George Orwell, author of 1984, recently made Amazon's list of “100 Books to Read Before You Die” for his widely read novel with thought-provoking topics such as: the dangers of totalitarianism , physical control, psychological manipulation, manipulation of information and history and technology. Through the themes of 1984, George Orwell demonstrates that a dystopian society created by totalitarian rule can infiltrate the minds of its citizens through various means. The famous novel falls into the same dystopian genre as other great works such as Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Aldus Huxley's Brave New World, and Orwell's allegorical Animal Farm. However, 1984 is hailed by many for its continuity as a classic work depicting a totalitarian government. It is the story of Winston Smith, a member of the Oceania government, and his struggle to live life under the strict control of the Party. Winston finds himself in trouble at the beginning of the novel when he begins to feel the need to rebel against the Party. Many of the themes explored by Orwell are characteristic of a dystopian society and have a philosophical basis. Government in Oceania embodies the “social contract” whereby people band together and transfer all power to a ruler developed by philosopher Thomas Hobbes (Miskelly and Noce). For Hobbes the nature of human beings is to live in disorder and war or lose power. The proles are an example of citizens who have given up their rights and live their lives without fear of the government. These lower class citizens can be described as overworked workers who conform to all rules issued by the Party and pose no threat of resistance as Winston does. In chapter 7 Winston writes: “If there is…… middle of paper……sm." Political Theories for Students. Ed. Matthew Miskelly and Jaime Noce. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2002 361-385. Global Issues in Context Web. 15 April 2014. "Books to read before you die". Right to privacy." Civil Liberties and the War on Terrorism. Ed. James D. Torr. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2004. 36-47. Lucent Terrorism Library. US History In Context. Web. April 16, 2014. Ingle, Stephen. The Social and Political Thought of George Orwell: A Reassessment. London: Routledge, 2005. Print.Nietzsch, Friedrich “Full Text of “The Antichrist”” Np, nd Web. 2014 “Totalitarianism.” Political Theories for Students Ed. Matthew Miskelly and Jaime Noce. 2014.