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Red Sox0407
10-31-2007, 05:08 PM
Do you think Orwell is trying to make a connection between France in the late 1700's and Oceania today?

Think about it. in the late 1700's France went through the reign of terror. It was a time when over tens of thousands of people were carried of to the guillotine and executed. People were afraid to speak or write what they thought.
Maximilian Robespierre was a leader of an organization that cause these executions. Many people were caught because spies found out and heard what they said. Tons of people were caught from saying bad things about the government.

Sounds a little familiar doesn't it? It sounds like how people are afraid to speak or write because the thought police was everywhere. How Big Brother is a leader whom people are afraid to speak bad things of. If they do they are executed by hangings.

The Atheist
10-31-2007, 06:00 PM
Thanks to the lead pig being Napoleon in Animal Farm, a lot has been made of Orwell's perceived anti-French attitude.

Robespierre may well have been part of the inspiration, but there were plenty of other examples as well. I think the key thing is that any totalitarian state must carry out atrocities to maintain its rule/power.