Rebellion in the Face of Oppression
Albert Camus, a French writer, once said, “Every act of rebellion expresses a sense of nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being”. Although people know the consequences of their actions may be dire, they will often still rebel in the face of oppression. This is because when a person’s freedom is taken away it can lead them to feel helpless and angry. When a person rebels, in any way, it gives them that sense of freedom that they’re missing, even if it’s just for a short time. This is exemplified in the book 1984 by George Orwell and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Imagine a world where there is no privacy, no freedom and no sense of expression. This is the harsh, oppressive world that Winston Smith lives in, in the book 1984 by George Orwell. Winston is an insignificant official in the party, the totalitarian regime that rules Oceana, the land that used to be England. Winston is technically a member of the ruling class, yet his life is still under oppressive political control. Citizens of Oceana are monitored by devices called telescreens, which are watching them at all times, and strip citizens of their privacy. They are not allowed to have self-expression, say or do anything that doesn’t agree with the government, and they’re not allowed to have sex unless they are in a party-approved marriage. Yet, when Winston meets a beautiful dark-haired girl named Julia, he risks everything and begins a sexual relationship with her. They even go so far as to rent an apartment to have a place for their affair. Disobeying any of the party’s rules will lead to weeks of endless torture until you agree with the party’s ideas, or death, and it’s almost impossible not to get caught. Winston knows this, saying “We are the Dead” (Orwell 150). This shows that he knows the thought police will eventually find him and kill him. So why does he continue his affair? It’s because his relationship with Julia is first and...