A Comparison Between the Dystopian Elements of The Matrix and 1984

In 1949, George Orwell wrote 1984, a stunning novel envisioning haunting images of the future. Fifty years later, The Matrix, a movie directed by the Wachowski brothers, debuted on the big screen featuring mind-blowing special effects and complex kung-fu choreography. There are many obvious similarities between these two works of fiction. For example, both 1984 and The Matrix are dystopian visions of the future, which is to say, both deal with the maintenance of an imperfect society. The …

…assumed that Neo frees the population and together they fight the machines. In 1984, George Orwell is giving a warning--he is cautioning us of and opening our eyes to the dangers of a totalitarian government. His book is a premonition of what is to come if we do not change our ways: we will lose our individualism and ultimately, we will be controlled by a suppressive and ruthless government not unlike the one in this novel.