1984 Potential Thesis Statements

The essay writing will take place in ONE stage ONLY (both in and out of class): I will check
the thesis/outline and the final essay. NO ROUGH DRAFT.

Peruse the topics/prompts below, choose and adapt one to fit your stance/view. Do not
forget you have to support the claim(s) made in the thesis by providing text-based
evidence and your elaboration of the same will showcase how thoroughly you understand
the key concepts and the narrative. Do not forget: focus, unity, coherence, nice
transitions, correct citation style, elegant expression.

Below you will find thesis statements / paper topics for 1984 by George Orwell that can be
used as essay starters or paper topics. All of them incorporate at least one of the themes
found in Orwell's 1984 and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual
support, yet narrow enough to provide a focused, clear thesis statement. You are free to
add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #1: The Forced Repression of Natural Impulses in 1984
Nearly every aspect of the society presented in 1984 by George Orwell is controlled, including
the most natural impulses of sex and love. The suppression of these innate urges is
encouraged through a program instituted by various forms of media in society in 1984 by
George Orwell that propagates mistrust so severe that even mothers and fathers cannot trust
their own offspring—another supposedly natural bond and impulse. Throughout the novel
there are many examples of oppression of natural reactions and they cause a number of
problems, not just for the main characters, but for the society at large. For this essay, you
could provide detailed examples of how natural impulses are stifled and what consequences
there are.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #2: The Lack of Privacy and The Effect of No Individualism
Personal privacy and space is never granted throughout 1984. Every person is always subject
to observation, even by their own family members and friends. Furthermore, since Big
Brother is always watching and the Thought Police are always on the lookout, it is impossible
for any kind of individualism to flourish. For this essay you can look at the ways this occurs
and how various characters attempt (successfully or not) to subvert it. Then move out to
consider how this lack of privacy (and by proxy, individualism) influences individuals and
society as a whole.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #3: The Role and Representation of Women in 1984
Although it's often considered to be an “easy” topic choice for a paper, examining the role of
women would make for an excellent essay, especially since many of things that make women
what they are in many novels (adhering to ideas of romantic love, sex, femininity, marriage,
etc.) are subverted by the totalitarian society. For this essay, look at the depictions of
women, keeping in mind such issues as the Junior Anti-Sex League, Winston's Wife, who is the
“human soundtrack,” the Prole woman, Mrs. Parsons, and Julia, of course. All of the women

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or groups of women presented offer a very twisted view of all of the things typically
associated with women in literature. Look at why this is and offer numerous examples.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #4: The Power of Words and Rhetoric in 1984
Rhetoric, words, and language have enormous power in this society. Consider the phrase,
“War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength” as well as the fact that the
state of war and who it is with is constantly shifting. In this society (much like ours) reality is
based on information and Orwell's novel, the information is all related by words. For this
essay, find a number of examples of contradictory, misleading, or otherwise bad rhetoric and
how it is used to manipulate the population. A good essay might include three examples and
then use one paragraph for each to fully pick apart the language and discuss the effects it
has.

DISREGARD THIS Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #5: 1984 in Historical Context: How
Current Events Shaped the Themes in the Novel
In some cases, it is not always feasible or worth it to consider too heavily the time period
during which a novel was written. This is not the case in 1984. In fact, the historical context
is of the utmost importance as the threat of totalitarianism, fascism, and domination based
on skilled rhetoric was at the forefront of public fears during Orwell's time. Written in
1949, 1984 reflects the period as fascist empires were growing and the effects of others were
becoming more clear with each passing day, such as was the case Germany. For this essay,
make sure you include some biographical information about Orwell and what he witnessed
during his lifetime and make reference to the many fascist regimes that are reflected in the
novel.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #5: Fear and Hate as a Means of Control
In 1984, Orwell examines the sneaky ways governments create fear and hate among their
people. Orwell shows how fear and hate, which are natural emotions everyone experiences,
are ramped up (ramp up — increase the level or amount of something sharply) by politicians,
subgroups, and governments in order to gain or hold onto power.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #6: Collective vs. Individual (Collective amnesia vs.
Ownlife and Solipsism; thoughtcrime, facecrime)

Individual thought requires freedom of expression, and the richer the language, the more
choices a person has to express nuance and specificity. Thus, the 11th edition of the
Newspeak dictionary aims to eliminate words from the language, thereby reducing the range
of consciousness, limiting original thinking, and controlling both the thoughts and the
behavior of its speakers. "Orthodoxy," he/Syme says, "means not thinking—not needing to
think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness." This is the ultimate form of mind control.

The only allowable thoughts are the ones that the Party instills, and most of those thoughts
are lies. But if someone in power tells a lie often enough, and no dissenting voices come
forward, people begin to believe the lie.

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Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #7: The Conscious/(Self-)Awareness and the Subconscious
in 1984

Consciousness reacts and depends upon the function and stimulus of society. In 1984,
selflessness is valued above all, thus man’s consciousness pulls him away from himself and
towards Big Brother; personal dreams are replaced by Party ideology. The result of this action
is an inner paradox: consciousness is begging for selflessness, yet the Party members are
aware of the self-indulgences they are being denied and are constantly suppressing this
awareness. Because awareness lies at a deeper level than consciousness, it can be hidden if
society begins to manipulate one’s conscious. This society-driven manipulation is a
phenomenon that occurs in every group-based function. With any cluster of people, like-
mindedness becomes infectious, attacking one’s consciousness, convincing it to adapt to
one’s surroundings. Due to this adaptation, the conscious stops communicating with one’s
awareness, leaving one’s awareness increasingly confused and unprotected. What is your view
on this as filtered through 1984?

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #8: Love and Hate Tainted by Hatred in 1984

In 1984, no emotion is pure and unadulterated, all of it is tinged and laced with fear. Think
along the lines of how and, of course, more importantly why this phenomenon is omnipresent.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #9: Propaganda in 1984: Pen is mightier than the sword

Fallacious reasoning inculcated into the minds of people via various types of propaganda.