1. How do the themes in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Veronica Roth’s
Divergent reflect the oppressive nature of society and its values in which they were written?
Candidate Number:
IB Extended Essay
Word Count: 3,312

2. Abstract
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eight-Four centers around Winston Smith who is on the
search to understand the anti-Party group, the ‘Brotherhood’ in hopes to alter the oppressive
society for the good of the future. On the other hand, Veronica Roth’s Divergent follows the
journey of Beatrice Prior who struggles to fit in the ways of her society and stop the abuse of
power of Jeanie Matthews with the help of unique individuals deemed dangerous to the peace of
their faction system, called the divergents. Through in-depth analysis, it is certain that both
novels are connected through similar themes: balance of power, abuse of technology, fear of
social rejection, and sense of individuality. An effort was made to investigate the novels based
on the question: How do the themes in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Veronica
Roth’s Divergent reflect the oppressive nature of society and its values in which they were
written?
To approach the answer to the question, an intricate analysis was needed. Since these
works reflect on a critical and ongoing issue, we were required to turn to the context in which
they were written. Based on that context that molds these works, we explored the similar
qualities they encompass and in what form they were presented to the reader. My exploration has
helped me come to the conclusion that the literary works do share similar themes that convey the
volatility of human nature and how a restrictive society triggers it to become more resilient to
oppression.
Word count: 247

3. Table of Contents
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………1
2. Balance of Power……………………………………………………2
3. Power of Technology………………………………………………..6
4. Social Rejection……………………………………………………...8
5. Individuality…………………………………………………………9
6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………...12
7. Works Cited…………………………………………………………14

4. Introduction:
At first sight, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Veronica Roth’s Divergent are
two extremes of dystopian societies. Nineteen Eighty-Four portraying life in extreme utopian
society, based on its author’s varied encounters with imperial, fascist, Stalinist, and capitalist
regimes that were prevalent in the World War era between 1914- 1945. On the other hand,
Divergent presents the preferred life in a utopia based on the organization of groups whose
members share similar ideals that emerges from the author’s experience within a modern society
where individuality is emphasized. Nonetheless, upon further inspection, we can come across the
theme of both novels: the inability of society to contain the human spirit. Indeed, Nineteen
Eighty-Four is about a man who strives to find the anti-government league and Divergent
describes a young girl’s struggle to conform to her own society regardless of her own unique
ideals. Even so, both pieces of literature reflect the issues that arise in our societies such as
corruption, dependence on technology, desire to belong, and abuse of human rights. Therefore,
the works’ confining societies and their extreme conditions bring to light the unconquerable
human spirit.
Both works convey the feeling of being trapped under external pressures and the
consequences of it. Winston along with Julia finds that they cannot see the reality that the Party
imposes on its people, driving the two characters to commit, what are considered, crimes for the
good of the future generations. Still, the Party manages to catch both the ‘thought criminals’,
controlling their minds to become like that of everyone else. Correspondingly, Beatrice with
Tobias ‘Four’ attempt to abide by the rules of their faction by hiding their ‘divergence’ only for
them to take refuge amongst the ‘factionless’, leaving their society in turmoil as the
consequence.

5. The question will be answered through an investigation of how the novels relate to and
conform to the society in which they were written along with the underlying messages that each
one conveys: the balance of power, power of technology, adapting to social rejection, and sense
of individuality that provokes human nature into retaliating. Orwell’s novel presents how we, as
the entire human race, cannot be contained to one boundary, and abide by the same beliefs or fall
into the same perspective as one another. Roth’s book exhibit the impossibility of categorizing
human nature without having certain aspects overlap one another, supporting the idea that human
nature is defined by a range and blend of attitudes. While both works complexly work with one
another and do not share the same authors, this essay will focus on the overall themes and
associations of the literary works, instead of going in-depth with their differing plots.
As stated earlier, George Orwell and Veronica Roth are from different centuries and were
influenced by the events of their time periods, notably the attitudes of their society. Time since
Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, allowed many analysts and critics to respond to the ideas
that were portrayed, while the recent release of Divergent made it necessary to depend on one’s
own interpretation and use of resources as conveyed. Upon further inspection, both works share
similar themes of the indomitable human spirit when faced with an oppressive society.
Balance of Power:
Based on both literary works, we can bring them together through one idea of abusive
power that is emerges out of a fear of chaos. Eventually, power becomes a weapon for the
benefit of evil when a small group holds more than they can retain. In Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-
Four, what was initially seen as flawless on paper turns out to be worse off when executed, while
in Roth’s Divergent, what is deemed as a peaceful alternative turns out to have backfired more
than the original problem. In most of Orwell’s novel, Winston is on the search for the

