Brave new world is a novel written by Aldous Huxley, its primary concern being on the abuse of new scientific development as a method of controlling the world. 1984 is a novel written by George Orwell and published in 1949. It is the ninth and Orwell wrote the last book before his demise. It centres on the effects of government over-reach. This paper will provide a discussion on the contrast and comparison between Brave New World and 1984 basing on the totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism is a form of government which does not permit any personal freedom and seeks to subordinate all the aspects of people’s lives to the authority of the state. As pointed out by Orwell in his work in 1984, this aspect meant a society where political power is in the hands of the dictator. 1984 is somehow written form the author’s experience having seen the horrific lengths to which totalitarian states in Russia and Spain would go to sustain and increase their power over people and the society at large (Orwell). On the part of Brave New World, it presents a future totalitarian community where powerful government authorities have usurped the liberty of people through the use of technology.
Totalitarianism tends to destroy all the opportunities of improving oneself, diminishes the concept of the individuality and individual natural desire for knowledge. Brand New World and 1984 demonstrate this element of totalitarianism (Huxley). In 1984 totalitarianism is evident in the exaggerated control of the state over the other citizens everywhere and every time (Orwell). In Brave new world, Huxley demonstrates this state where people who are formed are conditioned after they are synthesized for their predestinated role in the globe. Dystopia in the society is as a result of the lack of individualism that is freedom is denied by the unrestrained authority of the government.
Both novels use this element as a warning element for the future generations about the ramification of the unrestrained power, science and technology. The state in 1842 was so powerful to the extent that Orwell in his work points out that at the end of the party it might be announced that when two is added to two the results is five and you would believe it without questioning (Orwell). It was inevitable making such a claim but was demanded by the logic of their position. During this period the state power was so absolute to the extent that what was said by the party was true and should be followed. Both societies experienced abuse of power in various ways, thus the creation of a totalitarian state that was like a dystopia.
Both novels depict a society which has no sense of independence where an administration of dictatorial outdoes inquisitiveness and liberty. In 1984 every thought that is out of the box was perceived as being a crime and threatening the party. Additionally, there was no sense of individualism among the characters in the novel (Orwell). Also, the party had no ranking to be precise Big Brother was the ruling party and anyone below was equal with the same class. At the same time, Brand New World human beings were born into determined class with various biological benefits or limitations.
According to Huxley, humans are manufactured and customized for specific purposes in society. For instance, a character like Ford is perceived as being nice because he has revolutionary procedures for bulk inventions. This illustration shows a lack of identity present in these characters that have no personal identity because before they are formed, their duties to the society are predestined. People did not complain about their caste and perceived everything as being okay, and all the events were normal.
There is a distinction on the focus of the two novels concerning totalitarianism. Brand New World main focus is on the misuse of scientific achievements and technologies as a means of controlling people and their destiny. Huxley, in his work, points out that people tend to believe things not because they know about them. Still, they have been habituated to believe them .people in the Brand New World were made synthetically in factories that made it possible for the authority to manipulate each aspect of the humans created. For instance, they were born in a particular class and were assigned distinct tasks in the community basing on their class as the first level of conditioning (Huxley). The second step was being administered with drug soma which was meant to make them submissive and calm, thus helpless for misuse by the party.
In both novels, the people in their respective were exposed to the regime in authority which acted like their role model; these people lacked outcast leader, god and religion. In 1984 there are many instances of exaggerated control of the government towards the integrity of the people in the society (Orwell). One example is where it is pointed that they will never be capable of having the human feeling, everything inside them will be dead, they won’t have love, joy, courage or even integrity they will be hollow because the state will have squeezed them empty and fill them with the state information.
Big Brother was perceived as their god and perfection. In Brand New World, there was no religion, but there existed adoration toward Henry Ford. The admiration towards Ford was because of his enhancement in mass production, an advancement that was the onset of the creation of people who were hatched in the plants (Huxley). Drug soma was used as the substitute for feelings such as love, hate, Christianity of Judaism.
Both Brand New World and 1984 main concern is on the effects of totalitarianism represented in the community. Both novels demonstrate a society where fear has been used to replace curiosity and crime. In both settings, technology has been used as a tool for controlling people; for instance, telescreens and human factories act as the watchdog of every action people undertake (Huxley). These novels are used as a mirror to the society on the future impact of technology in the present times.
In conclusion, 1948 is a novel written by George Orwell in 1948, which gives detail of life in the state of Oceania led by Big Brother. Winston Smith is the main character in the novel. Brave New World was written by Aldous Huxley in 1931, portraying a hedonist world state. The state is divided into caste. Both novels visualize a future totalitarian society where powerful states have suppressed individual freedom. These books point out different warnings about the dangers of totalitarian governments. For instance, in 1984, tribute is paid to the older brother while in Brave New World tribute is paid to Ford. Both writers foresaw the future as totalitarian rather than free and democratic.
