One of the most interesting aspects of 1984 is Orwell's understanding of how thought and language must be subverted in order for the Party to maintain absolute control . Regarding thinking, doublethink is the name of this subversion. Appearing repeatedly in the novel, doublethink is perhaps most clearly defined in Goldstein's putative treatise as "the power of simultaneously holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind and accepting them both" (Orwell 190). . It functions as a psychological mechanism that undermines the structure of truth to the point where people see lies as truths and vice versa; the categories of true and false lose their meaning. By modifying the past and creating contradictory mottos, the Party trains its subjects to doublethink, thus guaranteeing its absolute and undisputed right to power. The Party is more effective than traditional government because it addresses the root cause of disobedience: freedom of thought as opposed to freedom of action. Doublethink is typical of Oceania's slogans and the people's reaction to them. The maxims "War is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength" are engraved in large letters on the white pyramid of the Ministry of Truth (should I create a new paragraph here?). The Party claims that “war is peace” (is the following sentence repetitive?). Goldstein explains that war brings peace to Oceania and unites people because it gives them something to channel their negative energies against, an artificial outlet for the anger and indignation caused by their difficult lives. Moreover, the products of human labor are all used in war, so the living standards of proletarians and lower Party members remain at the bare minimum. ...... middle of paper ...... accept two opposing beliefs simultaneously, especially when these opposites are unrelated or do not mean the same thing. In Oceania, doublethink replaces reason as the standard of thinking, which prevents society from evolving towards a democratic society promoting equal rights; on the contrary, it remains a totalitarian society. Are there other ways the Party can use doublethink to its advantage? How does doublethink impact Winston's efforts to rebel against the Party? How effective is doublethink in ultimately getting Winston to truly believe what the Party is telling him? It is possible that doublethink coupled with physical manipulation (torture) are together responsible for Winston's transformation into a Party supporter. How does Newspeak dominate the language of citizens and increase the power of the Party??