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  • Essay / The theme of individual independence and identity in the novels of George Orwell and Yevgeny Zamyatin

    As individuals, it is the actions that shape personal identity. It takes many years of experience to develop and improve this trait which contributes to the overall growth of a human being. Having an identity means that one is able to understand both how they differ from others and how they are similar. This definition is consistent with many types of identities, including ethnic, intellectual, spiritual, and individual. Overall, self-identification, self-awareness, and self-definition all fall under the main theme of identity and its importance. While this may be true, both novels, George Orwell's 1984 and Yevgeny Zamyatin's We, convey the theme of individual independence and identity as an interference with human capabilities, by describing the importance of names , the lack of free will to be unique and a life. which he constantly prescribed. Names are essential to identifying a person as it is the primary characteristic presented to the general population. When we greet others, we use their name to recognize the person we are addressing. With this in mind, it is essential to ensure that this distinctive evidence is proudly displayed to others and treated with respect to ensure that it remains an important aspect of their identity. The importance of names is demonstrated in the novel 1984, when Winston clarifies that names do not play a significant role in constructing their identity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayOn the other hand, the party opposes their use, ““oh comrade”... “Madam”. was a word somewhat devalued by the party – you were supposed to call everyone “comrade”” (Orwell 22). In this quote, Orwell demonstrates the impact that names have on each other, as mentioned in the quote, names had no impact on individuals or their identification. As the party despises names and their meaning, supporters conform and it becomes the norm to call each other "comrade." Orwell uses explicit diction when he uses the word comrade to characterize others in society. The use of this generalized word makes readers interpret the characters' identities by not knowing their own particular names, other words like "friends" wasn't exactly the right word. Nowadays you didn’t have friends, you had comrades” (Orwell 51). Intent on calling everyone comrade, Winston and other citizens lost much of their individual identity, which contributed to the overall problem of their disappearing existence. The importance of names is also shown in We. In their society, there are no alphabetical names. Each individual is mentioned, by a letter then a series of numbers, which have been assigned to them by the administration. Although this strategy is based on the mathematical society described in We, the names have no meaning for the individual and therefore cause the absence of individuality and identity. Due to this abnormal technique of appropriation of names, the inhabitants of One State end up losing awareness of their lack of creativity and thus present themselves as a false persona. This is particularly demonstrated when the main character is introduced: "This is D-503, the builder of the Integral." This quote further proves how the citizens react to their false identities, as Zamyatin always seems to have made the characters delighted by specifying their names and their names.occupation. When critically examining these two novels, many parallels were discovered between One State and Big Brother. When it comes to the meanings of the names, the two novels both include large, influential administrations that impact their choice of names. In 1984, all Big Brother citizens acquired a name, but the party asked its citizens to call themselves "comrade" because it was the broadest name. A word that created no emotion when said to the people. others. Thus, do not commit a thought crime which would lead to vaporizing individuals and therefore completely forgetting them. Similarly, in We, One State provides its residents with their own “names” composed of numbers. In the ability of a state to show that it is the most powerful society, it has been able to manipulate its citizens into feeling that having numbers to present itself as extraordinary and therefore entrench the idea that they are superior to the rest of the universe. Another similarity found between the two novels is the use of control, in order to force the thoughts and ideas of citizens to conform to the ideals of the leaders, in this case Big Brother and The Benefactor. This control leads to a lack of free will to be unique, which ultimately contributes to the formation of an identity. In 1984, Big Brother uses the Thought Police to monitor the thoughts and actions of every citizen. This surveillance allows citizens incapable of thinking and feeling anything. Being curious or even having the slightest uniqueness from others puts us at risk of being executed as a disobedient follower, this can be modeled by the following quote: “Nothing belonged to you except the few cubic centimeters on your head. inside your skull” (Orwell 28). Here, Orwell implies that the only way Winston can think uniquely is in the small space inside his mind. These are the tactics used to ensure that any ideas or thoughts that contradict the party's beliefs do not interfere with the party's plan to take power completely. This quote is just one that foreshadows the mental control the party exercises over its citizens. takes place at the Ministry of Love, to extinguish all external thoughts of anyone who thinks otherwise than what the party wants him to think. Furthermore, this also foreshadows Winston's subjugation and loyalty to Big Brother. As for the other novel, the lack of free will to be unique is also present in We. In this dystopian society, being unique does not exist. Having thoughts different from those of others is considered a crime and in this case, the only way for D-503 to express his ideas is to write in his hidden journal. This demonstration of communicating ideas is also found in 1984 when Winston shares his thoughts on Big Brother. Citizens live by the following statement: “To be original is to stand out from others. He believes that to be original is to violate the principle of equality” (Zamyatin 52). This quote demonstrates how being unique is not imperative to them, but contributes to the disappearance of what remains of their personal uniqueness. To add, this statement describes how the government tells its citizens that this society is perfect and that is why change is looked down upon. Another illustration found in the novel is the use of "pink coupons". This is a ticket that allows individuals to visit others outside of the Table of Hours. This symbol symbolizes their limited opportunities to see the world outside of a single state. Although each citizen of a single state The State is itself, each individual exists exclusively to create an invariant "We". It is,.