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Similarities Between 1984 And Fahrenheit 451

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Many times in life, things change in ways no one would have expected them to. In the novels 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, significant symbols develop different meanings along the course of the books. Both novels are relatively similar and consist of the same theme; the destruction of society due to the immense power that the government has. Even though the authors styles differ, each novel contains different symbols that evolve over time, as well as the same recurring theme of the dangers that come with immense government power. In the book Fahrenheit 451, there are many important symbols that change over time. Like 1984, Bradbury includes symbolism in his novel that changes over time. However, he still manages …show more content…

Like Bradbury, Orwell incorporates the mutual theme into his novel in various ways. “The paperweight was the room he was in, and the coral was Julia’s life and his own, fixed in a sort of eternity at the heart of the crystal” (Orwell 147). Winston had purchased the glass paperweight to rekindle his relationship with the past. The paperweight is his attempt at trying to get things back to the way it used to be. Later on in the story, the paperweight breaks. This shows that the world Winston is living in will never change, and all the power will constantly remain in the hands of the Party (Oceania’s government). Not only does it show that things will never go back to the way they used to be, it also shows that the relationship between Winston and Julia will not last. Hope for a better future no longer remains with Winston. Another symbol that relates to the theme featured in 1984 is the telescreen. Orwell first introduces us to the telescreen when he says, “The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard” (Orwell 3). The government in 1984 uses new technology, such as the telescreen, to keep an eye on everyone. The Party is clearly afraid of rebellion, or the fact that someone may do something they do not like. The telescreens are used to make sure that people like Winston cease to exist, the Party does not want the citizens of Oceania to have a mind of their own, but rather to have a mind operated by the Party itself. Orwell’s description of the symbol is one of many reasons why his style differs from the styles of other authors. Orwell describes the symbol very vividly,

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