Nick Fugaro Dr.

Arnold INTL 3111 4/22/14 Microtheme on 1984: Prole Rebellion In the novel 1984, the proles are essentially the working class of Oceania. All proles have very little money, live in poverty, and make up over eighty percent of the population. Being the poorest, and the majority seems like the perfect formula for a rebellion against the Party. It is typical of power-hungry governments that the working class rises up and takes power. The proles could change Oceania and end the senseless thoughtcrimes and public executions. However, there are no plans to overthrow The Party in the proles. Why wouldnt they? Strength in numbers seems like they could do it. The reason that the proles dont fight back is they are ignorant to The Partys controlling methods. The Party states that proles and animals are free or so they think. The Party set up their government were the proles are the furthest from power to avoid a rise up and use fear tactics of public executions. Going back to the slogan, The Party ingeniously makes the proles think that they are free when they are the furthest thing from it. Proles are very uneducated and really dont understand The Partys motives nor do they care to find out. The idea of ignorance is bliss is very prevalent in the mindset of the proles. They basically just think dont know, dont care and they are perfectly happy with this. I also think that part of the reason they dont rebel is because they honestly think The Party is good. They create pornography and music for the lowest class. This keeps proles distracted while The Party can continue to monitor and do

whatever they want to them. These are written by machines so The Party doesnt have to worry about true human emotion being expressed. There is no talk of a revolution amongst the proles, OBrian believes, is because there is no way they could actually get together and organize. This is idea backed by their low education and inability to see through The Partys lies. The proles are basically sheep in the tyranny of Big Brother, they just follow whatever Big Brother does and dont question it. The reason they dont question any of the violent acts because of fear that it would happen to themselves. Anyone viewed as an individual is immediately flagged by the thought police and then later kill them. The proles are also the furthest outside of the party: the bottom of the food chain. Therefore, they have no knowledge of The Partys plans like the Outer Party and obviously the Inner Party. Why would George Orwell create a majority that is treated like the minority? This set up of the classes had me begging for a revolution. I believe that the reason that Orwell painted the proles like this to show how fear and lies can control a large group of people. The proles as a collective represent the only human element left in the world, in terms of human emotions. Winston envies them saying that the proles remained human. Another things that adds to the symbolism of the proles is that they are just nameless, faceless people. The reader has no connection with them and they are not treated like as one person but as a whole. This signifies the fact that proles are not allowed to show their individualism. The way the proles are described in 1984 shows how a government can completely manipulate an entire group of people without fear of rebellion. It is a campaign driven by fear and lies that makes the proles so inferior. The proles actually like Big Brother since he is a provider with entertainment for them. It makes it even more symbolic being called Big Brother

because it shows that he provides for the person under him, making him seem like what an actual older brother would. The entire book goes cover to cover without a revolution and if 1984 was still going on, I believe there still wouldnt be. Why would they? They dont know anything else besides the Party reign why would they change?