Style

            In 1984 and Animal Farm, Orwell uses a similar style and unique symbols to impart the reader with knowledge of the consequences of totalitarian governments. His novels, fuelled by controversy, teach the common man about the political ramifications of dictatorships.  Orwell conveys a strong message warning against corruption and totalitarianism through his simple writing style and expressive symbolism.

            Through his simple prose and differing narrators, Orwell offers several views into a totalitarian society. His clear and direct style allows all readers to understand his novels. This directly contradicts the efforts of the pigs and the Party, who try to manipulate the working class through the corruption of language. This corruption is evident in the distortion of the Seven Commandments and rewritten history of Oceania. Orwell defies the dictators of reality and fiction by educating the masses about politics.

Orwell also shows the readers different views of totalitarianism through his narrators in 1984 and Animal Farm. In 1984, Winston, a third-person narrator, explains the story. Orwell uses third-person narration so the reader experiences Winston’s thoughts, emotions, and life as he would. This illuminates the differences between modern society and Ingsoc. For example, today love and relationships are treasured, but, in Oceania, loyalty to the Party is put before all else, including family. This is also shown by the detached narrator in Animal Farm. This narrator helps the reader to understand the simple facts of the story without any biased views. Orwell manages to keep the narrator impartial by using dialogue to express conflicting opinions. This allows the reader to develop his/her own views about the novel. Orwell uses forthright prose and differing narrators to spread awareness of totalitarian tyranny.

            In both novels, symbolism is used to further the theme of corruption within a totalitarian society. The coral paperweight in 1984 illuminates the differences between the past (England) and the present (Oceania), which shows the terrors of totalitarianism. This simple object is beautiful, fragile, and old. It symbolizes the freedom of the past to think independently and appreciate life. These freedoms directly contradict the Party’s absolute control over its members. The paperweight also differs from Winston’s current lifestyle. In Oceania, everything is utilitarian and valued for its use. The appreciation of nature and beauty is nonexistent in Winston’s daily life. The coral underscores the severe change in ideology with the fall of England and rise of Oceania. It shows how the Party and Thought Police hamper free thought, which was prevalent in England.

Orwell uses symbolism in Animal Farm to highlight the differences between the totalitarian rule of Mr. Jones and Animalism. This is exemplified by the farm’s name: Manor Farm and Animal Farm. Manor Farm represents the servitude of the animals to the human and pig dictators. It also symbolizes the cruel working conditions under totalitarianism, like little food, long hours, and no retirement. Orwell’s use of “manor” alludes to Medieval Europe, in which lords owned property with working tenants. The lord, or dictator, reaps the benefits of the land, while the tenant, or working animals, continually toil for a pittance. This begins to reveal similarities between the dictatorships of the pigs and Jones: “He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals,” (Animal Farm 21). Both of the dictators take without giving back to their workers, the farm animals. Animalism symbolizes hope and equality, instead of despondency and prejudice. Clearly the ideals of Animalism have been ignored under the pigs’ leadership. Orwell’s use of symbolism exposes how the pure ideas of socialism can be misused for personal profit.

With his unique writing style and narration in Animal Farm and 1984, Orwell furthers his idea of corruption within totalitarian societies. His simple style is used to make his books accessible to the working class, which alerts people to the dangers of a naïve lower class influenced by dictators. His use of narrators also gives the reader different views of corruption. Symbolism allows the reader to recognize differences between socialism and totalitarianism. Orwell’s writing style allows him to share his political ideology with many readers.