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= = Lucius Annaeus Seneca, an ancient Roman philosopher, once claimed, “He who is brave is free.” Two modern day novels suggest that one has to sacrifice in order to be free, as the quotation explains. The first, 1984, by George Orwell, illustrates the story of a middle-aged man haunted by technology and the dictatorship of Big Brother. Through a vast majority of the novel, Winston, the main character, persists to out smart and challenge the system in hopes of a society in where the human can think without the help of the government. The other novel, Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow, depicts the life of a teenage boy, Marcus, after a terrorist attack on his home town, San Francisco. Marcus uses the power of technology to fight against the Department of Homeland Security who has stripped the rights of thousands of civilians. He fights until his ideas are made public and expose the corruption of the established authority. Despite the literal plots of //1984// and //Little Brother//, both novels express the determination and power of an individual challenging the injustice of a totalitarian authority.

Through examining the novels //1984// and //Little Brother//, evident learning of the characters’ will and power are supported by the text. To understand what was taught in the novels, background information was necessary starting with information on Marxism and Communism. Mr. Jay Lukes, a U.S. History teacher at Arapahoe High School, presented information on the theory of Marxism, more commonly referenced as socialism. The idea behind the theory was to create equality through a population of people, eliminating social class and racism. Joseph Stalin was credited for enforcing the theory, especially in industrial manufacturing, and dictated the Soviet Union from the early 1920s until his death in 1953. The theory of Socialism influenced George Orwell’s novel, //1984//, as it portrays a futurist United Kingdom in a Communist state. The citizens of Oceania (U.K.) are completely controlled the government. They are rationed food and are told what to do at all times. They never disobey for fear of being caught by the all seeing eye of Big Brother through the telescreen. Winston, the main character and radical of the story, challenges the ideas enforced by the Communist government. He never believes in the government and challenges it through disobeying key ideas normal to the society. One way he challenges the government was by engaging in sex with a woman who is not authorized as his partner. According to the government, sex is a duty to create citizens for the party, not a pleasure. Winston uses it solely as pleasure. Towards the end of the novel, Winston also disrupts the system by not initially caving in to the system as he is brutally interrogated by a higher authority. Normally, an individual confesses all wrong doings the minute interrogation begins, but Winston refuses, until he becomes brainwashed into thinking along the lines of the government. In addition to the information presented by Mr. Lukes, another History teacher of Arapahoe High School, Mr. Brad Meyers, shared information forming the background information for Cory Doctorow’s //Little Brother//. This information includes information on technology and ideas behind terrorism. Terrorism became more of an epidemic after the attack on the World’s Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He also explained the advances in technology to stop terrorism, such as the full body scanner in the airports, but that there will always be an individual who is one step ahead of the new advancements. Marcus, the main character of //Little Brother//, ends up sneaking around the security and tracking of the government in order to expose his experience with the Department of Homeland Security. Marcus creates a secret, untraceable Internet browser where he posts his ideas and evidence proving the corruption of the newly enforced government. He fights throughout the novel, never giving in once to express his point of view. Marcus, after being released and liberated from the DHS, claims, “You have to choose-choose freedom” (Doctorow 363). The ideas expressed in a character, such as Winston and Marcus, truly teach the reader the necessary steps used in defying the government through power and will.

