Manipulations of Memory Used by Orwell and Williams

The steady development of full-grown Brformer(a) as the all- reign overling entity in George Orwells 1984 is the premise for the role truth plays throughout the novel. Truth is functi unmatchedd against society for the benefit of the government. Similarly, Tennessee Williams creates a uniquely different environment for his characters in The Glass Menagerie magic spell maintaining the same function of truth as a source of distortion and control. Collectively, the themes of dehumanization in 1984 and distortion of entrepot in The Glass Menagerie plug into to one a nonher regarding the function of truth in each fix to substantiate a sense of authority and deception.Oppression in 1984 as a direct instrument of dehumanization is made quite evident within the text. The inner- party uses several brainwashing and torture tactics to rid society of past memories and experiences. The set up these tactics have upon truth are substantial in their regard. The intent of Big familiar is to re duce human beings understanding to a more basic, substantially manipulated and empty slate where the ag annulas of the inner-party nooky be executed with ease.We see the extent to which understanding of the past affects ones attitude about the present when Winston postulates, And when memory failed and written records were falsifiedwhen that happened, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human liveliness had got to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any standard against which it could be tested (Orwell 93). This quote is said following Winstons frustrating conversation with the old man about life prior to the Revolution.Winston is coming to terms that the party has deliberately set out to weaken peoples memories in order to render them unable to challenge what the Party claims about the present. If no one remembers life before the Revolution, then no one can say that the Party has failed humanity by forcing people to run low in conditions of scarcity, filth, ignorance, and famine. Rather, the party uses rewritten accounting books and falsified records to prove its good deeds. This proves the guess that truth is dependent of memory and without memory truth is subject to manipulation and in this case dehumanization.Orwell not only suggests this theory through the events observed in Winston that also through Winstons own surrender to Big Brother and its definition of truth at the end of the novel. After the inner-partys relentless attempt to purge Winston of any prohibited thoughts, they fulfil their goal of dehumanizing him. The narrator brings closure to the novel as he describes Winstons new character. He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstandingO stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother, said the narrator (Orwell 297). Winstons curiosity towards Big Brother was prevailing during the earliest parts of the novel. This curiosity soon transforms into animosity urging him to join a rebel group to overthrow Big Brother. Despite these negative feelings, the causality of dehumanization works against what years of curiosity have said to Winston to be true.His memory of Big Brother as being counterproductive to society is no longer existent because his present situation says that Big Brother should be loved unconditionally. The occurrence that Winstons conversion was successful should focus the reader on truth and memory and how they are comparable. The dehumanization of memory stands as a principle theme in 1984 and it is through this theme that Orwell functions truth to reveal the appetency of deception. Tennessee Williams takes a corresponding approach to tru th and its function in his play, The Glass Menagerie.The characters, Amanda, Tom, and Laura all face the similar dilemma of a falsified perception of reality. The mother, Amanda, is the most fulgent character in denial. Her situation as a single mother raising two children has subliminally deceived what she sees as factual. In a conversation with Laura Amanda is quoted Why youre not crippled, you just have a little defect hardly noticeable, even When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate other things to make up for it develop charm and vivacity and charm (Orwell 18)Seemingly everyone is quite aware that Laura is crippled however, Amanda will not come to terms with this occurrence. She deals with this unfortunate fact by lying to herself that her daughter is not crippled thus proving there to be little veracity to any memories she has. Throughout the play Amanda is full of deceptions. Amanda changes her expressive style of speech to a southern accent w hen Lauras gentleman caller arrives. Amanda states light food an light clothes are what warm weather calls fo (Orwell 63). The reader is told that Amanda was born in the south. In spite of that, this is the first time she speaks with a southern accent.Amanda explains her newly discovered accent as her rejuvenated personality but the reader can assume this is her attempt to mislead the people around her to believe she is something that she is not further revealing her deceitful memory. Consequently, Tom and Laura are confine by this illusion Amanda creates. Laura is highly dependent upon her mother therefore she is influenced by Amandas views. Tom carries the burden of providing for his family and cannot leave from this world of lies and untruths. Amandas present state has distorted her memory and essentially distorted her sense of self and reality.Her ability to do this has given her control of what she can feel and therefore how she can live her life despite not being able to esca pe from the poverty stricken life. Despite having contrasting influences behind their respected themes, 1984 and The Glass Menagerie apportion a common purpose to gain control over reality through the manipulation of truth. In 1984 Winston observed and experienced the tactics that Big Brother used to give the public a misleading view of truth. Through dehumanization, Big Brother achieved full authority over its citizens by erasing all memories of life before the revolution.With no memories to go by society was at the mercy of Big Brother and what the inner-party considered acceptable. People could not judge right from wrong because Big Brother was all they ever knew. The Glass Menagerie is comparable is the sense that Amanda needed to gain control over her life which seemed to be spinning into the ground. She was bewildered and this feeling led her to shape her own reality in order to regain this sense of control. People are typically fearful of things they cannot conquer. Amanda could not achieve freedom from her environment therefore she created her own path through a deceptive memory.Her children were trapped in this life of lies just as Winston was in 1984. In both works we see a desire of power to control their respected situations. 1984 sought for the control of society whereas The Glass Menagerie sought for the control of the Wingfield future. The power of memory is existential to the human ability of perceiving the present. George Orwells 1984 and Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie manipulate memory in such a similar personal manner that their functions of truth are nearly identical concerning their purpose.In 1984 truth is functioned against society for the sake of Big Brother and the inner-parties agenda through dehumanization. Similarly, Orwell uses Amandas character in The Glass Menagerie to demonstrate the importance of memory and how ones own deception of truth can distort their reality dramatically. Both pieces of work complement one anot her and solidify the case that memory or a deceitful memory for that matter is vulnerable to exploitation and the effects can be substantial in regard to ones sense of actuality.