Manipulation+Through+Language

In George Orwell’s __1984__, the Party uses Newspeak to manipulate the citizens of Oceania (Phillips). Newspeak is the language that is spoken in the book. It replaced Oldspeak, or English, around 2050. Instead of increasing its vocabulary, the number of words in Newspeak actually gets smaller every year. The way the language was formatted made it virtually impossible to maintain individual thought. As opposed to saying something was bad, people would be forced to say something like “un-good.” Big Brother limits even the potential use of vocabulary in society, subsequently limiting the variations in everyday language. For example, in the modern English-speaking world, we have numerous adjectives synonymous with bad such as awful, terrible, or unpleasant. The way that language is restricted in 1984 essentially forces the citizens into thinking certain ways. I think we often take for granted the infinite possibilities that language provides us. When our language begins to become limited, we also limit our thoughts and reduce them to much simpler forms.

By limiting the vocabulary of an entire society, the citizens of Oceania were therefore forced to become more similar. When we can no longer come up with individual words, we no longer have ways to distinguish one another. We all become the same easily manipulated person.

Another way manipulation was used in the book was in Winston’s field of work. He worked in the Ministry of Truth, which is actually a very unfitting name, where he changed past events to reflect what the Party wants it to say. There is obviously nothing truthful about changing written language to read the way a certain group of people wants it to.

Throughout the entire novel, examples can be found of how the truth is molded and twisted into what the government wants it to be. The article “The New Verbal Order” brings to our attention that manipulation inhibits our ability to act freely as individuals. When we as a group are controlled, we are no longer permitted to think on an individual basis. Language and communication in general are what sets us apart from the animals. When that right is taken away, we are no longer anything more than a flock of sheep. We use communication on a daily, even hourly, basis. Without language it is nearly impossible for our society to function.

Language was a major part of the manipulation used in George Orwell’s __1984__. When Newspeak came about, it made individual thought nearly impossible. People are easier to manipulate when they all think the same way. Without this type of manipulation, it would have been much harder for the government to control the citizens of Oceania.