6. ‘Brotherhood’ whose discovery and existence will give back the power of the masses by
weakening the credibility of the Party. On the same note in Divergent, Beatrice, also known as
Tris, sets off to defame the Erudite, notably their leader, Jeanine Mathews by overriding the her
control of the chips, as a result of her ‘divergence’.
The novels portray the struggle of power that rages not only in the society, but also
within characters through the parallelism and paradox of the right and wrong. This lies in the
conflict between the morals and ethics implemented in the individual and the members of
society. The individual’s morals are often challenged by the masses that run his society, the
government. Orwell highlights the idea of giving too much power in the hands of a small group,
which is a historical reference to the imperialism, fascism, and Stalinism that reined in his time
period in the first half of the 20th
C.E. when both World Wars occurred. It was a time of shifting
power and many regimes took advantage of the nation’s panic and exercised a lot of control over
their followers and their followers’ thoughts. The vivid imagery of the conditions the people
endure make evident that there is a certain amount of power a person or small group can handle
before it is becomes a handicap on society. According to the following quotes, “Even at the best
of times it [the lift] was seldom working…” and “…to hold up…the mending of a window-pane
for two years.” (Orwell, 23), the Party cannot manage the multitude of tasks that are needed for
the well being of the people. In fact, they are wasting away power that could be further used to
promote not only society, but also their influence on the perspective of their followers.
Furthermore, Big Brother and the Party are illustrated to have lost control of their society
through the inconsistency of time: “but it was never possible to pin down any date within a year
or two.”(Orwell, 9) However, they hide that notion through their manipulation of human vigor
by weakening their ability to think deeply through the poor conditions that they inhabit on top of

7. the glorifying of Big Brother. The one-sided balance between the evil and the good deeds has
dismissed the severity of the evil, exalting the power of Big Brother. Firstly, the name of ‘Big
Brother’ emits a sense of protection and warmth that guards the members from the “enemy of the
people” (Orwell, 13): Goldstein, who is heavily demonized during the ‘2 minutes hate’. Upon
further inspection the relationship between Big Brother and Goldstein is portrayed through their
physical descriptions. Big Brother alludes to the dictator Hitler, through his… while Goldstein is
a reference to the Jews based on his “lean Jewish face, with a great fuzzy aureole of white hair
and a small goatee beard…” resembling the stereotypical Jew of that time period. Just as Hitler
did, the Party presents Goldstein (the Jews) is a negative limelight on those who oppose the
dominant ideology. Additionally, the exaltation of Big Brother is supplemented through the Two
Minutes Hate, where “the little sandy-haired woman had declared herself forward…”, addressing
Big Brother as “my savior!”(Orwell, 18). ‘Savior’ has a noble connotation, portraying the things
that Big Brother is for the good of Oceania and Goldstein is threatening the peace in which he
has worked so hard to provide for them. Personally to Orwell, he most likely suffered under the
rule in Paris and in London around the 1920s as he lived in such destitute circumstances. This
may have been a factor that played in his injury in the Spanish Civil War in 1936 such that it
demonstrated the hindrance that the conditions had placed on his determination (“Orwell,
George”). This event in his life played a significant role in Nineteen Eighty-Four, portraying the
Party’s claim on power through handicapping the people’s potential, based on the luncheon
scene where Winston predicted that Syme will be vaporized because “…he lacked: discretion,
aloofness, a sort of saving stupidity.” (Orwell, 58). Moreover, it can be implied that the Party
gains it power by being the distributer of everything and leaving nothing for the people, so that
they become dependent on the government for the basic needs of their life. By doing so, they

