willing to turn her into the Party. The Party is able to invade a person's most private places, like a home, and influence the person's loved ones. The Party has a lot of control in society, able to influence a whole generation into being traitors towards their own family if they step out of line.
The children seem to believes in the Party. This could be a commentary about how propaganda affects children at young ages. The children are brainwashed, automatically accusing their neighbors of a thought crime calling him a criminal. The children are similar to the people of North Korea who believe their leader is a God. The children of Mrs. Parson and people of North Korea are entranced by their government, and as a result, being controlled the government.
Another idea is that this is a way for the government to turn on each other. It's implied that Mrs. Parson is sacred or nervous of her children. Parson's children are disloyal to her own mother willing to turn her into the Party. The Party is able to invade a person's most private places, like a home, and influence the person's loved ones. The Party has a lot of control in society, able to influence a whole generation into being traitors towards their own family if they step out of line.
I really like your idea that the Party has sort of infiltrated "private places" like homes and the minds of loved ones. This ties in with something Winston said at the beginning of chapter five or six; he explains that in Oceania, no one really has friends. In a way, no one really has family either. Like you said, the government has immense influence in the lives and mind of everyone. In a society where even mother are afraid of their children turning on them, we can assume that everyone pretty much keeps to themselves. After all, why risk exposing any thoughts or even mannerisms that may get yourself vaporized? That fear would keep everyone isolated, which I am sure is exactly what the Party wants.
ReplyDeleteI have this big thing where I think that ideas can never really turn into anything without acknowledgement; for instance, you can think a pair of shoes is ugly but that opinion only exists as a thought until you express it. That adds it to the circle of existence to someone else. If someone has an idea that there is injustice in Oceania, but they refuse to express it in some communicable way, then it will always just remain a thought. The isolation encouraged (subtly) though fear therefore plays into the Party's insistence on complete subordination. Keeping people alone sort of keeps them voiceless.
You mentioned North Korea a lot. Do you think people feel alone there, too? Isolated?
It's possible that they can feel lonely if their were in a place they can't trust, but unlike Oceania North Korea isn't surveyed 24/7 (at least i hope not). So I don't think they completely keep to themselves.
DeleteThe connection you made between Oceania and North Korea is very relevant as I agree that from a young age they convince their citizens that their leader is less of an average human and more of a god. This truly does brainwash the citizens as it deceives them and continues the cycle of believing these lies.
ReplyDeleteI one hundred percent agree with you when you said that their children go against their own family if they cross a certain line, but I wonder what would happen when they learn that family is all you got and you must stick together. I also wondered by I also thought when you used North Korea as an example.
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