Similarities

In both 1984 and the The Truman Show both share some similarities, such as constant surveillance, suppression of any other thought other than what the higher ups want you to think, and ignorance of what’s really happening. The most obvious one present in both is the constant surveillance. In 1984, this is made clear by the numerous telescreens, the Thought Police, your own children spying on you, and how everyone has been brainwashed to report anyone suspicious immediately. The telescreen and Thought Police are more prevalent in 1984 than the other two. Telescreens will always monitor you, and it’s difficult to escape from not being overheard. They are stationed everywhere, and even Inner Party members have only small amounts of respite from the telescreens. O'Brien, an Inner Party member, mentions that they are only allowed to turn off the telescreen for an hour only, and even then it’s risky. The next form is Thought Police, who are everywhere. One of the biggest surprises in the book comes when it’s revealed Mr. Charrington is actually part of the Thought Police, and that when he comes to arrest them, his appearance has completely changed. It shows that the Thought Police are very deceitful and can pretend to be your friend for a long time and then betray you. The Thought Police’s main tools would be telescreens and people. The children are taught from a young age to love Big Brother and grow up to little demons. In near the end of the book, a former acquaintance, Parsons, of Winston’s is sent to jail because his daughter supposedly overheard him saying he hated Big Brother. He has no recollection of this because it was during his sleep, and he says he’s glad that his daughter reported him, even though it’s somewhat obvious that Parsons was not guilty of conspiring against Big Brother. What most likely happened was that the daughter said a lie, and wrongfully convicted her father. Leading off of how the Parsons was glad his daughter convicted him, it’s easy to say that the people are brainwashed to report anyone they see suspicious. People are so dedicated the the Party and Big Brother, that they play a large role in helping Thought Police in arresting supposed criminals. In The Truman show it’s somewhat more different than what is shown in 1984. The Truman show watches Truman by thousands of cameras placed everywhere. They’re in buttons, in the car in the bathroom mirror. The purpose for the cameras is not at all similar to the purpose of the telescreens. The telescreens are for monitoring everyone, and making sure no one does anything the Party doesn't want. However, in The Truman Show, the cameras are for a widespread audience everywhere viewing Truman as a source of entertainment. Another large difference is that Truman is not aware of being monitored and slowly becomes more and more aware of it as the time passes. This leads to the directors of the show suppressing his thoughts of an outside world by distracting him. The Party does a same thing to distract their citizens by constantly being at war with someone, while never really explaining who. The people they’re fighting with changes every so often, and the confused citizens never stop to think against the Party. In essence, this is what the director does, by reintroducing Truman’s father. This stops any thoughts of Truman about him being in some type of place where he can’t escape. Lastly, there’s the ignorance of what’s happening. The people of 1984 never realize that the Party is corrupt, or that the bombs that fall on their city isn't the enemies, but from Oceana itself. The same is with Truman, who leads a majority of his life, unknowing of how he is a television star in the world outside of his. These were three similarities I was able to observe from 1984 and The Truman Show.