1987 AP English Exam: Essay Question 2

1987 AP English Exam:
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Like all great novels, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell has an important message wrapped in its plot.  It simultaneously espoused independence and warned against the dangers of authority.  The novel proposed a (then futuristic) world in which a government sought to create the perfect society through absolute control.  While the idea is appropriately other-worldly, Orwell saw its applicability to the society he lived in.  As technology progressed, the government would have increasingly greater options to exert authority.  Where should the line be drawn?  How much should freedom be restricted in the name of societal perfection?  These are the questions Orwell challenged his readers to think about, with the ultimate goal of inspiring free thought in a society that seemed to be increasingly subservient.  He communicates these ideas by personifying his speculations in the setting as well as focusing on a single character.

Undeniably, the most memorable aspect of Nineteen Eighty-Four  is the environment.  It is more likely for people to know the phrase "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" than the name Winston Smith.  The entire dystopian setting was not simply Orwell's prediction of what the year would look like -- it was a metaphor for the present society.  Although exaggerated, the oppressive government he portrays causes readers to examine their own.  Of course it is unlikely that governments will legitimately be able to censor thoughts in anything resembling the near future, but that does not necessarily excuse censorship in the present.  By extrapolating the circumstances, Orwell called to attention actions that many people took for granted.  In the story, a majority of the population has fallen into frightened servitude.  There is a subtle suggestion in this that most people are controlled far more by externally imposed regulations than their own free will.  In modern society, thought is not physically controlled, but everything from advertisement to peer pressure seeks to influence individuals.  From there, it is not a far leap for the readers to connect themselves to the oppressed citizens of Nineteen Eighty-Four.  Through this connection, the message takes on a new level of immediacy that is key to communicating Orwell's theme.

Although the setting may be the star of the story, Winston Smith plays just as important of a part.  Winston is the primary way that Orwell humanizes the story.  His character transforms it from idle theorizing of the future to a visceral, horrifying experience (Room 101 comes to mind).  The basic premise of an authoritarian government could be easily communicated as an essay.  However, because the focus is on Winston's story, the reader becomes personally invested in the story.  In the end, the tragedy of Winston serves as a call to action.  For Winston, his awakening of free thought was too late, and he was systematically beat down.  For the reader, there is still time to start thinking independently.  In the absence of his character, Orwell's advocacy for change would be too easily dismissed as idle academic pondering.  Indeed, it is often easier to ignore an uncomfortable idea than consider its applicability.  However, by building up hope for Winston's freedom then crushing it, Orwell compels the reader to address the topic of control as a personal issue rather than political.

Through the combination of a carefully crafted setting and character focus, Nineteen Eighty-Four pushes for free thought, independent action, and a healthy skepticism towards authority.  The setting lays the foundation of Orwell's ideas.  It is both an exaggeration and representation of what he felt modern society was leaning toward.  Winston's individual story is what provides the novel with personal impact.  With both of these, the novel's message is incredibly influential.