How do Orwell and Atwood experiment with dystopian ingredients to reflect the developing fears of modern societies?
How do Orwell and Atwood experiment with dystopian ingredients to reflect the developing fears of modern societies?
In 1984 (George Orwell) and The Handmaids Tale (Margaret Atwood) it is possible to illustrate, through examination of the author’s experimentation of dystopian ingredients, social fears of the twentieth century. Although both authors were writing at two different periods of time, politically, historically and socially, there are similarities in their themes and motifs, which can display these social fears.
1984 first published in 1948, was written soon after world war two, in an age of totalitarianism, mainly in Spain, Germany, and the Soviet Union. Orwell was ...
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a warning about the future.’ 1. The title also displays links to Jack London’s novel; The Iron Heel (in which the power of a political movement reaches its height in 1984.)
Atwood on the other hand wrote her novel The Handmaid’s Tale post war, in the 1980s, shortly after the election of Ronald Regain. Over the 1960’s and 70’s Women rights had developed and due to the widespread use of contraception, the legalization of abortion and the increase in female voters, the idea of equality had become more developed within society. However due to the Moral Majority being founded in America in 1979, politics were combined with religious beliefs, leading to religious fundamentalism. With this is mind; Atwood’s biggest fear was that the feminist rights established in the 1960’s and 1970’s would become un-done. The title of The Handmaid’s Tale is given ‘by male historians who reveal in its sexist pun on the word tale/tail and its association with Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, ...
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‘War is peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is strength’ (Page 6). These slogans are a paradox, which theoretically, encourage society to double-think (newspeak term for believing to contradicting ideas at the same time). However due to the slogans being constantly repeated it allows individuals to believe that putting two opposite ideas together is normal and they learn not to question it. This shows by living in a constant state of propaganda-induced fear, the party is able to force society, even if illogical, to accept anything they say to be true, relating to world war one and two in which soldiers were convinced to enter war and accept the truths of the government, yet still ...
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How do Orwell and Atwood experiment with dystopian ingredients to reflect the developing fears of modern societies?. (2011, April 18). Retrieved December 1, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/How-do-Orwell-Atwood-experiment-dystopian/98145
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"How do Orwell and Atwood experiment with dystopian ingredients to reflect the developing fears of modern societies?." Essayworld.com. April 18, 2011. Accessed December 1, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/How-do-Orwell-Atwood-experiment-dystopian/98145.
"How do Orwell and Atwood experiment with dystopian ingredients to reflect the developing fears of modern societies?." Essayworld.com. April 18, 2011. Accessed December 1, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/How-do-Orwell-Atwood-experiment-dystopian/98145.
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