1984 Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Triangle

Writer, Audience, and Context

In 1984, George Orwell inputs his own popular opinions and describes what life would be like in the future if history were to head that direction. Having witnessed firsthand the totalitarian governments in Spain and Russia would go in order to sustain and increase their power. Orwell most likely designed 1984 to sound the alarm in western nations still unsure about how to approach the rise of communism. Orwell was uneasy that the widespread cruelties and oppressions he observed in communist countries, and seems to have been concerned by the role of technology in enabling oppressive governments to monitor and control their citizens. His opinions and concepts such as the dangers of a Totalitarian government, psychological manipulation, control of information and history, and many more. It seems that Orwell’s purpose is to not only persuade his audience, but to warn them of what can come in the future if communism was to spread west.

Orwell’s audience is made up of the curious americans that find communism confusing and wanted to learn more about it. Orwell may not have gotten to know that his book is used as an educational literature piece for students but probably appreciates it. He initially made the book to get the ideas out to the world and the educational department is doing the job. He connects to his audience by portraying the public through the class just above the Proles and our government majority party would be the one party to take over us as they are the government in 1984, or “Big Brother”.

1984 is a book based on a dystopian world with a functioning government solely concentrating on power and control over things and people. The people let the government take control hoping that they would provide safety for them from the "wars that are occurring outside Oceania. The government promotes themselves through hatred and propaganda because if their people have a common enemy to distract them of what the government is doing, then the government (Big Brother) will be out in the clear and the people would come to a consensus that they all have a common enemy. 1984: George Orwells Road to Dystopia

Other Rhetorical Strategies

Orwell strategically implemented specific uses of diction, tone, and syntax in order to further show hatred of the idea that Goldstein, the Two Minute Hate, and Big Brother manipulate through propaganda showing the range of feelings through Winston.

Diction - Orwell employs strong, negative words such as "fear", "disgust", "inherently despicable", "betrayed", "hatred", etc. to show the feelings associated with Goldstein

use of "venomous", "sheeplike", "bleat", "constricted", "swine" --animal motif throughout the book. It also highlights the impact of the Two Minute Hate by describing it as a "frenzy", "assault".

Tone - Use of diction furthers his extremely negative tone with constant emphasis on the immorality of his beliefs and his desire to conspire against Oceania. Tone shifts towards anger when the focus is taken off of Goldstein and put on the Two Minutes Hate, The Party, and Big Brother. Tone shift also shows the impact of propaganda on the people. "He was an object of hatred more constant than either Eurasia or Eastasia".

Syntax - Sentences get comparatively longer when Orwell describes Goldstein, Two Minutes Hate, and Big Brother. Almost like he's listing out things he hates about each respective event. It resonates with his own hatred of totalitarian governments. "A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one's will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic."

Evaluation

It is actually pretty funny that the book picked up most of its popularity after our recent election where our president is Trump. The strategies Orwell used were most effective in the instances where Winston found trouble or feared something in the book (which is almost the whole book). He was able to describe Winston’s feeling through rhetorical strategies used in the book such as the diction, tone, and syntax, which all contribute to his character and his times of actions. It has a depressing tone and is overall a tragic novel by the way Orwell has brought the constant dilemma in the thoughts of the protagonist. One time he is thinking about the fear that has rotten his soul for years and next he is trying to fight the most powerful (Big Brother). The author has beautifully designed the scenario and the perennial fear in the residents under Big Brother. Also the love connection with Julia and betraying her at the end, makes the reader wonder what is the limit onto which someone can bear the pain and humiliation without breaking down. This makes the reader to realize how difficult it could get to have your own thoughts. Overall, this was an exceptionally important novel, as it represents a possible future if the human race that doesn’t come to terms with certain aspects of behavior, commonly relegated as being “human nature.” Edward Snowden's Relationship to 1984