8. submit and allow the government to decide on how they live their lives (“Orwell, George”).
On the other hand, Roth utilizes the psychology and meaning of color in addition to the
causes and effects of human nature in regard to power. Roth conveys the corruption of power
that arises from the Erudite through the paradox of their physical and internal attributes. The
color blue, which is what the Erudite adorn themselves in, is associated with stability, trust, and
mental health. However, the irony is that their appearance differs from their nature and intentions
as conveyed by Tris’ dad, who points out that “valuing knowledge above all else results in a lust
for power, and that leads men into dark and empty places” (Roth, 35). Roth compares acquiring
knowledge to digging for treasure—the more you dig, the closer you are to your goal, but the
harder it will be to get back out. As a result, you see more of the incentive to dig deeper to reach
the goal until you become too obsessed with getting the gold. She points out that by
accumulating more knowledge, we are decreasing our chances of getting out of the “…dark and
empty places…” (Roth, 35), submerging our minds with the reasoning rather than considering
the well being of others. Roth demonstrates that the pursuit of knowledge grants too much power
into the hands of a minority that it will restrict and neglect the maintenance of society, leading to
its gradual collapse. On the other hand, Orwell presents the lack of knowledge as a weapon
against the wielder, the government, by hindering its support—it’s followers. The universal
theme in both texts is the suppression of human nature due to the poor distribution of power that
is granted by knowledge.
Power of Technology:
Upon further exploration of both novels, it can be inferred that both come together
through the theme of abusing the power of technology. We developed the machines we have
together with the initial intent to do good or promote the well being of the human race. On the

9. other hand, some of the brightest minds intend to use technology for harm and evil. Orwell
emphasizes how technology has become a hindrance to the human race, specifically the masses,
by taking away their basic rights: speech, thought, and privacy. Moreover, Roth puts accent on
the notion that technology has become a weapon against the human species through the excesses
of their knowledge—they’ve created a monster. The literary pieces demonstrate that technology
cannot be considered on the side for good or for evil, as it is merely a tool to enhance the deed.
Orwell envisions the extreme utilization of technology through the mood of tension and
anxiety that emerges in the presence of machinery. The telescreen serve to strip the people of
their identity through its ability to make them transparent. It correlates to the exponential
advancement in military weapons that arose during Orwell’s time, notably in his participation in
the Spanish Civil War. “…Even a back can be revealing.” (Orwell, 5) conveys the lack of
privacy that they endure. The Thought Police and their use of the telescreens are demonized to
emphasize that it violates the rights of a human being. Furthermore, the monitoring through the
telescreens is perceived as a cage for the humans underneath its watchful eyes, resulting in the
“…stupidity of an animal” (Orwell, 62). Additionally, the extent to which technology rules their
lives is shown through the “concealed microphones” layered on the outside if the telescreens
cannot reach. They are seen as the fence and guard that lies outside of the fortress of telescreens,
portraying the presence of technology as inescapable, to the point of being invasive. As a result,
the machines gradually impede the exercise of free will, trapping the individual. The accuracy of
technology has threatened the members into submitting their minds to the government by
rendering them unable to think for themselves as the Party now controls their movements.
Orwell points out the dehumanization that ensues from the abuse in technology and results in the
stagnation of society in which individuals cannot initiate its progress.

10. Despite the lack of use in technology in comparison to Nineteen Eighty-Four, its
utilization in Divergent is more direct on the message of the literary pieces. Roth accentuates
how technology meant to protect us has tainted our character by serving as a hindrance on
ourselves. We are a heavily technological generation where we complete our daily tasks through
the help of machinery. The Dauntless ideology in regards to it is that “…training comes first,
technology comes second.” (Roth, 83). This implies that we’ve become dependent on the
inventions around us that it no longer enhances us, rather, it buttresses us. Roth’s time period in
the 21st
C.E. is characterized by abundance due to rapid technological innovation. We cannot live
happily without our devices, originally intended to get more work done, that it has become
detrimental to us as human beings. For example, we no longer need to walk because there is a
car, train, bus, airplane, or boat within a few meters radius to take us. Despite getting work done
efficiently, we have taken the convenience of technology for granted. If we were stripped of our
technological pleasures, we would be handicapped because we have depended on the technology
for so long that we forgot the skills needed to adapt to our environment, leaving us vulnerable.
Social Rejection:
Underneath the protagonists’ struggles to adapt to their society, lies a fear of social
rejection that pushes humans to accept their society through some compromise. Humans live
with purpose; otherwise, there is no incentive for improvement or progress. Winston, in Nineteen
Eighty-Four, cannot understand and refuses to accept the ‘truth’ that the Party tells, which gives
him a hard time going through life, since he cannot share the enjoyment that everyone else has.
He counteracts the fear of social rejection by living in hopes of finding the ‘Brotherhood’ with
Julia and altering his society in a way that he can conform more easily to. As for Beatrice, she
struggles to abide by just one faction due to how difficult it is for her to distinguish beliefs

