1984 Analysis: Create an Image of Dystopian Society

In the book 1984, George Orwell creates an intriguing novel about his predictions of the future using many literary elements. The novel 1984 uses many literary elements to create an image of a dystopian society throughout the book. Orwell uses literary elements like symbolism and allegory throughout the book, helping to paint the scene of the dark and dreary society.

George Orwell uses symbolism in many places in 1984. An example of this is when Winston smokes the victory cigarettes and drinks the victory gin. Winston faces the cigarettes and gin as a temporary relief for the constant paranoia he is living in. When Winston begins writing in his journal, he first takes a shot or two of gin to sedate his paranoia and calm him. Winston smokes the cigarettes for one reason: to calm himself. Although this makes sense, there is a deeper level to this. Even though the cigarettes and gin calm Winston down they symbolize something else. They are mini examples of his rebellion and individuality. Winston drinks the gin before writing in the journal which is a forbidden practice in the society he lives in.

The gin and cigarettes calm him from the constant worrying of the consequences of doing something against big brother. Another example of symbolism in the book is Julia’s Anti-Sex-League sash. The sash represents a strong idea of chastity that is sent throughout the party. Although Julia wears the sash, and appears to be a devote party member abiding by all rules; she hides behind the ideas of the sash and instead uses it to hide her real actions. She has sex all the time. She makes the appearance to others of a law abiding party member on the outside, but she only uses what the sash symbolizes to hide her real intentions. The book shows many examples of how symbolism is used to show the reader what this society was like to live in.

The book also uses allegory to create the vivid images of the dystopian society that is portrayed in the book. Winston, the main character is the perfect example of allegory in the book. Winston is just an average guy in the novel and his last name Smith reflects that. George Orwell gave Winston an ordinary name to show how the society is very plain and dull. The name Smith is commonly used as the name for an average Joe, and that is how George Orwell wanted Winston to be portrayed to the reader. Winston’s name was chosen to help the reader connect the common themes in the book to the characters. George Orwell made excellent use of allegory throughout the novel to show the alternate meanings of many things in the society that Orwell predicted.

George Orwell expressed his predictions of the future in the book 1984. Orwell predicted a future that was dark and dreary, and left the citizens living in this time living in constant paranoia. George Orwell painted vivid images throughout the book of how it was like to live in the society Winston was. Orwell used different literary elements to bring the book alive and really immerse the reader in the setting.