"1984" post3

“Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thought-crime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. “
This quote in the novel, “1984” by George Orwell, refers to a recurring theme throughout the story. George Orwell describes the central theme of how society in a totalitarian government can affect a person’s way of thinking. Orwell illustrates this theme by using multiple literary devices, such as irony and tone. Orwell’s use of literary techniques in this passage helps express the theme of the novel.
The tone in the text is a very important component which helps add to the general meaning. The tone of the speaker is very enthusiastic and sincere which demonstrates how he believes that his life work of Big Brother’s theories do good for society. Although Syme, the speaker, explicitly said that they are “narrowing the range of thought,” he still doesn’t realize the hypocrisy of the situation. George Orwell use of Syme is the novel was to demonstrate to the reader how people in this society think towards their government. At this point in the story the reader wonders how the people can conform to this kind of society and totalitarian government. Syme and his viewpoints represent the community as a whole and act as a foil to Winston. This representation then gives the reader a comparison between two ideas throughout the novel. The reader will then be able to better relate to Winston since he is so detached from conformity and society, because he pronounces the absurdity of the community. The tone of this quote lets the reader characterize the speaker and therefore draw conclusions of his purpose in the novel.
Another very important aspect of this particular passage is irony. Since Syme’s tone is very explanatory and enthusiastic, his attitude hence becomes dominant and authoritive. This extra emphasis is ironic because he is trying to explain his viewpoints to Winston as if Winston was the one who is not making sense. In the reader’s point of view, however, Syme is considered the one who does not make any sense and who is brainwashed by Big Brother. It is also ironic that the government is the organization funding this argument. In today’s world, countries tend to prosper when the people are happy and better educated, but in this society, the people are “vaporized” for being too smart and the government actually attempts to make the community unintelligent. This ironic approach is used by George Orwell to better establish to the reader how the government is ridiculous and unfair to the citizens. Also, the speaker believes that Big Brother and he are doing positive acts for the community by “eliminating thought-crime.” It is ironic that they think this because thinking can not be considered a crime in itself. This concept of “thought-crime” in the novel encourages the absurdity of the government and the manipulation of the people to accept this as being a crime. The use of irony in this passage further emphasis’ how a government can conduct a community in a way that desensitizes their way of thinking.
Therefore, the various literary devices used in “1984” by George Orwell stimulate the vivid theme throughout the novel. Tone and irony are just two techniques displayed in this passage to define the theme of a totalitarian society and its effects on an individual. The tone helps illustrate the conformist side of the story which then lets the reader relate more to Winston. Also the irony in the quote displays the absurdity of the government’s opinions and theories which therefore shows how the government manipulates the people. These literary devices stimulate the distinction of the theme in the novel.