Jean-Jacques Rousseau eloquently said: “Man is born free but everywhere he is chained” (Rousseau). His idea is that although man can be born as a free individual, the countless social and political limitations imposed on him can prevent him from achieving true freedom. In George Orwell's 1984 and Hyenseo Lee's The Girl with Seven Names, Winston Smith and Hyenseo Lee fight against the government to break these chains. Although 1984 is science fiction and The Girl with Seven Names is a memoir, both books describe totalitarian societies where social values ​​and freedoms have been restricted through propaganda manipulation and oppression. In order to achieve freedom and individuality, the characters refuse to conform to the government's views. By exploring their own autonomy, the characters testify that their own fear has been used against them. Both Orwell and Lee argue that fear can be used as a weapon of control. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay In 1984, Orwell constructs the idea that the Party exploits the fear of citizens in order to remain in absolute power through Winston's callous obedience to the thought-police and excessive awareness of Party surveillance. When Winston performs his Physical Jerks in front of the TV screens, his mind drifts to the Party that is altering people's memories of Oceania's past. He is quickly brought out of his thoughts when a voice on the television screens immediately criticizes him for not performing the exercises correctly and he quickly warns himself: "Never show dismay!" Never show resentment! A simple wink could give you away! » (Orwell). Winston is instantly afraid that the TV screens have caught him thinking thoughts contradictory to those of the Party and that he will soon be killed for thinking these thoughts. Thanks to the constant surveillance of TV screens, Winston is terrified of the repercussions that could follow his actions. His fear is best illustrated by the moment when the thought police invade Winston and Julia's apartment to arrest them both for their resistance to conforming to the Party's rules. Winston describes and acts at this time as "feeling naked, with his hands behind his head" and "did not dare turn his head even a millimeter, but sometimes his pale, panting face would appear in the corner of his vision” (Orwell). Even when Julia is beaten by the Thought Police, he doesn't try to defend himself or save the woman he claimed to love the most. This shows Winston's obedience to the Thought Police due to his immense terror of them. Thus, by disobeying government controls (telescreens and thought police), Winston finds himself in conflict with his own fear. Fear is therefore a tool allowing governments to maintain power. Similarly, through Lee's portrayal of Bowibu and the promotion of propaganda through education, she argues that an authoritarian regime must use fear to force citizens into submission. The Bowibu are North Korea's secret police who punish any citizen who commits a political crime. The Bowibu are not interested in the crimes that affected the people, but only “in political disloyalty, the slightest hint of which, real or imaginary, was enough to wipe out an entire family – grandparents, parents and children” (Lee ) . Lee recognizes how deeply ingrained fear is in his society and realizes that his life and the lives of many others are in danger if they show even a small sign of defiance. Citizens fear Bowibu.