Mc Crary 1

Brianna Mc Crary
Professor DerOhanessian
English 113B
6 May, 2015
Project Space
In George Orwells 1984, Big Brother is like the dictator, or sentinel of Oceania. Big
brothers everyday mission is to maintain total control of Oceania by watching its people through
a tele screen and making sure none of its people were against the government and its laws.
Watching the people of Oceania became the norm, and it shows that there is always someone
watching and in control of the tasks you do every day. While Winston and the people of Oceania
were being controlled by their government, we Americans are also being controlled. Being
powerless and not having control over our actions all of the time is looked at as being imprisoned
or enslaved, but in reality, if there was limited control over a population, there would be chaos
and mass confusion.
At California State University Northridge, the students who attend are being governed
with no clue. The Sierra Center, for example, was specifically designed to control the way
students and faculty spend their time, money, and the way people move around in the store. In
the Sierra Center, there are advertisements for food all over the place. There are snacks and
candy put in isolated areas next to and underneath bright lights to distract customers from
purchasing what they originally went to the store for. There are food places with menus
displayed on television screens with screensavers that show pictures of more food that would
appeal to customers. The pictures of food shown on the television screens persuade students and
faculty into buying more food than what they need.

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The Sierra Center also has more expensive prices than the other markets and restaurants
on campus at CSUN. The reason why food and snacks at the Sierra Center are far more
expensive than other stores is because the Sierra Center is located in a space that many students
pass while on campus; therefore, students are not given much of a choice on where they can buy
food before or in between classes in order to save time. Along with a market and restaurants is a
Freudian Sip located in the back of the store. Since there are thousands of students on campus
who roam around and may be hungry, it is hidden specifically so that it does not become
overcrowded. There are tables and chairs provided for students who want to kill time before
going to another class or who want to catch up on work as well. It is impressive how much
thought is put into designing buildings in a way that will help companies make thousands of
dollars in profit while at the same time incorporating subtle tricks to get people to spend money.
However, it is still questionable whether or not being controlled by someone of a higher power is
always a positive business.
Foucaults panopticism theory is based on a prison formed in a circular pattern while a
guard watches over prisoners from the center. This form of organization appears to be well
organized, but analyzing the environment, it is clear that since the prison is formed in a circle,
prisoners are able to see each other. If prisoners are able to see each other, it is easier for them to
plot and scheme and possibly escape, or hurt someone in control; the guard. Being in a prison
designed in a circle, there is no doubt that there would be constant monitoring. In Foucaults
Discipline & Punish (1975), Panopticism, it states that prisoners are watched, made sure
prisoners complete the tasks given to them, and are taken care of. . . . Inquires whether the
syndics have carried out their tasks, whether the inhabitants have anything to complain of; they
observe their actions. Watching prisoners is a perfect example about being controlled and

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having no privacy, but what about those who are not imprisoned. What would happen if those
who live their lives had no rules and discipline.
Economic status plays a huge role in how the government treats a population. Some
control, or empowerment over people, comes from their social economic status. The Marxist
Theory summed up is the belief of politics and economics and putting people into different
classes based on such. The people of the lower class, or poor, are treated differently from those in
the middle or upper class. For example, being imprisoned. Poorer people who get into conflict
with the law are put into prison in a small cell with another inmate while people with more
money have more freedom while being imprisoned simply because they have the money to pay
the government, or pay for an expensive well-skilled lawyer to keep him or her out of prison.
How is this fair to a society of people who believe in equality. Being put into a social class, being
told what to do and how to accomplish everyday tasks by the government can serve a good
purpose, but all in all, it is only fair to the people if they had more equal treatment and less
control.

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Works Cited

Michel. "Michel Foucault. Discipline & Punish (1975), Panopticism." Web.

Trainer, Ted. "Marxist Theory; A Brief Introduction." N.p., Mar. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.