Thoughts on 1984

When 1984 you start the story learning about how the society in the book is completely different than ours. The government (Big Brother) had total control over everything in the society. When you look for paradise or utopia in this book you cannot find it. When Big Brother took over everything the people were open to it because everything was being controlled by the government and people did not notice the difference.

They were not allowed to think for themselves anymore, the government had created a new crime, thought crime. Once that was in place it was very easy for the government to do what they want. Because Big Brother had so much control over everything at that point it did not even matter what they did. They could then just take as much power as they wanted and go with it. When you have complete control over every aspect of a society then you win. You have no weaknesses, you have eyes everywhere and if someone tries to stop you in some way you can jump in and stop it.

People become used to the way things are and do not ever think of a different way things could be done. The people become afraid to break the rules, they do not want to get on the governments bad side and they know they will be caught if they do because of the “eyes” everywhere.

Because Big Brother had no problem with taking control they were corrupted by the power and ran with it. 

Thoughts on Animal Farm

The reason that the animals aim for a utopia in the first place is because they feel oppressed. They want to have more than what they need to be comfortable. They want to keep everything that they work for; they do not want to be cut out of what they are working for anymore. After they take control of the farm at first it seems like paradise because they are all getting their share and working hard to keeping everything running smoothly.

Over time though the pigs start to gain more control and the other animals just follow along. Once the pigs (especially Napoleon) they start to take more power and just slowly give themselves more power over the other animals. In the end everyone, but the pigs end up in a worse place than they started. This all ended up happening because one the pigs realized that they could take the power and the others would just go along with it they took it. They did a very good job or slyly taking the power by not doing it too quickly so the other animals did not notice the changes till it was too late. Once the others started to catch on some it was too far along to change the others minds.

The pigs became corrupt and ended the chance of paradise for all of the farm animals. 

Can Paradise Be Reached?

No.

With the way people work I do not believe that any form of utopia or paradise could ever be reached. People always want to reach paradise, but with how humans work this will never happen. People are greedy and greed will always lead to corruption. Corruption is the main reason that we could never reach this goal.

-In Animal Farm when the main goal was to reach utopia what got in the way?

Napoleons corruption

-When Big Brother took over everything why was utopia not even strived for?

                Power corruption

-Why do iron triangles have so much influence in our government?

                Corruption of money

I could go on for a long time and come up with so many more examples of this. But the main point is that the reason we could never achieve utopia or paradise boils down to corruption. 

Suspense

Within both of the books Animal Farm and 1984 George Orwell does a great job keeping people interested. He has suspense and twists all the way through both.

In Animal Farm when Napoleon starts trying to take more power and kicks Snowball out I would have expected the other animals to see what was happening. Instead all of the animals went along with what Napoleon was saying about Snowball and just blindly followed. Later on when the animals that came out as “traitors” I never expected all of them to be executed. Lastly I was extremely surprised by the ending when Napoleon started walking on 2 legs, wearing clothing, and acting like a human. (Also the restoration of the original name of the farm)

In 1984 a lot of twists happened, the ones that stuck out to me were when Julia told Winston she loved him, and when both Julia and Winston were captured. When Julia was telling Winston that she loved him I never expected to read that at all. I do not really know what I expected to happen, but I know it wasn’t that. Also when Julia and Winston were in the safe room I never expected them to be captured by Big Brother. I had expected that at some point during the book, but I thought that the room that was “free” from the sight of Big Brother was actually free from them.

Both of these books have moments that keep you reading them and keep them interesting. 

Power Grab

In 1984 Big Brother didn’t even try and strive for utopia. To gain complete control over society was Big Brother’s one and only real goal.

When everything is overthrown by one group or person the intention is almost always linked to some sort of paradise. When Big Brother overthrew every aspect of society there was not even an intention to head towards any sort of paradise or utopia. The Big Brother operation was just a huge power grab.

The huge power grab was a complete overhaul of everything; now they had complete control of society. To keep their power Big Brother knew that they had to keep complete control over everyone and everything. If the people started thinking about what was actually happening they would not like all of the secrecy. When everything is hidden from the people they will not even know that something is being kept from them.

With this complete control it is pretty easy to keep the people pleased, they don’t remember anything different. This is the way it has always been, why should it be changed? People are the reason that paradise will never be reached. When people are not thinking for themselves and are not doing any research how will they know when something bad is happening. They won’t, that’s the problem. People are too easily manipulated and persuaded. The people in society did not strive for utopia, so why should Big Brother; that just makes more work for them. The people need to think more for themselves and become more independent. 

Strive for Paradise

In Animal Farm when the animals plan on overthrowing the human running their farm they want to create a utopia. Their main goal was to create a place where all of the animals could live happily and peacefully. All of them would work together and share everything. Nothing would be owned by just one animal, everything would be for community. The goal is to have everyone work equally and gain the same benefits.

At first after the owner of the farm was overthrown the animals placed 7rules or commandments.

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3. No animal shall wear clothes.

