Totalitarianism and Dystopia: Parallels between Orwell’s 1984 and the Twenty-First Century

Abstract

Literature has the power to give us a better understanding of our reality and broaden our world view, but most importantly it pushes us to study different aspects of our life in depth. Dystopian fiction in particular warns readers about the dangers of social and political issues in societies. Therefore, this dissertation aims to explore the concept of totalitarianism in George Orwell’s novel 1984 and how is it still relevant today. The first chapter covers the origins of the concept, the background of Orwell and the controversy of his novel. While the second chapter explains how these predictions shifted from fiction to reality. It is crucial to introduce this book to the next generation to learn about totalitarianism.