How does George Orwell show us in his novel 1984 that power is perverse?
...itself. Orwell incorporates Newspeak in 1984 to underline the perverse impact of the destruction of language, where individual thought and actions are disregarded then eliminated. The perversity of control by starvation traps the Outer Party in hunger and desperation, allowing their opinions to be molded into praise for their rulers. Controlled starvation is the rationing of basic necessities to the Outer Party, leaving them desperate, but still able to work. The motive of this rationing is the Outer Party being a threat to power. As discussed in Goldstein’s novel, history indicates that in every society, the middle class will eventually overthrow the ruling higher class. To break from this cycle, the ruling class of the Inner Party has undergone the perversity of keeping the middle classed Outer Party weak. This ensures they will never have enough energy to rebel against the Inner Party, allowing the higher class to stay in perpetual power. The use of doublethink on the depressed hungry Outer Party further reveals the perversity of control by starvation. Doublethink is form of propaganda where two contrasting concepts are juxtaposed, then if said so by the Inner Party, are regarded as alike. The Inner Party uses the image of Big Brother to convey doublethink. Combining the lies of doublethink with the deliberately caused hunger situation of the Outer Party is done to elevate the public image of Big Brother and the Inner Party. From hunger and desperation, the Outer Party’s minds are malleable, setting up grounds for effective doublethink. For chocolate rations, Winston reflects: “It appeared that there had been demonstrations to thank Big Brother for raising the chocolate ration to twenty grammes a week. And only yesterday, he reflected, it had been announced that the ration was to be reduced to twenty grammes a week, was it possible that they could swallow that…”(p.61-62). Orwell’s example of doublethink shows perversity on several levels, where a lie is targeted at desperate minds made from starvation to present the Inner Party as a true savior. The oppression of family relationships by the Inner Party also shows perversity in exploiting the minds of children. Natural affection is removed from Party members, where bonds between families are turned into a love for the Inner Party. Defying this human instinct itself is perverse. This love for the Inner Party is attained in the minds of the Outer Party from a young age. The Inner Party exploits the simple minds of children through prog...