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Jocelyn Huerta
Professor Altman
English 114B
6 May, 2014
1984
Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled
they cannot become conscious (Orwell 70). The novel 1984 by George Orwell follows the main
character, Winston Smith, who lives in a dystopian government, in which the people are being
monitored physically and psychologically. Winston works for the Ministry of Truth which
changes or alters history either by modifying it or deleting information, but he secretly hates the
government and Big Brother. The space in the novel creates many influences and interactions on
the characters especially since they are being controlled by the government, in our society
individuals interactions are also influenced by space. The government is made up of four
ministries which are run by the Party, these ministries are Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Love,
Ministry of Plenty, and Ministry of Peace. Privacy is lacking in this dystopian society because
there are always bring monitored and losing their sense of privacy, while in our society privacy
is a given luxury. Ministry of Truth is in charge of censoring information from the population
including the Party while we have items that are censored we have the choice of uncensored
items. In 1984, Orwell demonstrates the government controlling the Party by using censorship
and privacy. While in our world the government doesnt control individuals, like in the novel, it
reveals how space influences interactions amongst characters in the novel and individuals in our
society.
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There are many things that are censored in our media, but it is our choice if we want it
uncensored. While Winston works at the Ministry of Truth which falsifies information or censors
the media, this can make it difficult to know what is true or false causing the space to change
depending on the news. Although the telescreens observe individuals wherever they are, they
have another job and that is to give information about what is going on in the government. When
important news are being given they make it known by enhancing the sound effects like horns,
the information that is usually given is about war, Two-Minute Hate, or doing exercises. As
Winston sits to watch the Two-Minute Hate he notices he sits between two women and then the
Hate starts, The next moment a hideous, grinding screech, as some monstrous machine running
without oil, burst from the big telescreen at the end of the room. It was a noise that set ones
teeth on edge and bristled the hair at the back of ones neck. The Hate had started (Orwell 11).
There is no credibility in the news given by the government because that is the only channel
given as well as the fact that the government is in control of what information is given to the
population. At one point Winston was looking forward to the news about winning or losing the
war that was in Africa, when the news was that they had not lost Africa many cheered in front of
the telescreen. This was what was expected of them but also because the news is important in
order to know who is on their side or is winning. When watching the Two-Minute Hate there is a
specific way they have to act, and Winston does, he boos and gets angry at the telescreen when
Goldstein shows up. The telescreen affects how they act, especially when the Hate begins
revealing that the space around them changes how they interact.
Winston makes it known that he is aware of the government altering the past, this is because
he works at the Ministry of Truth. He is always given papers and information that needs to be
altered. For instance Winston has to delete any evidence that they have been at war with Eurasia
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and allies with Eastasia because Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia and allies with
Eurasia. Throughout the novel, Orwell shows that the government alters the history in order to
demonstrate that Big Brother has no weaknesses and is strong and all-knowing. In deciding what
to put on the telescreen it makes the population alter their state of mind because what they have
known changes to being wrong which forces them to agree with the new statement and forget the
past. Winston remembers a photograph from 10 or 11 years ago in which he burns it and it
couldve been evidence if he didnt burn it, with the confessions rewritten, The past not only
changed, but changed continuously.The immediate advantages of falsifying the past were
obvious, but the ultimate motive was mysterious (Orwell 79). In Newspeak they would use
doublethink, which is reality control, the ability to have two ideas that were opposite of each
other and being able to accept them both; cognitive dissonance in psychology. By censoring
media and altering the past it made the Party interact with each other only in events that the
government held but when they were by themselves or working each individual would think of
the Party. The government has them under control how they want it and by using these tactics the
population will perform in their preference, the rest who do not will be found out by the Thought
Police. Since the Party can censor media it changes individuals because they dont have their
own thoughts, they are only performing how they have learned which doesnt allow them to
change intellectually. There have been many points in history where there had been censoring for
the good of the government, although it was not deleted or altered it was usually recorded by the
winner.
Throughout history, governments try to censor information from society for many reasons; for
war, individuals, or the government. During World War I the government had intense censorship
in order to keep the Pro United States and anti-communist thoughts. There was an act passed, the
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Sedition Act of 1918 which was passed a year after the Espionage Act of 1917; the purpose of
this act was to keep freedom of speech towards the way away from individuals because they did
not want people speaking badly or against the war (PBS). This would hide all information away
from the public which the media were only permitted to give positive information. In doing so
many individuals thought it was important to express themselves and some individuals did,
which led to some sort of punishment for going against the government; prison for some years.
