Final answer:
George Orwell's 1984 is a critical examination of authoritarian control, societal manipulation, and the struggle for power, with themes that echo through modern society's concerns about surveillance and loss of individual freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
George Orwell's 1984 stands out as a profound literary work, delving into the intricacies of authoritarian abuse and the psychology of power. It exemplifies how language manipulation and historical distortion become instruments of dominance. The novel's dystopian vision showcases a society stripped of critical thought, subject to the whims of an omnipotent government. Orwell's background, witnessing firsthand the censorship and propaganda during World War I, likely informed the dark world he created. This reflects a broader societal fear of surveillance and control that transcends the narrative into present-day concerns of technological monitoring. It showcases the recurring theme of the loss of individuality and autonomy under oppressive regimes.
The Invisible Man, similar in its portrayal of societal control, examines a different facet of totalitarian influence, focusing on the struggle for identity in a racial context. The juxtaposition of these works illustrates a myriad of ways in which governments exert control over their citizens. In a modern context, the use of surveillance technology fulfills Orwellian prophecies, with society increasingly observed and documented. Literature since 1945 has mirrored these shifts, evolving into postmodernism and addressing themes prevalent in Orwell's work, such as the textuality of experience and the impact of media on reality.