Propaganda and language in George Orwell

Abstract

In his essay "Why I Write" George Orwell states that "no political book is genuinely free from political bias". Orwell himself can be described as one of the most influential political novelists who seemingly in precise and clear prose conveys besides his political and social visions also his concerns. The dissertation aims at linking these concerns to their historical background and its influences. The importance of language is outlined in the context of propaganda, speeches and the cult of personality, and simultaneously focuses on the embedment of totalitarian language and propagandistic tools in his fiction. It, moreover, attempts to outline direct connections between the fictional accounts and contemporary leadership methodology and diction. The introduction sets out to explain the political situation which highly influenced Orwell in his writings. It, furthermore, detects the methods and workings of Stalin's propagandistic machine and the importance of a surveillance state for the totalitarian dictator. Whereas the first chapter portrays Orwell's ideals of a non-perverted language and its rules, the following chapters concentrate on the falsification and abuse of language which enables totalitarian regimes to exist. Direct connections between present political figures and fictional characters are uncovered and examined in both Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Additionally, the chapters focus firstly, on the importance of propaganda necessary to maintain a terror regime, and secondly on the diction of totalitarian language which prevents people from having unorthodox thoughts and makes it possible for them to exist in a mode of passive acceptance. On a final note, the dissertation contrasts the similarities and disparities of Orwell's fictional language and the then current utilization of it.