1984 Metropolis Comparison

1984/ Metropolis Comparative study: Comparing Metropolis and Nineteen Eighty-Four 

1984 (G EORGE O RWELL) 

SET IN  1984, IN THE SUPERSTATE  O CEANIA READERS WITNESS THE STRUGGLES HE FACES AS HE WISHES TO REBEL AGAINST THE INNER PARTY 

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WINSTON S MITH A MEMBER OF THE OUT PARTY  WORKS AT THE MINISTRY  OF TRUTH

METROPOLIS (192)   

SILENT FILM ABOUT A U TOPIAN SOCIETY  FREDER THE SON OF FREDERSON FALLS IN LO!E WITH A WORKER MARIA MUST RESCUE M ARIA FROM  R OWTANG AS HE TRIES TO GAIN RE!ENGE MUST BECOME THE LINK  BETWEEN THE WORKING CLASS AND THE UPPER CLASS

HOW DOES IT SHOW A M AR"ISM PERSPECTI!E # MAR"ISM WAS FOUNDED BY  K   K ARL ARL  M AR"  METROPOLIS SHOWS THIS THROUGHOUT THE SILENT FILM THROUGH 

THE FOCUS ON CLASS STRUCTURE AND THE STRUGGLES FACED BETWEEN THEM

THIS IS SHOWN THROUGH THE  I NNER PARTY  !S THE  O UTER PARTY   L IKE  L IBERALS !S  L ABOUR IN MODERN TIMES 

PROMINENT T HEMES$   

TECHNOLOGY  POWER MUSIC

COMPARISONS$ LITERARY  DEVICES

C AMERA  A NGLES  AND

WITHIN THE BOOK 

MUSIC

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! ERBAL  I RONY MINISTRIES FLASHBACKS FORESHADOWING

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CONSIDERING MERO!O"IS IS # SI"EN $I"M % C#MER# #NGE"S

REALITY  OF TRUTH 

)INSON

)OR(S

ON  *E MINISR' O$  R&  R&* *   *E RO+O

#ND M&SIC !"#' #

,ERSION O$  M #RI#

(E' RO"E

C#&SES *#,OC

NEEDS  O

DIS!"#'

SRONG ,IS&#" MESS#GES #ND S*O) # !O)ER$&" !ICORI#" IM#GE

SIMILARITIESIdeas/ Issues raised in the texts:  The Totalitarian state controls the people to maintain the power and authority Values:  Core human values are compromised e.g. love, compassion, truth, connection, empathy Characterisation: Protagonists rebel against social controls Setting:  Futuristic urban settings where class structure are central to political and economic power Language forms and features/ film techniques:  Use of satire and allegory, of speculative techniques to warn of a possible future Context: Both tets written in contets of political turmoil and instability. Both tets, ides and values reflect contet

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DIFFERENCES -

Metropolis •

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Capitalist tyra-t .oused oeo-omi 0ai)or5ers are 0rou-d do36y pysial la6our 7 pysially a-d psyolo0ially empty

$rederse- e-0a0es 3it 3or5ers trou0 is so- as mediator $uturisti me0a%ity 3it vertial stratiatio- 7 ri o- top poor 6elo3

Nineteen Eighty-Four   •

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Ruli-0 !arty2 values po3er .or te sa5e o. po3er !arty mem6ers are o-ditio-ed to diso--et 7  3o Mi-utes *ate se.or te state marria0e 3itout love or attratio)i-sto-2s u-ortodoy is rused 6y torture

Reo0-isa6le rum6li-0 versio- o. "o-do- i- te -ear% .uture

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Sie-e tio- a-d Germaepressio-ism i- lm% ma5i-0; Goti/-oir style; $uturisti sets;

)eimar Repu6li iGerma-y; Co-er-s: eo-omi i-sta6ility risi-0 apitalism lass divisio- moder-isatio- i-dustrialisatio- a-d te-olo0y seual .reedom eduatio- .or te masses

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Dar5ly satirial prose uses ima0ery to reate a very reo0-isa6le .uture; # limited tird perso- -arrator prese-ts )i-sto-2s perspetive o. eve-ts; &( i- o-tet o. Europe; Or3ell2s perso-al eperie-es o. Spa-is Civil )ar rise o. .asism a-d ommu-ism 7 totalitaria-ism 0lo6al po3ers re3riti-0 o. istory

THEMES IN  1984 otalitaria-ism a-d Commu-ism 

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pu6lised 1949 to 3ar- te 3orld a0ai-st 3at e .eared 3ould 6e te .ate o. uma-ity i. totalitaria- re0imes 3ere allo3ed to seiapa$or te rest o. is li.e e 3or5ed tirelessly to epose te evils o. totalitaria-ism a-d to promote 3at e alled ?demorati soialism;  e !arty=s ultimate am6itio- is to o-trol te mi-ds as 3ell as te 6odies o. its iti
 e I-dividual vs; Colletive Ide-tity 

