Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Horror of Truth

          Horror in a literal sense often brings to mind images of gross or violent intent. The natural reaction to such images or thoughts is a response of aversion or dismay. In a theatrical sense, an audience often enjoys the rush that accompanies such terrifying ideas. An audience’s assumption that they will never become subject extreme conditions of violence often masks the true result of real life horror. George Orwell, in his distopian, futuristic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four displays how horror can be used as a method of control. Through an elaborate system of state sponsored terrorism, the INGSOC party dominates the fictional country of Oceania in a master to slave like fashion. So tight is INGSOC’s grasp on its people that a large majority of the characters in Nineteen Eighty-Four seem to believe they are living a life of their best interest. The independent minds such as Winston, the main character, who realize the reality of the situation, are constantly conditioned into a feeling of hopelessness. This discouraging mindset eventually evolves into an ignorant dependence towards the party. The party slogan Ignorance is Strength is found in all aspects of Oceania’s society. The most noticeable example of this slogan is the Thought Police, who are assigned the task of exposing and, in a very sadistic manner, brainwashing citizens in disagreement with the party. Nineteen Eighty-Four is a prime example of how an oppressor can use minimal instances of horror to maintain either a dependant or a powerless state of mind within a population, thus permitting their exploitation.

          The film interpretation of Nineteen Eighty-Four begins with a mass of workers gathered around an enormous television screen. The program shown, called the two minutes hate, begins with serene representations of Oceania. The image soon transitions into violent scenes of war. At one point, a recording of an enemy combatant firing his automatic rifle towards the camera results in a horrified scream from one of the women in the crowd. Shortly thereafter the INGSOC logo is displayed accompanied by the national anthem of Oceania, putting the entire crowd into an opiate like bliss. In this case, horror is being used by the party to create a feeling of dependence within the oppressed. After seeing such a fear inducing film, the viewers display a feeling of gratitude towards their protectors. The submissive workers become completely ignorant to the idea that they are being exploited because they become preoccupied with the idea of safety that their leaders provide them with. The terrifying images presented to the population are a method of conditioning the public into feeling helpless without the guidance of INGSOC. With the ever present threat of an enemy army, the inhabitants of Oceania become more obedient in the name of security, thus allowing INGSOC a tighter grasp on its subjects through the display of horrifying imagery.