1984 Journal #1: Topic A

" It might well be that literally every word in the history books, even the things that one accepted without question, was pure fantasty [...] Everything faded into mist. The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth" (Orwell 66). The society in 1984 is governed by the strict regulations held by the government over written information about the past. Through the process of keeping only selective bits from the past and erasing or altering events in history that are unpleasing in the eyes of the government, the Party in 1984 is able to obtain complete control over the citizens of Oceania - therefore creating a positive identity for itself and preventing citizens from learning from history. For example, the citizens of Oceania are not taught anything that sheds a negative light on the Party and its actions - as far as they know, their government has always been perfect. By giving citizens an immediate and unquestionable liking of their perfect Party, the government prevents rebellion based on issues and wrongdoings of the past. Along these same lines, with no record of large scale rebellions, the citizens of Oceania will be less likely to rise against the government because they do not have a guideline to base their actions upon. In section one, Winston starts realizing how much he disagrees with the manipulation of history his job at the Ministry of Truth requires, and starts taking small actions against the Party. With disgust, Winston recognizes the Party's use of this method to control society, and the obliviousness the citizens posess that allows it to happen.