The Use of Language in 1984 and Animal Farm Anonymous 12th Grade

The evolutionary aspect of the human race which sets it apart, in knowledge and complexity, from the rest of the animal kingdom, is its ability to express ideas through language. Arguably, our ability to manipulate language in order to negotiate, disseminate and create ideas, has allowed the human race to survive and prosper more than any other. And while it is often asserted that language is merely a tool to express our thoughts, language itself help conceptualize ideas. In addition to setting humans apart from the rest of the kingdom, it creates distinctions within classes of human society. George Orwell, an English novelist during the 20th century, discusses the importance of language in the social hierarchy of a society across his many eminent works. He posits that language factors into a society’s social hierarchy, an idea that manifests itself in two sub-arguments: that ruling powers can manipulate language to restrict thought, and that those without a strong understanding of language can easily be oppressed.

Orwell argues that language is a key component of thought; therefore, if language is manipulated in any way, will be compromised. In the novel 1984, one of Orwell’s key ideas is that language is a vital component of...