War, torture, and constant fear, all of these are key elements in the distopia George Orwell creates in the novel, 1984. In this book, Orwell creates a society which is based solely on hate and controlled by those who seek only power. Orwell, however, is not the only author to ponder the possibility of an extreme, futuristic society. In particular, The Giver, by Louis Lowry relates a great deal to the themes found in 1984. Unlike 1984, Lowry's novel focuses on the idea of a utopia as opposed to Orwell's distopia. What is the most interesting is how though the fundamental idea of the novels are opposites, the methods by which each society is maintained are surprisingly similar. When one analyses The Giver versus 1984, it becomes clear that while the societies are meant to be opposites, one perfect and one flawed, the Party and Community are in practice more similar than not, due to the methods used to keep the societies functioning.
English: Grave of Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell...
Orwell's former home at 77 Parliament Hill, Hampst...
PartyThe key difference between the 1984 society and The Giver society is that one is meant to represent a utopia and the other a distopia. What draws a distinction between the two are the principles guiding the restrictions that must be put into place in order for each society to operate. In The Giver, the aim of the strict controls is to protect citizens. The authority of the Community created restraints to reach an ideal society, void of all negativity. For example, memories are kept from the citizens as a protective measure so no one has to ever experience any type suffering. As said by Jonas concerning citizens of the Community, "They have never known pain."(110). Similarly, love must also be kept from the average person to prevent any type of emotional distress. The Party of 1984,