Elements of Dystopian Literature

1984

1984 is a Dystopian novel in which George Orwell portrays a futuristic universe in which the illusion of a perfect society is maintained through totalitarian control. The protagonist, Winston Smith, often feels trapped and struggles to escape the exisiting social system. He constantly feels something is false in the society he lives in and helps the audience to recognize the struggles he faces with the negative aspects of this society he lives in. All of these characteristics illustrate Winston Smith as a perfect example of a Dystopian Protagonist in a totalitarian state. The central themes of propaganda and surveillance in 1984 connects directly to the typical themes of a Dystopian novel. These perfect, imagined universes usually maintain power and control by using different techniques of propaganda and surveillance. All of these characteristics and themes in 1984 are established from the elements of Dystopian Literature.