In censoring the media, some individuals acted out of their character because they wanted to
express their freedom of speech that had been stolen from them. This shows that censoring ideas
alters how an individual may interact in the new space that had regulations.
Privacy is an important aspect to our individual lives, we dont even think about it, while
in Orwells novel they are always being monitored losing their essence of privacy, effecting how
they interact. Winston never gets any privacy around the Party; at home, at work, and anywhere
else because there are usually telescreeens which cant be turned off completely. Any sound
that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover,
so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could
be seen as well as heard. There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being
watched at any given moment (3). By the government controlling Party members it doesnt
allow them to become individuals especially with strict rules on what they can or cannot do. As
much as Winston tries to turn his back to the telescreen or lower the volume he can never escape
the telescreen and Big Brother. Since Big Brother is always watching, Winston has to act how
the Party wants, which is no individuality; acting as a group of brainwashed Party members.
Besides being monitored physically there are individuals who are part of the Party that
watch your thoughts, Thought Police. The Thought Police cannot know what you are thinking
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mentally, but use psychology to understand what a person might be thinking, using a
combination of monitoring and psychological help. When all is done they will torture individuals
in order to get information or to find out whether or not they accomplished a thoughtcrime,
unacceptable thoughts or beliefs. Winston working at the Ministry of Truth acted in the Two-
Minute Hate that had taken place which shows their hatred for those against Big Brother, one
individual in particular Goldstein, A day never passes when spies and saboteurs acting under his
directions were not unmasked by the Thought Police (13). The Party members that are being
observed are affected because they are hiding their thoughts; unless they dont particularly have
any, in doing so they may act against Big Brother without meaning to since they arent allowed
to think intellectually for themselves, what is right or wrong. Winston having betrayed the Party,
decided to become part of the Brotherhood which is an organization against the Party and Big
Brother, it was under Goldstein. OBrien helps him obtain the book which includes all the
ideas against the Party but when Winston is captured, OBrien tells him that he pretended to be a
part of the Brotherhood. Winston might have been tricked to become involved in the
Brotherhood which may not even exist; the Party could make it up in order to get those who are
against them. It can be thought that the Party creates spies just like Winston because monitoring
individuals will make them more likely to act out or conform. Since Winston believes the
Brotherhood exists he begins to act out of the norm because he knows there are others out there
who share his beliefs. When one assumes there are others out there who share same thoughts it
will bring more thoughts of unity, like Winston. In our own society we have our privacy but
there are some moments in which we are being monitored, like Winston, just less exaggerated.
Privacy is always assumed as our natural right due to the Bill of Rights, depending how
the Bill of Right is interpreted we have privacy, but otherwise it isnt clear. Besides that, we have
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as much privacy as we want in our home which makes individuals act relaxed because they know
they are comfortable in their surroundings or space. Compared to Winston who is always being
watched in his home, he has no sense of privacy. The things people like to do in their private
time is usually being on their phones, computers, reading, etc. Although some may not know it
they may not have privacy because while they are on their computers the NSA may be
monitoring them. The NSA, National Security Agency, is in charge of monitoring information
that may be out there that is of use and surveillance of some individuals in the United States. In
order for us to even know about the NSA, Edward Snowden had to reveal said agency. He did
not like that people were being monitored without their consent so he decided to let everyone
know about what was going on. Americans were happy he had said something, but the NSA was
outraged because it was a secret agency in charge of finding information and it was no longer a
confidential. Individuals do not act differently towards this program because they know they
arent doing anything wrong, others are not aware they are being monitored. People will only act
suspicious towards the NSA if they have something to hide or the government will find a threat.
This privacy is taken away when using technology, except cellphones since they cannot
listen in on them only landlines. The NSA listens in on conversations when talking on the phones
and when individuals talk to others on social networks. Many individuals are not aware of these
events happening or may not care, which may change how they relate with others on the internet
or phone calls.
In conclusions, the government has their means of controlling specific incidents in the
past by using censorship and freedom, like 1984, but by not using these methods it forces
individuals to conform or act out because the space influences their interactions. There have been
times when censorship happens yet we are able to find out more evidence than the one given
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unlike the Ministry of Truth who didnt allow choices. Privacy is lacking in 1984 because they
are always being watched while we have the idea of privacy in our everyday life. It is important
to know that we space where can act as we like or how we are to, by having the option of our
space interactions it makes an individual accept some limitations. We as a society have added
norms to each area and there are reasons why they are there, although sometimes we may not
agree. Winston is an example of having too many limitations on his space which in the end got
him caught for going against order because he wanted freedom, privacy, and truth.













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Works Cited
"Sedition Act of 1918." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.