11. between multiple factions. As a result, she develops an advantage to her categorized society by
allowing her multiple insights to help her conform to all walks of life.
The literary texts show the lengths in which the characters go through to become
accepted into society through his juxtaposition of reality and illusion. As Nineteen Eighty-Four
highlights this contrast through the indulgence of “Victory Gin” and “Victory Cigars” (Orwell,
7), the members trick themselves into feeling happiness within the Party by drowning themselves
in drugs and alcohol. The purpose of living life is to achieve happiness and the severity of the
Party has pushed them to obtain it through their illusions. To the members it is a victory in life
when they escape from the pain of living by being able to conform to the lifestyle that the Party
imposes onto them. However, the reality of “Victory Gin” and “Victory Cigars” (Orwell, 7) is
that the Party is performing their political oppression without the burden of conflict; thus, the
people are conforming to their society through a fear of social rejection, regardless of how they
force themselves to accept it.
As for Divergent, it reflects our current time period, such that the issue of love is replaced by
the anxiety of survival in such an erratic and kinetic society. Currently, we are facing the crisis of
climate change, unstable market standing, less currency flowing through, and the increasing
severity of government power as displayed by the increasingly strict police (“"No Wonder Teens
Love Stories about Dystopian Futures-They Feel like They're Heading for One"). Upon further
exploration, we can see that the blossoming love between Tris and Tobias is no longer the focal
point of the novel, but a factor that plays into their survival within their dystopian society with
one another.
Roth points out that the fear of social rejection is used to accelerate the ability in which
we can conform to our society’s volatile nature. She utilizes a heavy and dreadful tone, followed

12. by the transitions in the characters’ attitudes when conveying the misery in those who struggle to
abide by the ideologies that are implemented, as Tris claimed she was “…not good enough…”
(Roth, 35). Moreover, the threat of being ‘factionless’ and to live “divorced from society” (Roth,
20) pushes Tris to appreciate that humans need each other in order to have a purpose to live,
through the ideal that being thrown out of society is heading towards death. However, Roth
proves that people conform to society at the cost of their free will by accepting the illusion that
allows them to become immune to the struggle to conform to it. Tris’s brother, Caleb, is
envisioned as the ideal civilian because he displays the least struggle in the environment in
which they inhabit. He easily grasps the idea of “faction before blood”(Roth, 43), repeatedly
declared throughout the book, by leaving behind his family and weakening his bond with them.
Therefore, Roth demonstrates that the cost of adapting to one’s society results in the distance that
grows between each other. The infinite number of adversities, present in society, forces human
nature to become resilient and exposes its hidden ability.
Individuality:
As for an individual, there is a boundary as to how far they can distinguish themselves
before their unique identity becomes a barrier to conforming to their own society (George
Orwell: Politics, Rhetoric, and the Public Intellectual”). Both literary texts demonstrate how
individuality can weaken and strengthen the overall being of the society that it is conforming to.
In Orwell’s novel, Winston’s individuality could tamper, yet, exercise the power of the Party.
Certainly, he serves as a potential threat to the stability, but they can take that as a lesson to learn
from and better prepare them for events of the same degree in the future. Additionally, Beatrice
and other divergent individuality can bring attention to the lack of individuality, while the
society learns to make adjustments for the happiness of the masses.

