George Orwell's "1984" (Larger point in writing about the proles.)

Essay by NYC4UNMEUniversity, Bachelor'sB, October 2005

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George Orwell's larger point in writing about the proles position in society in his novel "1984", was to express his view of an unfair hierarchy based on social status and wealth. We the people are the proles in Orwell's mind. The proles oppression and ways in which they are manipulated is Orwell's way of showing us how easily it can happen to us through government regulation. The general theme of "1984" is a political one. Orwell is criticizing a totalitarian government, the kind of government that has absolute control over all aspects of life, including, the intellect and emotions of its citizens. In "1984", Orwell leans toward hope for a better future, one that is not led by a totalitarian government, through having the character Winston, have faith that this hope lies within the proles.

In the novel "1984" the proles are considered to be the lower class population. They are the masses.

The proles make up 85 % of the population in Oceania. The proles are the common people, the working class. If it weren't for the proles' labor, mainly working in industry and on farms, Oceania would breakdown. The proles are uneducated and unorganized. They have no say in how anything is run and they seemingly don't care. It is because of their lack of education that the Party deems the proles to be of no threat to them. Because the proles pose no danger to the Party they are generally ignored and thought to be unworthy of attention. They are allowed freedoms and indulgences that are otherwise forbidden by members of the Party. They are permitted to indulge in pornography, prostitution, and other acts considered to be thoughtcrimes. They are allowed these freedoms simply because being that they are the masses, it would be impossible to...