Rolando Perez

Mrs. Carroll
01-19-18

Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of
expression is sometimes used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of
seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. In
practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly
subject to limitations, such as on "hate speech". ​I would say that Orwell would be on the side of
the debate that would be for free speech because in his book “1984” his main characters didn’t
have an opportunity to have free speech. The main characters was living in a totalitarian
government that controlled everything, no human rights and no privacy. Without freedom of
speech, people start feeling deprived and degrade and people would start acting very secretive.
In the book, it states that “His eyes refocused on the page. He discovered that while he
sat helplessly musing he had also been writing, as through by automatic actions. And it was no
longer the same cramped awkward handwriting as before. Hs pen had slid voluptuously over the
smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals----- Down With Big Brother, Down With Big
Brother, Down With Big Brother, Down With Big Brother, Down With Big Brother, Over and
Over again, filling half a page“ (Orwell 18). Winston's diary/journal was a tool to express
himself because under the party rule, he was not allowed to write his thoughts or feelings or even
shared them with other people. Having a diary/journal in Oceania has a offense that would lead
to punishment. Winston would have faced 25 years in forced-labour camps or death.
Also in the book, it states “ ​But the process will still be continuing long after you and I are
dead. Every year fewer and fewer words, and the range of consciousness always a little smaller.
Even now, of course, there’s no reason or excuse for committing thoughtcrime. It’s merely a
question of self-discipline, reality-control. But in the end there won’t be any need even for that.
The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect. Newspeak is Ingsoc and Ingsoc is
Newspeak,’ he added with a sort of mystical satisfaction. ‘Has it ever occurred to you, Winston,
that by the year 2050, at the very latest, not a single human being will be alive who could
understand such a conversation as we are having now?” (Orwell Chapter 2, Part 5). It’s up to the
people to protect the first amendment or let the government take it. We must show the next
generation that free speech is important.
I would say that Orwell represents himself as Wiston in the book and in the book, he is
trying to tell us that it is every important that we watch out for limiting free speech because we
can life in a ​totalitarian government.