Ozan AYDIN
Abstract
The 20th Century was a time period in which political issues and concepts of humanities such as collective memory were widely discussed due to the political atmosphere of the world. In his dystopian masterpiece, Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell also participated in the discussion in his own way, portraying a totalitarian regime where memory is not only suppressed, but constantly altered and manipulated in order to create fear. This research aims to provide an analysis of how the concepts of invented traditions and the manipulation of collective memory find their embodiments within Orwell’s narrative, how do they reflect on Winston, the protagonist of Nineteen Eighty-Four, and how these issues are manipulated in order to establish loyalty for the regime, stripping people of their individuality and their critical thinking. The research will draw its theoretical framework from Hobsbawm’s and Said’s arguments and views on the concepts of invented traditions and memory respectively, with the findings of researchers of Orwell, such as Elsa Bouet and Niculae Gheran, function as supplementing arguments, theories and conclusions.
Keywords:
memory, invented traditions, George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Hobsbawm, Said, Dystopias