Nineteen eighty-four´s dystopian vision: power and the individual

2007

Masteroppgave i engelsk, Høgskolen i Agder, Kristiansand Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is by many known for, and consequently discussed in terms of, its “predictions” of the future, and its political satire. This thesis does not aim at discussing Orwell’s political ambitions, nor the alleged “prophecy” of the novel. Rather, this thesis focuses on and discusses the dystopian nightmare of Nineteen Eighty-Four, which is characterised by totalitarianism and its power discourse. The novel’s society is emphasised by O’Brien’s statement of “the boot stamping on a human face.” I have used Foucault’s theory on Pastoral power to explain the power discourse of the Party. Furthermore, I have explained …