Saturday, March 10, 2007

Question 7: 1984

* are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? what are they, and how do they relate? does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?

There are many current situations that relate to the novel 1984. Some current situations like what is happening in North Korea can relate to the novel 1984. The situation in North Korea is not as extreme, in some ways, as in 1984. For example, North Koreans are not observed by telescreens and thought crime doesn't exist, but children and adults are being killed for their beliefs and actions. This is unjust and wrong.

In 1984, people who commit thought crime or rebel against the party are either put to death or sent to the Ministry of Love. In the Ministry of Love most people are not killed but, instead, are tortured and corrupted into loving the party. This is almost the exact opposite in North Korea. Most people in North Korea are not put on trial but are immediately killed if they oppose the government. Some similarities between the North Korean situation and 1984 are things like the government having complete censorship over the entire nation, abusing power for their own glory, not letting people believe or spread their own beliefs about religion and not being able to escape from the country or to escape from the false reality they are trapped in. I do not think that the novel 1984 sheds any light on solving the situation in North Korea.

1 comment:

African Globe Trotters. said...

You are absolutely right. I think part of a solution is to first recognise the connections between the novel's theme and reality. Then more people need to be exposed to reading novel's like these in order to really see what is really happening. Mrs.Mc.