1984 and Equilibrium Essay

"Equilibrium and 1984"

Kurt Wimmer's Equilibrium and George Orwell's 1984 have shown incidents that bought many changes into the main character's lives. Through restricted approach, the movie and the novel compare the emotional side of the main character. The description of lost individuality and freedom through a world where people were banished for saying wrong and working against their god showed complete dictatorship on every individual. The act of Tyranny and Control in both Equilibrium and 1984 provoked many citizens to show love more towards the government than each other through advance technology, sense of police and restrictions on showing emotions.

George Orwell's 1984 suggested change in the role of government in society and planned to convince people that a society like Oceania can exist again if people do not act against tyrannical and totalitarian governments. One of major influence to a totalitarian government in which Orwell explored in depth is Tyranny and control. Through various symbolism and advance technology, the government showed complete control over humanity. Inside the flat a fruity voice was reading out a list of figures which had something to do with the production of pig-iron. The voice came from an oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror which formed part of the surface of the right-hand wall. Winston turned a switch and the voice sank somewhat, though the words were still distinguishable. The instrument (the telescreens, it was called) could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely. (Orwell, 3-4). As Positive approach towards the society, the use of technology helped control people's mind for example, what they say? How they act at home? Etc. In 1984, although the use of huge telescreens manipulated media and penetrated citizen's lives to gain power over every phase of human survival, it helped maintain equality among religions and different races in the society. Winston, the main character of this novel was most influenced by the telescreens. "Winston kept his back turned to the telescreens" (Orwell, 5). It was safer, though, as he well knew, even a back can be revealing". Fear runs so deep in Winston that he imagines that, by turning his back on a telescreens, his disloyalty spirit towards the party and big brother may be discovered. However, the use of telescreens gave man eyes and ears that can see and listen at any distance, and a tongue that can speak to anyone on the planet. The telescreens freed man's senses, and his voice, and thus also freed his mental power and his conscious mind. Having telescreens gave man the power to be heard and seen, in the company of his own choosing, wherever it may be found. Thus, this helped generate more love towards the government for bring such peace into the world.

The movie Equilibrium also showed some evidences of complete dictatorship and totalitarianism in the society using technology. After World War 3, the development of technology was slowly increasing and because of this, in a totalitarian society people were forced to watch clips repeatedly. Thus, control over people's life was continuously increasing. In certain scenes of the movie where the main character John Preston talks to the father through a huge screen; also repeatedly running clips of the father indicates reasons for building equality and peace through technology. Although, using and following these technology eliminated privacy between every individual and families; it also eliminated risks of dangers such as robbery, murder, fights, and racism issues from people. They controlled every mind and situation by putting camera's everywhere home, car, work and streets. This developed fear into people's mind; fear of other and fear of someone breaking down the society. However, if the government didn't force people, there wouldn't be equality amongst everyone. Thus, by doing this and having control over every little thing, government reduced crime rates and maintained peace as well.

George Orwell's 1984 novel not only created a totalitarian world but also influenced groups and leaders that were part of that world to have control over certain issues, and one of those groups were Thought police. Thought police were people who were most likely behind telescreens. They have "agents... [that always move] among [the proles]" (Orwell 74). In society like this, they had police to monitor everybody's actions; they also had special police to monitor what people were thinking; were their thoughts negative or positive? Their task was to go hunt down every criminal acts; their job was to eliminate criminal or evil thoughts from people's mind. Any thoughts that went against those rules created by the government; for example, shouting or even saying it in sleep "Down with Big Brother" was consider a huge crime to even think about it. Another example of police dictatorship was "The thought police would get him just the same. He had committed--would have committed, even if he had never set pen to paper--the essential crime that contained all others in it. Thought crime, they called it. Thought crime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you" (Orwell, 21). The whole idea of police and totalitarianism was not just for the benefit of the party, it was also created to destroy crime, remove evil from good and bring in peace, silence and live together as one society. But to do this, government and Thought Police were getting stricter at every stage. Their essential task was to bring out the truth from people who committed crime or had dirt in their minds. This not only forced the police officers to hit people but also allowed them to put people in Room 101; where people were treated badly using rats. Therefore, by having control on citizens at every stage, many people's lives were saved and love for the big brother increased.

The science fiction movie Equilibrium was also affected by the dictator ship of the government. With the sense of police, no individual with negative thoughts were left alive. Although, this sense of police had significant control over citizens life; it help maintain equality among people, religions and other groups. Burning people alive and mass murder were some example from the movie that showed how police had control over individuals. Not only that the movie also portrayed John Preston's unsuccessful attempt to stop Mary O'Brien's