George Orwell: 1984 : dystopian science fiction or grim reality = George Orwell: 1984 : distopijska znanstvena fantastika ali mračna realnost : diplomsko delo
Iršič, Tomaž
The aim of this dissertation is the analysis of modern democracies through George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. In his dystopian science fiction, the citizens of Oceania are under complete ...control of the government. This dissertation examines and asserts that Orwell's characteristics of a totalitarian state are present in modern democracies. The analysis focuses on three main techniques of social control in the novel: surveillance, perpetual war and control over language and the media. If Orwell in his novel established the notion of surveillance state, then modern democracies are not trailing far behind. With Snowden's revelations of extensive government surveillance programmes used by the US and the UK, there is an eerie similarity between Orwell's Big Brother and modern democratic governments. Similarly the perpetuity of war used by the government of Oceania to frighten its citizens into submission and waste resources can be identified in prolonged modern conflicts such as The War on Drugs, the Cold War and The War on Terror. Even though Orwell's Newspeak is a language created through the destruction of words and meanings, which cannot be claimed for the languages of modern societies, his depiction of political speech and the use of linguistic devices to deceive the population is absolutely precise. Modern political phrases such as enhanced interrogation techniques, technical barriers and limited military operations function as generalized, euphemistic terms used by modern politicians of all creeds to divert attention from the problems and convince their citizens in favour of their policies. On the other hand, Orwell's depiction of the state controlled media might not be the most accurate illustration of the situation. Modern democratic governments have little control over the media; however, the depluralization of the media landscape and integration of the media in the capitalist system inhibits their function as a government watchdog, thus resembling Orwell's state controlled media more than it is apparent at first glance.
Type of material - undergraduate thesis
; adult, serious
Publication and manufacture - Ljubljana : [T. Iršič], 2016
Č Ms 0000014784 Closed stacks
Č Ms 14784 Closed stacks
loan not possible
Shelf entry
Adding material to shelf was successful.
Adding material to shelf failed.
It was not necessary to add the material to the shelf.
Bibliographic material was successfully added on shelf.
Adding bibliographical material on shelf was not successful.
Material is already on the shelf.
Permalink
URL:
Impact factor
Access to the JCR database is permitted only to users from Slovenia. Your current IP address is not on the list of IP addresses with access permission, and authentication with the relevant AAI accout is required.
Year
Impact factor
Edition
Category
Classification
JCR
SNIP
JCR
SNIP
JCR
SNIP
JCR
SNIP
Select the library membership card:
DRS,
in which the journal is indexed
Database name
Field
Year
Links to authors' personal bibliographies
Links to information on researchers in the SICRIS system
Subject headings in COBISS General List of Subject Headings
Select pickup location
The material from the parent unit is free. If the material is delivered to the pickup location from another unit, the library may charge you for this service.
More...
Subject Headings Textbook Zebra Research guides