Orwell's Word Choice - 1984

Last updated 11 months ago
1 question
Discuss the following questions
  1. What makes the term vaporized more precise than abolished or annihilated?
  2. What connotation of the term vaporized makes it an effective choice to establish the mood of the novel?
"In the vast majority of cases there was no trial, no report of the arrest. People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word" (Orwell 19).
1

Now, copy-paste the following sentences. Replace the bolded words with more precise or more vivid synonyms. You might use a reference like a thesaurus to help you come up with a more precise word.
  • Winston Smith is unhappy with the current state of his life.
  • The government of Oceania is controlling.
  • By writing in a diary, Winston disobeys the government.