False Realities and Big Brother

                In both 1984 and the Truman Show, this idea that there is no privacy is prevalent. In the Truman Show, there is literally no privacy. Truman lives with a camera on him 24/7. Even while he sleeps, showers, etc. In 1984, Winston lives in a house that has a camera to track his every moment and facial expressions. Thought police, neighbors, and employees are constantly suspicious of each other and are willing to turn each other in for any type of rebellion. The simple idea of having a private thought is difficult for both of them, and that is why they fight back. Truman is sick of having is life predetermined and Winston is sick of being restricted from living the life he wants.

                Another similarity between the two works is the lack of real relationships they have with other people. In Truman’s world, everyone around him is an actor and none of them truly care for him. His wife leaves him not for any real reason, but just because she can’t handle the stress and conditions under which she can act. His best friend, Marlon, always comforts Truman when he is upset or seems to be catching on to the deception, but Marlon only does this to keep the show going and reassure that Truman believes that his world is real. In Winston’s world, relationships between husband and wife are different than today. They are not as close as they should be. Winston and his wife, Katharine, do not actually love each other. Katharine sees marriage and sex as her duty in this society and she and Winston share no sort of affection towards each other. Parents and children have a similar issue. As we can tell from the Parsons family, the children are taught early in their lives to love Big Brother and report any suspicious activity to the thought police. This means that children are always watching their parents and will report them without hesitation. Therefore, parents are seen to be afraid of their children and so their bond is much less strong.

                Finally, I have found that in both stories, the message in both is that love can make a person open their eyes and rebel against something they see is wrong. In 1984, Winston meets a young girl named Julie and their start a secret relationship. They meet in secret to be with each other and talk about the faults of Big Brother. Julie opens Winston’s eyes to life without constant government surveillance and he is actively participates in their discussions about life without Big Brother. In Truman’s situation, he falls in love with a girl on the show. They run into each other and she attempts to explain how his life is a lie and that he is living a false reality. She’s the person that ignites his suspicions about the world he lives in, and eventually he is able to free himself from Christof. Love is a powerful emotional that was highly influential in both of these situations.