The Price Of Freedom (1984)

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The Price of Freedom

Living in a society that permits an individual limited freedom is not, in any case, enjoyable. A good example of such a society is labeled a "totalitarian society." Although a totalitarian society provides control for the people, it also denies them of their freedom. In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, he depicts a society in which people have absolutely no privacy or freedom. The Party knows everything; what you are saying, doing, and even thinking. The Party, without the people even realizing it, controls all aspects of a person's life. A contrast of Orwell’s society of 1984 is our current society in America, (but only to a certain level). No other democratic society in the world permits personal freedoms to the degree of the United States of America. Unfortunately, our society has not always been so unconfined.
Along with women and minorities, African Americans have been subjected to an excessive degree of alienation all throughout history. White Americans historically have always had ambivalence toward African Americans, while asserting the principle that "all men were created equal." Thomas Jefferson was the first man to quote this phrase, and yet when he died he left his blacks in slavery. Also, America’s hero and first president, George Washington, is guilty of the same act. He was opposed to slavery, but did not release his
slaves once he passed on (Cooper, 18). The evils of slavery, segregation, and racial inequality have long been recognized, yet progress toward their elimination has been very

slow. African Americans had their lives dominated by the whites for an extensive period of time. They were utilized to serve the whites in their plantations and to obey their every command in fear of being punished. Much like the repressive society of Oceania in 1984, Winston Smith lived a restricted life in which all activities were aimed towards the good of the Party. Political and intellectu...