1984 Themes

(Click the themes infographic to download.) In 1984, language is of central importance to behavior control. The major proposition is that if control of language were centralized in a state, then...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) Have you ever noticed those stick figure family bumper stickers on the backs of minivans? You know, the ones with the rows of happy little stic...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) 1984 is not just about totalitarianism; it makes us live through totalitarianism. The Party wants power for its own sake. The Party carefully monitors th...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) War. Huh. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing? Not quite. 1984 depicts warfare as a necessary tool and symptom of a totalitarian state. Oceania,...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) If there's one thing we learn in 1984, it's that torture is a pretty darn effective way to control subversion in a totalitarian state.If there's one more...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) Modernization in 1984 takes the form of technology, used for controlling means. By placing telescreens and clandestine microphones all across Oceania, th...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) The Party seeks to control everything – past, present, and future. Its first effort toward attaining that goal is to control and manipulate every sourc...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) A successful totalitarian state cannot accommodate private loyalties, since private loyalties will often trump loyalty to the Party. Because sex and fami...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) A successful totalitarian state cannot accommodate private loyalties, since private loyalties will often trump loyalty to the Party. Therefore, the Part...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) Attention all punks, misfits, and anyone else who has ever felt held down by the Man—1984 is all about rebellion. Believe it or not, the story shares...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) The Party seeks to control everything – past, present, and future. Another effort towards attaining that goal is to control its constituents’ memory...