Totalitarianism and Its Effects in George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Chelsea Vowel’s ‘Monster’

A totalitarian government desire to stay in power by denying individualism, and eradicating freedom through propaganda and terror. Is this birthright or is it something that we, as a human, need to chase and fight for? There are stories that have been told about oppressed people who met their savior and have redeemed them from the injustice they have been suffering. For someone to step in such situations where they have no business being in, it must be driven by self-fulfillment or a sense of justice or a sense of duty. There are times that the oppressed fights back, and there are times that they simply give in and submit. George Orwell’s book ‘1984’ and Chelsea Vowel’s ‘Monster’ explores political and social oppression on multiple levels and how totalitarian system; manipulate people and control political power.

The novel ‘1984’ was created to depict a dystopian future where totalitarianism was being practiced by the government. The people are being governed by an authoritative figure called Big Brother, which represent the Party. The people are being monitored through surveillance camera, arrest, and torture and by limiting language, which causes losing their individualism. The Party manipulates the people by inducing ‘doublethink’, a phrase that convinces a reader that two opposing words are the same. For instance, these are the thoughts that war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength. Orwell wrote: “Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously and accepting both of them” (1949, p.217). This is the opposite of what is true, and believing the Party will control the people. The Party manipulates through fear of punishment, pushing people to think of what is not true, and keeps the people aligned for obedience. Moreover, the Party controls all historical data to hide the truth, therefore the past and the truth was whatever the Party chooses it to be. In this novel, Orwell delivers the message that totalitarianism is a great danger to the people and the horrifying effect that comes along once these become dominant in ruling the citizen. While Chelsea Vowel’s ‘Monster’ was based on a true story and testimonials of the survivors in the Canadian residential school system, that was meant to wipe out an entire culture by raising its new generation under strict rules that did not allow their culture to be practiced. The RTC report states that “the central goal of Canada’s Aboriginal governments was ignore Aboriginal rights; terminate the treaties; and through the process of assimilation, cause aboriginal people to cease to exist as distinct legal, social, cultural religious and racial entities in Canada” (Vowel, 2007, p.173). The Canadian government has a huge role in this historical injustice on Aboriginal children, such as being discourage from speaking their first language or practice their native traditions and removing them to their family. The school implemented very strict disciplinary rules, and children who violated were punished by being abused physically, emotionally and sexually. According to Miller J.R. (1990), “Residential schooling, in short, typified the totalitarian and assimilative spirit of Canada’s Indian policy in the later Victorian era and the first half of the twentieth century. It amounted, as candid missionary put it, to an effort to ‘educate and colonize a people against their will’” (p.396).

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In Orwell’s novel, he wrote that in Oceania there is no law. Thoughts and actions which, when detected, mean certain death are not formally forbidden, and the endless purges, arrests, tortures, imprisonments, and vaporizations are not inflicted as punishment for crimes which has actually been committed, but are merely the wiping-out of persons who might perhaps commit crime at some time in the future (Orwell, 1949, p.215). The Party also corrupts the mind so much that there are no longer lines that separate truth from lies. These signify what could become of the people if the totalitarian system is practice, thus people will be obedient not because they shared the same ideals and principles, but living in fear. The result was that people losses their identity by suppressing their individuality and free will. Hollander (2012) stated that “the political movements and systems which used to be called totalitarian were the most destructive and inhumane political phenomena of the 20th century, probably of all history” (p.373).

The biggest difference between the two stories is that the novel ‘1984’ ended in the tragedy, and totalitarian government dominate the power and Winston, the primary character, accepted that he defeated himself, and he has no hope of successfully rejecting how they take over his body and mind. Whereas, ‘Monster’ has an ongoing resolution up to this day, the Canadian government has a reconciliation acts to put the Indigenous people back on the map and in the history of the country. Several movements and laws were passed in order to make sure that this happens. A continued effort is being exerted to incorporate their culture and practice in the Canadian education and profession system.

In conclusion, in any settings where the government is abusing their power and authority, there is bound to be a negative effect on the people they are governing. The reason for doing this, be it to have a united country, or by regulating crime or maintaining peace or maybe noble; people on the receiving end of this ordeal will always be the ones that need saving: saving their lives, opinions, principle, values, heritage, and ultimately saving their identity. What ‘Monster’ has shown us, among other inspiring stories in the world where oppressed finally obtained justice and were treated fairly, is that someone will need to step in and say enough is enough. When someone is able to see and feel that equality is something to fight for, the change is to be seen when the appropriate actions and support meet together. When people can look past ethnicity, gender, race, and creed this breeds harmony and open up a completely new perspective for all parties involved. We need one another in order to thrive in this progressive world that we live in. We honor traditions and old practices to a certain point, but we need to understand that we need each other and once we do, in a world where diversity and equality are valued, we will prosper. The totalitarianism style of government will only damage the people inside and out. This style of government will never make the people happy as it attracts negative acts to be done, so this style of system can be carried out and be sustained. Totalitarian system will never yield prosperity, peace and harmony at the same time.

References

1. Holland, P. (2012). After Totalitarianism. Society 49 (9), 373-378.doi:10.1007/s12115-012-9562-8.
2. Miller, J.R. (1990). Owen Glendower, Hotspur and Canadian Indian Policy. Ethnohistory 37 (4)386-414. doi: 10.2307/482861.
3. Orwell, G. (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg. London. S.J. Reginald Saunders & Co. Ltd. Toronto.
4. Vowel, C. (2007). Monster: Residential-School Legacy. In Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit Issues in Canada. (pp. 171-180). Winnipeg, MB: Highwater Press.