"The invention of print, however, made it easier to manipulate public opinion, and the film and the radio carried the process further. With the development of television, and the technical advance which made it possible to receive and transmit simultaneously on the same instrument, private life came to an end" (205)
Literary Term: Allusion
This passage of "the book" makes a reference to what is commonly referred to as the beginning of the Enlightenment: the invention of the printing press. In modern society, the invention of the printing press is praised and displayed as the spread of knowledge, thus allowing people to really think and make personal decisions. However, this image is tainted within this book to show a more negative light of government control and fickle populations. Ironically, instead of allowing knowledge to spread, the printing press is seen as an end of the spread of knowledge. This contrast of images not only portrays the major differences of the two societies, but also warns the future. The purpose of this book is to try to prevent the effects of government control, and this passage about technology really connects to modern society. As the world becomes more and more absorbed by technology, the chance to forget morals and lose humane values of patience and networking increases. Orwell has foreshadowed the future that won't have any resistance against a world of controlled technology.
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