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O-e 3ay a totalitaria- re0ime see5s to stay i- po3er is 6y de-yi-0 uma6ei-0s teir i-dividuality eradiati-0 i-depe-de-t tou0t trou0 te use o. propa0a-da a-d terror;  rou0out Ni-etee- Ei0ty%$our )i-sto- tries to assert is i-dividual -ature a0ai-st te olletive ide-tity te !arty 3ises im to adopt

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*e 5eeps a private diary e-0a0es i- a .or6idde- seual relatio-sip a-d i-sists tat is versio- o. reality is te trut as opposed to 3at te !arty says it is; I-stead o. 0oi-0 to te Commu-ity Ce-ter or partiipati-0 i- soial 0roups e 3a-ders te prole -ei06oroods alo-e a-d see5s solitude i- is apartme-t e-0a0i-0 i- 6eavior te !arty alls o3- li.e a-d o-siders da-0erous; #.ter )i-sto- is au0t te seve- years o. torture to 3i O=+riesu6Aets im are desi0-ed to destroy )i-sto-=s a6ility to ti-5 u-ortodo tou0ts; +e.ore e e-ters Room 1B1 )i-sto- is a6le to see tat to die ati-0 te !arty is .reedom 6ut 6y te e-d o. te -ovel e is -o lo-0er apa6le o. tis; I- order to save imsel. .rom O=+rie-=s rats )i-sto- does te o-e ti-0 e a- -ever .or0ive imsel. .ore 6etrays >ulia a-d i- doi-0 so reli-@uises is o3- morality a-d sel.%respet;

Reality Co-trol  

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 e !arty o-trols te iti
Se "ove a-d "oyalty 

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#s >ulia o6serves te !arty polies seual relatio-sips 6eause it realiulia ma5e love tey ti-5 o. it as a politial at ?a 6lo3 stru5 a0ai-st te !arty; ?e sadisti .a-tasies )i-sto- as a6out >ulia 6e.ore tey 6e0i- teir aair i-diate te stro-0 li-5 6et3ee- seual repressio- a-d viole-e;

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 e red sas >ulia 3ears a-d er voluptuous appeara-e arouses .eeli-0s o. atred a-d rese-tme-t tat o-ly dissipate 3e- e lear-s tat e apossess er pysially; )i-sto- ma5es love 3it >ulia e realiulia u-der torture e le ar-s to revere O=+rie- a-d 3orsip +i0 +roter;

Class Stru00le 

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I- Ni-etee- Ei0ty%$our soiety is made up o. tree disti-t soial lasses: te elite I--er !arty te i-dustrious Outer !arty a-d vast -um6ers o. u-eduated proles; )e- )i-sto- reads Goldstei-=s 6oo5 e lear-s tat te istory o. uma-5i-d as 6ee- a ylial stru00le 6et3ee- ompeti-0 soial 0roups: te *i0 te Middle a-d te "o3;  is teory 3as ori0i-ated 6y (arl Mar a-d $riedri E-0els i- te 19t e-tury a-d 6eame 5-o3- as Marism; Marists 6elieve tat te aim o. te Middle 0roup is to a-0e plaes 3it te *i0 3i tey do 6y e-listi-0 te support o. te "o3 0roup; #.ter te Middle 0roup sei
 *EMES IN MERO!O"IS  e I-dividual vs; Colletive Ide-tity 

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O-e o. te most impressive se-es .eatures te oodi-0 o. te u-der0rou-d 3or5ers= ity; e lm o-tai-s a se-e 3ere Maria retells a variatio- o. te story o. te o3er o. +a6el .rom te +i6lial 6oo5 o. Ge-esis 6ut i- a 3ay tat o--ets it to te situatio- se a-d er .ello3 3or5ers .ae;  e se-e a-0es .rom Maria to reative me- o. a-ti@uity deidi-0 to 6uild a mo-ume-t to te 0reat-ess o. uma-ity a-d te reator o. te 3orld i0 e-ou0 to rea te stars; Si-e tey a--ot 6uild teir mo-ume-t 6y temselves tey o-e-trate 3or5ers to 6uild it .or tem .or 3a0es;  e amera .ouses o- armies o. 3or5ers led to te o-strutio- site o. te mo-ume-t; ey 3or5 ard 6ut a--ot u-dersta-d te dreams o. te  o3er=s desi0-ers a-d te desi0-ers do-=t o-er- temselves 3it te mi-d o. teir 3or5ers; #s te lm eplai-s ?e dreams o. a .e3 ad tur-ed to te urses o. ma-y?; It te- iro-ially i-verts te ori0i-al story=s o-lusio- -oti-0 tat

