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  • Essay / Cause of Totalism and Rebelion in 1984 and Metropolis

    George Orwell's 1984 (1949) is an uplifting novel that explores a dystopian society mired in propaganda and totalitarianism. Similarly, director Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) is a critique of a futuristic world where growth and industrialization benefit the few and oppress the many. Both texts reveal societies in which rebellion becomes the focus of unlikely protagonists, who dare to question the existing totalitarian values ​​of their world and who draw inspiration from the passions of their intimate relationships. The novel and film were created in post-war settings: Metropolis after World War I and 1984 after World War II, and both to warn and caution future generations under threat of exploitation. The composers of these texts created worlds of totalitarianism and rebellion, expressed through their different textual forms. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayOrwell explores the impact of power through "Big Brother", an omnipresent leader of a tyrannical government in which "the Party » is a socio-political power oppresses the lives of citizens. Orwell depicts the oppression and loss of individuality caused by this totalitarian regime. The language “Newspeak” dehumanizes citizens by destroying their freedom of speech and expression. Omniscient TV screens and the Big Brother poster, “Big Brother is watching you,” impose conformity on society as “no matter which way you turn the TV screens to face you.” The use of hyperbole exaggerates the constant supervision of the Party. Even if there are more private places (like the Charringtons' bedroom, where the notion of surveillance is abolished), the characters are never really safe from the danger of TV screens or hidden microphones – always under the omnipresent fear of surveillance. The lack of freedom and constant restriction of associations with others prohibits privacy and freedom of expression, showing the extent of oppression and totalitarian power. Beyond Orwell's 1984 description of totalitarianism, Lang also shows the power of a totalitarian society when pitted against those who are initially oppressed. Metropolis emerges from a context of German leadership and focuses on the stratification of social classes: the head (the industrialists) and the hands (the workers), in the analysis of the film's machines. Lang visually represents the debasement of humanity, to the point of subjugation to the power of technology. Lang's film visually presents a dystopia where machines are God and factory workers are replaceable. Through the use of expressionistic chiaroscuro and body language, the characters are divided into workers and "oligarchic heads". The dark clothing, hunched shoulders, and robotic movements of the workers at the beginning of the film symbolize a dystopian exploitative society, while the light clothing of the city's oligarchic rulers above creates an exotic montage, in stark contrast to the functionalism raw. of the Working City. Using this setup, Lang uses this contrast to condemn the overt control and inequality of his futuristic dystopia. The public is confronted with its concerns about the sustainability of human life. They become aware of the importance he places on freedom and fairness through his representation of their antitheses. In 1984, the depiction of satirical extremes seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Winston Smith, allows the reader to better understand the values ​​of language and emotions.