Will and power are two forces in nature that cannot have definite measures or answers. The novel //1984// presents questionable determination and power from the main character Winston. Winston begins as a radical, determined to overcome the socialist government that took over the United Kingdom. He thinks and makes decisions on his own, engages in “illegal” sex, and turns his back on the government. On the other hand, it becomes unknown to the reader if Winston pushes to his full potential when it comes to wanting a reformed government. When interrogated, Winston caves into the government, slowly decaying into a brainwashed state of mind. He becomes conformed to a society the he secretly protested for years. The last line of the novel stated, “He [Winston] loved Big Brother” (Orwell 297). The meaning of this quotation is Winston had given up all will and power of his beliefs. It leaves the reader wondering whether he ever had the strength and tenacity to stand up for his beliefs. However, Marcus, the main character of //Little Brother//, raises more questions in the reader's mind than Winston. The first: Did Marcus have power over the DHS? After completing the novel, one would assume he had control over the government. He manages to outsmart and maneuver the government throughout the novel through the power of technology. He created an untraceable Internet browser where he spews realities and information concerning the government. On the other hand, the government slowly begins to work around his system. They slowly track wireless connections and arrest hundreds of individuals who were using the Internet browser. Either way, there is an argument to either side of his power over the government. Marcus also raises the question of whether or not his determination ever is influenced by the government or the persuasion of other individuals. Marcus expresses many ideas that show determination, such as his citation of the Declaration of Independence. Marcus recites, “ 'Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness’ ” (Doctorow 180). Marcus backs his belief in those words to the point of suspension from his high school. Marcus also shows his will at the end of the novel as he is tortured by water boarding. As water is trickled down his lungs, possibly killing Marcus, he refuses to speak to his torturer. He shows how he would not crack under the pressure of a higher authority. Although unanswerable, Marcus clearly shows more determination and power in his fight against a totalitarian government than Winston.

Because will and power are such ambiguous forces, members of society must be aware of the future relationships of the individual to its government//.// Americans believe they reside in an idealistic government, masked by the Constitution and Checks and Balances system; likewise, Great Britain holds an alliance with the United Sates due to their ethnic relationship and similarities in government. Unfortunately, a government changes based upon an event occurring in the society. In //1984//, Great Britain’s government transforms into a socialistic dream. Winston forces his will upon it, hoping that his efforts will reshape a future society. His efforts are lost in his final battle. In the end, the government possesses more will than the hero, which proves to be dangerous. Marcus actually shapes his future by his vigorous power and a refined determination. He dreams of a society not dictated by the government, but controlled by the people. He fights the DHS and shows the reader what it takes to form a future. He succeeds unlike Winston in expressing his ideas in a known literal form. Present day figures in society also warn of the future and explain what to expect. Mr. Brad Meyer warned of the technology advances and what is in the near future. A major example was the full body scanner at the airport. There is a chance that these machines will appear in airports around the world. This is not an example of will and power of the people, but rather the government. The government is trying to prove its authority by forcing devices upon the individuals of the world. According to statistics in an article by Thomas Frank, 78% of people interviewed approved of the new full body scanner. One individual interviewed in the article claimed, “ 'It would put me more at ease getting on a plane' " (Frank, "Most OK") It is completely unknown whether or not passengers will be safer. The government created a false sense of security in the people, thus demonstrating their power to manipulate the minds of civilians. The characters Winston and Marcus prove the future lies within the hands of power and determination, but it is up to which authority, the people or the government, who uses power and determination.

The main characters of the novels //1984// and //Little Brother// present the determination and power of an individual challenging a totalitarian government. The characters trek through different journeys, but send the same message. Winston believed in the future with a government that was governed by the people, and where they thought freely. Marcus fought for the freedom of the people, to retrieve what was taken from them. Minds like this shaped the present America. The Founding Fathers and revolutionaries of the 18th century believed in free nation, where no individual possessed total control over a population. Because of them, a government was created that gave Americans freedoms and choices to express thoughts. This example, along with the novels //1984// and //Little Brother//, represent the idea if an individual persists and uses power for the good, amazing dreams become accomplished realities.

Works Cited

//Complete Works of George-Orwell, The.// 18 Feb. 2010..

//Cory Doctorow.// 18 Feb. 2010. .

//Declaration of Independence, The//. 18 Feb. 2010..

Doctorow, Cory. //Little Brother//. New York: Tom Doherty Associations, LLC, 2008.

Frank, Thomas. //Most OK with TSA full-body scanners//. 17 Feb. 2010..

Google books. //1984 by George Orwell//. 18 Feb. 2010..

Google books. //Little Brother by Cory Doctorow//. 18 Feb. 2010..

Lukes, Jay. Class Lecture: Socialism. 3 Dec. 2009.

Orwell, George. //1984//. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Inc, 1949.

//The September 11 Digital Archive.// 21 Feb. 2010. .