4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.

5. No animal shall drink alcohol.

6. No animal shall kill any other animal.

7. All animals are equal.

These 7 commandments were put in place to help them remember why they over through the owner; this was to help strive for paradise.

 If these rules had been followed would they have reached their utopia or would it still have become corrupt?

I don’t believe that even if these commandments were followed that they would have reached utopia. I think that even if Napoleon had not taken complete control over the farm and become “president” that some other animal would have stepped forward at some point to “help” for the better of the farm and animals.  Utopia can never be reached because corruption is always in the way. No matter how hard you try someone will be greedy. 

Album Cover

Here is the album cover for my Animal Farm/1984 soundtrack. 

I chose this album cover because I thought it captured the essence of both of the books really well. In Animal Farm, Napoleon took charge and became president over the farm. Then you look at 1984 and how Big Brother is in charge of everyone. Big Brother controls every aspect of their society and always have eyes on the people. One thing or people are in charge of everything in both books and the people or animals just follow them on everything. 

Enjoy the 5 songs! 

1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day

2. Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte

3. Uprising by Muse

4. Dare You To Move by Switchfoot

5. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard

Falling Slowly

Track 5: Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard

This song reminds me of 1984 Winston’s way of spreading the word and what happens when people disobey Big Brother.

Winston thinks that the rest of the people need to hear what is happening to actually see what is going on in their society. Winston thought that if they spoke out against Big Brother people would see what was happening and follow in their footsteps; the way of Big Brother is not the only way that you have to live.

“Take this sinking boat and point it home

We’ve still got time

Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice”

Then you get to the part of the song

“Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can’t go back

The moods that take me and erase me

And I’m painted black”

This is at the point that they have broken the rules and have been caught. Winston and Julia can’t change what they have done and they are taken by Big Brother to be erased from society. The lyric “And I’m painted black” holds 2 meaning to me when related to this book. It could mean when they were being tortured or you could look at it as when they were erased.

Dare You To Move

Track 4: Dare You To Move by Switchfoot

This song makes me think about 1984 and how Big Brother watches everyone constantly.

“I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move”

When the something like Big Brother is keeping that close of an eye on you it is in a way daring someone to step out of line just to see if they can slip through. The resistance is going to try and move without getting caught so even if it is a small one a slight difference is being started.

“Welcome to the fallout

Welcome to the resistance

The tension is here”

The people who are resisting are more likely to test Big Brother. They are the people thinking for themselves and seeing the flaws from what is going on. They are creating the tension that makes people become erased from society.

“Where you gonna go?

Salvation is here”

When the people test Big Brother they are captured and tortured Big Brother wants to break them before erasing them.  Big Brother wants the resistance to go back to being brainwashed and see society as okay. When that happens it proves that Big Brother has won.  

Uprising

Track 3: Uprising by Muse

This song reminded me both of Animal Farm and 1984.

The chores reminds me most of Animal Farm. The animals are wanting freedom and they want it now.

“They will not force us,

They will stop degrading us,

They will not control us,

We will be victorious.”

This is how the animals in Animal Farm felt towards the humans before and after the revolution. The animals were tired of the control the humans had over them. When they finally over threw the human that was in charge of them they were victorious. They were in control of themselves and the farm.

“And all the green belts wrapped around our minds,

And endless red tape to keep the truth confined”

The people in 1984 are restricted and have to follow all of the rules that are set on them or they are erased. They are not allowed to think freely which is confining everything even more for Big Brother and helps the “red tape” become stronger around the truth. The truth is being hidden by Big Brother and the people just go along with it because they have all of the restrictions. 

Banana Boat Song

Track 2: Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte

This song reminds me of Animal Farm because Boxer was always very hard working and towards the end he just wanted to retire. It also can show the inequality between the animals by the end.

 This song the workers just want to go home from a long days work and relax.

“Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana

Daylight come and me wan’ go home”

The “tally man” would be Napoleon because he is in charge and decides when the other animals are done. Napoleon has risen to the top to be able to decide what happens with all of the animals on the farm. Boxer had always done his share of the work plus more. Once he started getting older though he dreamed of being able to retire and just relax. Though he had been such a loyal animal and had always done what was asked he was tossed away for profit of Napoleon and the other pigs. 

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Track 1: Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day

This made me think of when Snowball was banished from Animal Farm.

"I walk this empty street

 On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams"

Snowball had worked hard to create paradise for all of the animals and him at the farm. Snowball had always tried to come up with ideas that would better the farm. He worked hard to create new ideas and in the end they were stolen by Napoleon. Snowball had all of his hard work and dreams broken when he was banished. 

 When Napoleon banished Snowball everyone just went along with it because they didn’t know any better. All of the animals let Snowball go off on alone without really knowing why he was being banished.

"My shadow's the only one that walks beside me

 My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating"

Everything that Snowball had helped to create and his whole life was left behind. Everything that he had ever known and loved was no longer apart of his life; he was by himself in the vast world.