Equilibrium vs 1984

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Equilibrium vs. 1984
Equilibrium is a dystopian film, directed by Kirk Wimmer in a futuristic society where the regime is very strict, and everyone has to take a drug known as Prozium to remove human emotion. The features of dystopian society are evident in the entire film. For instance, the clerics are supers soldiers whose job is to destroy the past and also to kill anyone against the government which is considered a terrorist. Similarly, the features of dystopian society are also evident in the George Orwell’s novel titled “1984.” For instance, the citizens are watched all the time through telescreens that are set up throughout Oceania (Kakutani 3). In short, there are differences and similarities, existing between the film and the novel that characterizes a dystopian society.
Similarities
In both Equilibrium and 1984, there is a sense of rebellion against the government. In 1984, the rebellion was referred to as Brotherhood while in Equilibrium it is referred to as the underground. Both are in constant war with the government. To realize the goal of defeating the party eventually, both Julia and Winston agree “ to lie, to steal, to forge, murder, to encourage drug-taking and prostitution, to disseminate Duhamel 4 venereal diseases and to throw vitriol in a child’s face” (Orwell 273). They are against the government’s ideology that denies them human emotion and wants to be free. The Tetra-grammatons in Equilibrium are on top and control the population similar to the Party is 1984.

At the bottom of the population, there are Librarians in the film while in 1984 they are known as Proles. They just obey the government and represent the majority of the population. In 1984, people didn’t choose their partners in love. Instead, it is the government that chooses. People are forbidden to love or have desires; they only intend to make babies without any emotion whatsoever. In Equilibrium, people are obligated to take the drug to eliminate their feelings.
In both stories, the abuse of power is absurd. In 1984, the government used propaganda and intimidation as a way to instill fear among the Oceanic citizens. The government raises posters everywhere with a scary face of the Big Brother saying that he wants you. The citizens are also intimidated by the telescreens that record every move you make. Winston says, “I hate purity, I hate goodness. I don’t want virtue to exist anywhere” (Orwell 273). It is clear that any sign of rebellion will be taken to the ministry of love. Oceania consists of four ministries which run the government whose names are ironical. They include the ministry of love, peace, truth and the ministry of plenty. All these names mean the opposite. For instance, the ministry of peace is the one that orchestrates all manner of war planning. Similarly, the ministry of love is known for a torture room known as Room 101. Father says, “Mankind united with an infinitely greater purpose in pursuit of war than he ever did in pursuit of peace” (Wimmer N.p). In Equilibrium, the citizens are brainwashed such that they fear Goldstein even if he abuses power. DuPont says, “So we have created a new arm of the law: The Grammaton Cleric, whose sole task it is to seek out and eradicate the true source of man’s inhumanity to man – his ability to feel” (Wimmer N.p). However, the abuses of power push Preston to the wall making him start rebelling.
Differences
One of the differences between the stories of Equilibrium and 1984 is the surveillance method. In Equilibrium, the citizens are watched all the time because the people police themselves. In 1984 on the contrary, there are telescreens everywhere that watch everyone at all time. According to Roger Luckhurst, the Orwell’s story is a dystopia, a distinctly 20th-century inversion of the tradition of utopia (Luckhurst 2). The social class disparity, dehumanization, and abuse of power are some of the things that emerge from the film. According to Alexander C. Kafka, the theme of Orwell’s novel is more of a warning of totalitarianism or dictatorship, but the state’s power (Big Brother) is just a veil which covers the real “power of the upper-class in the democracies of the western world” (Kafka 1). The telescreens enable the government to watch the citizens ensure they follow strict rules.
In Equilibrium the rule of totalitarianism is practiced by the help of Prozium which removes human emotion. All the sensations are removed chemically, rendering the citizens robotic. Any kind of rebellion attracts severe punishment (McCrum N.p). For instance, DuPont says “It is not the will of the Council, it is the will of Father, and he is the law” (Wimmer N.p). In 1984 on the contrary, the totalitarianism is practiced by the help of telescreens that are set up throughout Oceania. Goldstein has also brainwashed the citizens of Oceania by ensuring they can’t feel emotion, thus leaving them robotic and programmed. Winston states that “If there is any hope left, it lies in the proles” (Orwell 273). In other words, there is very little hope to have the freedom that everyone would desire.
Work Cited
Kafka, Alexander. “1984: An Alternative Analysis of The Classic Dystopian Novel.” (2012): 1. Print.
Kakutani, Michiko. “Why ‘1984’ Is A 2017 Must-Read.” The New York Times 2.1 (2017): 3. Print.
Luckhurst, Roger. “Nineteen Eighty Four And The Politics Of Dystopia.” Discovering Literature 1.1 (2016): 2. Print.
McCrum, Robert. “1984: The Masterpiece That Killed George Orwell.” the Guardian. N.p., 2018. Web. 18 Jan. 2018.
Orwell, George. 1984. 1st ed. London: Penguin Publishing Group, 2002. Print.
Wimmer, Kirk. Equilibrium. Cheltenham, UK: E. Elgar, 2000. Print.