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te pla--ers a-d te 3or5ers spo5e te same la-0ua0e 6ut did-=t u-dersta-d ea oter;  e 3or5ers revolt a-d i- teir .ury destroy te mo-ume-t; #s te se-e e-ds a-d te amera retur-s to Maria o-ly rui-s remai- o. te o3er o. +a6el;  is retelli-0 is -ota6le i- 5eepi-0 te teme o. te la5 o. ommu-iatio.rom te ori0i-al story 6ut plai-0 it i- te o-tet o. relatio-s 6et3eesoial lasses a-d elimi-ati-0 te prese-e o. God;

 e-olo0y a-d its Eet o- *uma-ity 

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 e e-tire lm is domi-ated 6y te-olo0y 3it "a-0 usi-0 a miture o. 6ot 19FBs a-d .uturisti devies; Mu o. te te-olo0y portrayed i- te lm is u-eplai-ed a-d appears 6io $rederse-=s oe as a televisio-%li5e devie 3i allo3s im to o-tat is overseers i- te .atories a-d 6uilt i-to is des5 is aeletro-i o-sole 3i allo3s im to remotely ope- doors et; #lso i- is oe is a- automated eletro-i ti5er%tape 3it a 3eary a-d .rustrated ler5 o-sta-tly 3riti-0 do3- te latest sto5 mar5et priesH I- te ity itsel. 3e see a miture o. .uturisti mo-orails a-d airsips om6i-ed 3it 19FBs%style ars a-d airra.t;  e ultimate epressio- o. te-olo0y i- te e-tire lm is te .emale ro6ot 6uilt 6y Rot3a-0 re.erred to as te Masi-e-me-s or ?Mai-e *uma-? altou0 it is o.te- tra-slated as ?Mai-e Ma-? i- te &S versio-;  I- te ori0i-al Germa- versio- Rot3a-0=s reatio- is a reo-strutio- o. is dead lover a 3oma- alled *el a re.ere-e to te Norse 0oddess *elJ;  +ot Rot3a-0 a-d >o $rederse- 3ere i- love 3it er; Se ose $rederse- a-d 6eame $reder=s moter tou0 se died i- ild6irt; Rot3a-0 i-sa-ely Aealous a-d a-0ry a6out er deat reates te Masi-e-me-s *el; I- te &S versio- e Mai-e Ma- is merely a .ully .u-tio-i-0 automato- 3i a- 6e pro0rammed to per.orm a variety o. umatas5s 3ilst its appeara-e a- 6e sy-tesised to resem6le a-y uma6ei-0;

Class Stru00le 

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Dualism is a ru--i-0 teme amo-0st ma-y o. te araters 3o demo-strate tat tey a--ot 6e o--ed to te ri0id lass system o. te ity;  e 3or5ers are deuma-ised eisti-0 eiter as part o. a mo6 or as 3or5% u-its almost part o. te mai-es temselves te sots o. tem 3or5i-0 do -ot let te vie3er see teir .aesJ a-d yet tey are also uma- 6ei-0s 3o are 6ei-0 eploited; Rot3a-0 is a- i-telli0e-t pilosoper i- ma-y 3ays .ar more presie-t ta- >o $rederso- 6ut also a rao $rederso- a--ot reo-ile is role as leader o. te ity a-d as a .ater 3i leads im to ma5e ras a-d dama0i-0 deisio-s; Mea-3ile Maria epresses tis teme most literally o. all 6y 6ei-0 pysially repliated as a ro6ot; #s su te -aive ideal o. reati-0 a simple a-d ri0id system o. li.e 3ere everyo-e ts -eatly i-to teir role is so3- to 6e a .allay;

Si0-ia-t 1984 @uotes:   

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?)e sall meet i- te plae 3ere tere is -o dar5-ess;? !art 1 Capter F p0; FK ?e past 3as dead te .uture 3as u-ima0i-a6le;? !art 1 Capter F p0; F8 ?'our 3orst e-emy e reeted 3as your o3- -ervous system; #t a-y mome-t te te-sio- i-side you 3as lia6le to tra-slate itsel. i-to some visi6le symptom;? !art 1 Capter L p0; L4 ?&-til tey 6eome o-sious tey 3ill -ever re6el a-d u-til a.ter tey ave re6elled tey a--ot 6eome o-sious;? !art 1 Capter K p0; K4 ?$reedom is te .reedom to say tat t3o plus t3o ma5e .our; I. tat is 0ra-ted all else .ollo3s;? !art 1 Capter K p0; 84 ?#t te si0t o. te 3ords I love you te desire to stay alive ad 3elled up i- im a-d te ta5i-0 o. mi-or ris5s sudde-ly seemed stupid;? !art F Capter 1 p0; 11B%11 uote F: ?to 6e 6ou0t .urtively 6y proletaria- youts 3o 3ere u-der te impressio- tat tey 3ere 6uyi-0 someti-0 ille0al;? !art F Capter  p0; 1F ?e proles -ormally apateti a6out te 3ar 3ere 6ei-0 lased i-to o-e o. teir periodial .re-uliaP Do it to >uliaP Not meP >uliaP I do-=t are 3at you do to er;  ear er .ae o strip er to te 6o-es; Not meP >uliaP Not meP? !art  Capter  p0; F89 ?+ut it 3as all ri0t everyti-0 3as all ri0t te stru00le 3as -ised; *e ad 3o- te vitory over imsel.; *e loved +i0 +roter;? !art  Capter L p0; BB