Top 10 Terms from George Orwell's 1984 Novel
There is no book that has so greatly influenced public perception of government as George Orwell's 1984. The novel is set in a dystopian world dominated by three superpowers: Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia, which are locked in a perpetual state of war against one another. It portrays an oppressive totalitarian regime that exerts control over all aspects of its citizens' daily lives through the manipulation of knowledge, blurring the lines between fiction and fact, and repression via the state security apparatus controlled by the Party.Written by Orwell, a democratic socialist, as a critique of totalitarianism, 1984 has been banned in several nations, where authorities feared its subversive themes. This reaction underscores the relevance and power of Orwell's work.
This glossary will highlight the terms Orwell created or popularized in 1984. Some of these words are in standard English, while others are in "Newspeak," a language developed in the novel to limit freedom of thought, which I will explain further.
The official language of the superstate of Oceania and the Party. The language was conceived to reduce the words of the English language or "Oldspeak." It has a limited vocabulary and restricted grammar with contracted words so that people express their ideas as simply as possible, thereby restricting freedom of speech and expression that would otherwise go against the Party's doctrine and dogma.
The best way to put it is that the Party believed they could maintain peace by continuing the war effort against the other superstates. This war effort bound the populace together through ultranationalism. The Party believed any independent community would be unsuccessful due to its own misguided views and failures (thus being a slave to one's own instincts) without guidance from a higher central authority. They tried to maintain societal order and stability by keeping the populace docile.
A Newspeak term that stands for "English Socialism," which is the ideology of "the Party." It is a jab at oppressive Soviet Stalinism, deemed deviant from Marxist thought, hence its correlation with socialism.
Any unacceptable statement or view that goes against the Party's dogma, such as expressing criticism against Big Brother, questioning the Party's authority, or trying to debunk their revisionism of current situations and history. Violations result in the offender being literally vaporized, with their existence forgotten by everybody at the Party's whim.
Hate Week is a type of psychological warfare that the Ministry of Hate utilizes to arouse nationalism among the Proles. It promotes xenophobia towards the populace of Eastasia and Eurasia, depending on the rapidly changing political climates, through massive organized rallies akin to those of the Nazis.
Doublethink is when people accept two contradicting views sanctioned by the Party as correct and acceptable. What is stunning is that such contradictory beliefs do not cause conflict in one's mind, as expected by the Party.
The bottom 85% of the population makes up the majority of Oceania, other than second-tier party members and the elite Ministry. They are docile after years of being mentally conditioned by the Party and often live in poverty.
The ideology of Eastasia isn't thoroughly explained in the novel. However, I view it as a collectivist ideology that values working together for the "greater good," akin to that of ants. It is opposed to individualism, which they perceive as "selfish" and "different and unequal from the rest."
The central authority figure or dictator of Oceania who oppresses the common Proles through far-reaching state surveillance and a cult of personality. His existence is rather dubious in the novel and could be a fictional representation of the Party, like Uncle Sam is to America. He is described as a handsome man in his mid-40s in Party propaganda and posters that dominate the streets of Oceania.
A famous slogan of the Party that reminds people of the constant surveillance by the Party to discourage rebellions or violations of Party rules.
The Newcomers
An "unperson" is a person who becomes forcibly forgotten after being executed and erased from all books and records. Most "unpersons" are people whose ideas conflict with the state. Unfortunately, this term is much too relevant even in today's society.
From what is shown in the book, it's the place where the human spirit is destroyed, along with the individual's personality and beliefs. Room 101 is meant for prisoners to experience their worst fears firsthand to destroy anything left of their humanity. The term itself has become a trope.