The novel 1984 by George Orwell creates a dystopian society that is characterized by war, constant fear and torture. Orwell develops a society that is based exclusively on hate and regulated by individuals who seek power. However, Orwell is not the only author who has pondered on the prospect of an intense futuristic society. On the other hand, the book The Giver by Louis Lowry shares plenty of themes that are presented in 1984. The Giver settles on the idea of a utopia society that is opposed to the dystopian society by Orwell. The most interesting thing is how the fundamental ideas of the books are the opposite. The novels have employed methods through which each of the society has been maintained in a similar manner. The analysis of the two novels indicates that the communities are different; one is flawed, and the other is perfect. The Community and the Party in practice are more similar due to the techniques that have used to ensure that the societies function. The Giver by Louis Lowry and 1984 by George Orwell demonstrate similarities through the system of government, but the differences indicate that the society presented in 1984 is more totalitarian than the society depicted in The Giver.
The primary difference between the society of The Giver and 1984 is that one represents a dystopia and the other a utopia. The distinction between the two is drawn based on the principles that guide the limitations that must be put in place for the society to function. In The Giver, the key goal of restricting the citizens is to control them. The authority that has been created by the Community to reach for an ideal society that is void of any negativity. For instance, the memoirs are kept as a protective measure to ensure that no one experiences any form of suffering. Jonas says that “They have never known pain” (Lowry 110). Indeed, this is the message that Jonas said concerning the Community. Therefore, love must be kept from the ordinary citizens to prevent them from any form of emotional distress. On the other hand, the Party of 1984 had different motives. The Party members are not restricted for the better good of the society but because the Party is interested in power. They are not interested in the good of others in society. The focus is not on luxury, wealth, and happiness but the acquiring of pure power (Orwell 217). Ultimately, this illustrates how the limitations that have been put instituted by the Party exist to make certain that the people do not resist the government. Memoirs are ousted so that the citizens are not disclosed to the background that will enable them to make opinions and views that will oppose the objectives of the Party. The memoirs are not meant to inflict pain on the citizens.
In 1984 by Orwell love has been abolished since the emotion is likely offered a non-Party basis to which the citizens might direct their energy. Therefore, it is not for the good of the citizens but for the sake of the Party. The Party ends the intimate relationship and suppresses the sex instinct as a way of assuring complete devotion to the citizens. Moreover, the Party twists the element of sex as an unpleasant act which they refer to as “duty to the Party” (Orwell 57). Therefore, sex is meant for procreation thus demonstrating the loyalty of the Party. Indeed, the governments of The Giver and 1984 have differing morals that instigate the acts of each, and thus this makes a distinction whether it is negatively or positively oriented community. In reality, the comparable methods instituted by each of the society to ensure that it runs make The Giver and 1984 societies relatively similar.
The Giver by Louis Lowry is an analogous to 1984 by George Orwell since they share a lot of similarities. The society of The Giver seems to be autocratic in nature, an impression that has been created by Orwell such as the grinding voices which reprimand from the ubiquitous speakers. Indeed, these are the same chastisements that Winston Smith gets in the time he did not offer attention to the real jerks. The fundamental differences between the two societies are established in the loudspeakers. For instance, in The Giver the loudspeakers do not single out the individuals while in 1984 the voices are screamed. “Smith! 6079 Smith W! Yes, you! (Orwell 36). On the other hand, the receivers carry the memoirs which the community wanted to forget. Winston has the memoirs that the Party wants to be rewritten and forgotten. Moreover, in The Giver, those break the laws are released. However, in 1984 the rule breakers are not permitted death but the forced to discharge their thoughts, ideas, and identities. Indeed, they are pushed into conformity.
Ultimately, the two books have the biblical allusions of death, resurrection, and life. For example, Jonas is different from everyone in the society during his life. However, he does not pay attention to the gift to enable him to see beyond. Just like any other member of the society, he takes a pill to restrain his stirring and lives in the community like everyone else. Jonas loses his identity when he becomes the receiver. Moreover, he loses his purity and become conscious of the community around him. This becomes his death of conformity, and later he is resurrected as a person who makes his memories and becomes the salvation of the community. The life and resurrection of Winston are similar to that of Jonas, but at the same time, they are entirely opposite. Winston commences as a freethinker who has ideas that are likely to save the society. Like Jesus, the lifestyle and views of Winston are detrimental to the totalitarian regime that commands the populous. Winston is spiritually executed and strained to be conventional to the masses. Winston is later resurrected as he was at the beginning.
In a nutshell, the people in The Giver society are free to choose the way of life that they want to lead, but they are not allowed to access the histories and memories. On the other hand, the citizens in 1984 are forced to a life that denies them their freedom just like was the case with Winston. Indeed, both the novels present violent themes that help explain the ordeals of the citizens in the societies. Moreover, the analysis of the books indicates that the societies are opposite because one is flawed while the other is perfect. Ultimately, the Community and the Party are similarly based on the methods that they have utilized to maintain the societies.
Works Cited
Lowry, Louis. The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.print
Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984). New York: McClelland & Stewart, 2015.print