To exist in a totalitarian society that the government manages to control, one must face strong persuasion and strong propaganda on a daily basis. These totalitarian societies exercise an iron grip on their people, leaving them with absolutely no hope or chance of escape. George Orwell's 1984 openly suggests how, with proper use of brainwashing and propaganda, the Relentless Party can impose brutal and complete control over its people, and how the protagonist, Winston Smith, is seriously endangered by a single strand of individual thought. He feels frustrated by the strict limits of government control and begins to have rebellious thoughts, such as sex and any expression of individuality that differs from an ordinary Party "puppet." The character of Winston can be compared to the protagonist, Anchee Min, from the memoir Red Azalea. Reminiscent of Winston, Min exists in a totalitarian society during the reign of Mao Zedong during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, a period in history where the ideas of communism were imposed on China, resulting in totalitarian methods of control. Both Min and Winston show subtle signs of rebellion in their respective societies; this rebellion ends up getting stronger. The totalitarian societies of Orwell's 1984 and Mao's reign in China demonstrate extreme control over their citizens through propaganda, thus endangering every individual belonging to that society; It is obvious that absolutely nowhere does the word “liberty” exist in these forms of government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essay The overall techniques and propaganda of Mao Zedong's rule in China are similar to that of Big Brother's control of Oceania. Both totalitarian societies psychologically manipulate the mentality of their citizens and use language and fear to exert total control over their people. By twisting their words into a form of distorted reason, also known as doublethink, these governments manage to persuade their people to worship their respective leaders, Chairman Mao and Big Brother. Both parties are built on a complex web of lies; history is constantly being rewritten in Oceania, and false promises of a perfect, equal world reside in the minds of Chinese citizens. TV screens are constantly being used in virtually every nook and cranny to spy on people, and in the minds of every individual – or more accurately, puppets – resides the constant fear of being captured and vaporized by the "Current Police". Thought” where the Police are constantly monitoring. his thoughts; hence their name. Across Oceania, the slogans “War is Peace,” “Freedom is Slavery,” and “Ignorance is Strength” are undermining the mentality of society as a whole. In 1984, O'Brien, one of the Party members, denounced submission to the Party. reigns under Big Brother saying: “We convert him, we capture his inner spirit, we reshape him. We burn from him all evil and all illusion; we bring him to our side, not in appearance, but sincerely, heart and soul. We make him one of ours before we kill him. It is intolerable to us that erroneous thinking should exist anywhere in the world […] no one we bring here ever stands against us” (Orwell 255). This passage shows the epitome of the general mindset of this society in 1984. When Winston's rebellious actions are finally discovered, he is tortured into submission by O'Brien and the other members of the Gone, until he gets back to where he started: selfless, a government puppet and still loving Big Brother. His obedience supports the fact that the totalitarian government always wins and that Big Brother is "always watching you." Likewise, Mao's influence spread widely and created a regime that eliminated opposition in China, as happened in 1984. The communist government controlled every aspect of people's lives. All goods produced are shared equally; in other words, there existed a peasant economy similar to colonial life. This “Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution” led to a massive cult of personality around Mao. For example, one person per family from the communist society was forced to work in a grueling labor camp with the impression that all rumors about the horror and hardships were "monstrous lies [...] invented by enemies who feared the revolution would spread. Party authorities showed families images of [...] prosperity. The families were convinced and comforted” (Min 44). Essentially, by twisting language in another direction, telling blatant lies, and using the most extreme form of manipulation, both totalitarian societies are able to effectively control their people. The powerful forms of manipulation and control within these totalitarian societies are clearly demonstrated. through the lives of the protagonist of 1984 and the protagonist of Red Azalea, a memoir written about survival through the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Both Winston Smith and Anchee Min live in totalitarian societies; they both have moments and thoughts of rebellion, although Winston clearly portrays rebellion more blatantly through his actions, while Anchee opposes the government more subtly. Since 1984 is a work of fiction, the book contains fictional TV screens that are there to constantly monitor his thoughts. The lack of telescreens or any type of mind-reading devices and "advanced technology" allows Anchee to secretly rebel through her personal thoughts. In 1984, Winston showed his first signs of rebellion when he bought a newspaper and began writing in it. This seemingly banal action gradually leads him to more direct forms of rebellion; falling “in love” with a girl, Julia, and having sexual thoughts about her, which is strictly forbidden. The reader observes how the Party “does not just destroy our enemies; we change them” (Orwell 253). As the end of the book indicates, this statement is indeed correct. On the other hand, even though Anchee shows several acts of rebellion, she remains, throughout the book, a puppet of the government. He is constantly reminded of his duty to fight against anyone who opposes Mao's teaching. Early in her life, Anchee's actions indicate the extent to which she is controlled by her government. Encouraged by the shouting of slogans and intimidated by Secretary Chain, a representative of the Party, she denounces and publicly humiliates her favorite professor and accuses him of corruption by reading fictitious tales. Secretary Chain exclaims: “Our Party trusts you and Mao would be very proud of you” (Min 35). He explains how his favorite teacher brainwashed him into betraying communism by reading his stories such as The Little Mermaid and Snow White. Even if she doubts her words, she still speaks as a good role model for the Party and as a model student. This incident is the first subtle conflict and doubt she has with the government system. Previously, she had wholeheartedly believed in and supported Mao's communism. Strangely similar to the words of Big Brother society, the.