13. The literary works portray the unyielding nature of humanity through its paradox of the
inconsistency and changes in society. Orwell and Roth emphasize that individuality is not
grounded throughout a human being’s life. Throughout Nineteen Eighty-Four, Winston is
emboldened by his hopes that O’Brien and the Brotherhood was his outlet from the Party: “His
courage seemed suddenly to stiffen of its own accord” ( Orwell, 84). His instinct emerged in the
face of the Party whose ethics defy his morals. Courage is can be stimulated by external forces,
but in the end, it is pulled out from within when it comes to suppressing human expression and
going against our beliefs. People like Winston prove to be a threat to the Party’s stability since
their potential to rebel lies in the fact that they can think for themselves by accumulating an
insurmountable willpower.
What’s more are the scenes where Winston and Julia interact help magnify their
uncontrolled individualism that arises from their fear of the Party. The progression towards
expressing their identity comes from the assurance of one another to prove to each other that they
are not abnormal. The transition in Winston’s perception of Julia opened up the possibility for
him when “a curious motion stirred in Winston’s heart” (Orwell, 111). Orwell points out that
humans are still animals, thus, can express a form of instinct hidden within when their emotions
are stirred, especially in circumstances of extreme pain of their own when Winston “instinctively
started forward to help her” (Orwell, 111). Winston’s individuality was rustled when Julia fell
over, expressing his compassion that was ignited at the sight of her because her saw her as a
“human creature” and no longer “an enemy” ( Orwell, 111). Despite the ideals imposed on him
throughout his life, the trigger that changed his attitude momentarily accentuates the passion of
human nature can’t be tamed because it’s an attribute of humanity.
Roth, however, portrays the unstoppable individuality from emerging through the

14. character’s battle with adversity. Tris’s journey to immerse herself into the Abnegation and
Dauntless lifestyle symbolize the restriction that categorizing and stereotyping has induced on
human nature. We are in an advanced era where we have the leisure to pursue our improvement
and to have the space to change our fate that we see ourselves best in. The society in Divergent
fears the outbreak of war after fully recovering from chaos compelling to the organization of the
personalities proven by the following quote. The danger of divergence emerges from their fear of
the unknown, increasing the suppression of individuality. The paradox is that the adversity of
society implemented onto the individuals serves as a platform to exercise our unique attributes,
underscored by Tori’s commentary on Tris’ divergence: “… [Tris] displays an equal aptitude
for…” (Roth, 21). Tris would be happier if she were not struggling to adapt and fit into one
faction, however, she would lose her individuality if she were to submit into the ideals of her
society. Human nature is too dynamic to establish a peaceful society since each person is not
going through the same adversities as the next person. Instead, we minimize conflicts and accept
the highest level of peace we can achieve, without taking from our individuality, as the perfect
balance (“The Background of Divergent”). Therefore, highlighting the unpredictability of our
individuality that arises from the challenges it can adapt to.
Conclusion:
As I investigated the research question, How do the themes in George Orwell’s
Nineteen Eighty-Four and Veronica Roth’s Divergent reflect the nature of society and its
values in which they were written?, it has been demonstrated that Orwell and Roth’s theme in
their works conform to the time period in which they were written. Regardless of their
differences in time period or purpose, since Nineteen Eighty-Four is written in the first half of
the 20th
C.E. and Divergent is more relatable to our society today, both novels share themes that

15. bring to our attention the issues of our societies within its era. Moreover, Orwell and Roth’s
works relate with one another through the individual’s conflict with the rest of the society.
Both novels highlight the impossibility of changing society due to the nature of the
human spirit that empowers it by utilizing the turmoil and suffering the protagonist goes through
in attempt to achieve that goal. Even though the portrayed determination is heroic, both literary
works emphasize the need for compromise in the face of a perfect or imperfect society, contrary
to the organization and simplicity of uniform beliefs, or grouping through ideals. Furthermore, it
can be inferred that acceptance of one’s society, while remaining true to oneself, is what serves
the good of societies, from yesterday to today.

16. Works Cited
Clarke, Ben. "George Orwell: Politics, Rhetoric, and the Public Intellectual." Studies in the
Humanities 35.2 (2008): 231+. Questia School. Web. 29 Aug. 2014.
Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
"Orwell, George." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2014. Questia School. Web. 29 Aug.
2014.
Penny, Laurie. "No Wonder Teens Love Stories about Dystopian Futures-They Feel like They're
Heading for One." New Statesman (1996) 28 Mar. 2014: 19. Questia School. Web. 29 Aug.
2014.
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. HarperCollins, 2012.
"The Background of 'Divergent'" Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) 18 Mar. 2014. Questia
School. Web. 29 Aug. 2014.