Ministry of Truth
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"The Ministry of Truth" redirects here. For other uses, see
The Ministry of Truth (disambiguation).
Senate House, London, where Orwell's wife worked at the
Ministry of Information, was his model for the Ministry of Truth.
The
Ministry of Truth (
Newspeak:
Minitrue) is the
ministry of propaganda. As with the other ministries in the novel, the name
Ministry of Truth is a deliberate misnomer because in reality, it serves the opposite: It is responsible for any necessary falsification of historical events. However, like the other ministries, the name is also apt because it decides what "truth" is in Oceania.
As well as administering "truth", the ministry spreads a new language amongst the populace called
Newspeak, in which, for example, "truth" is understood to mean statements like
2 + 2 = 5 when the situation warrants. In keeping with the concept of doublethink, the ministry is thus aptly named in that it creates/manufactures "truth" in the Newspeak sense of the word. The book describes the doctoring of historical records to show a government-approved version of events.
Artist's depiction of the Ministry of Truth building
Description
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Winston Smith, the main character of the novel, works at the Ministry of Truth.
[5] It is an enormous pyramidal structure of glittering white concrete rising 300 m (980 ft) into the air, containing over 3000 rooms above ground. On the outside wall are the three slogans of the Party: "WAR IS PEACE", "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY", and "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH". There is also a large part underground, probably containing huge incinerators where documents are destroyed after they are put down
memory holes. For his description, Orwell was inspired by the
Senate House at the
University of London.
[6]
Role in information
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The Ministry of Truth is involved with news media, entertainment, the fine arts and educational books. Its purpose is to rewrite history to change the facts to fit Party doctrine for
propaganda effect. For example, if
Big Brother makes a prediction that turns out to be wrong, the employees of the Ministry of Truth correct the record to make it accurate. This is the "how" of the Ministry of Truth's existence. Within the novel, Orwell elaborates that the deeper reason for its existence, the "why", is to maintain the illusion that the Party is absolutely infallible, and should be trusted without question. It cannot ever seem to change its mind (if, for instance, they perform one of their constant changes regarding enemies during war) or make a mistake (firing an official or making a grossly misjudged supply prediction), for that would imply weakness, and to maintain power the Party must seem eternally right and strong.
Departments
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The following are the sections or departments of the ministry mentioned in the text: