In the novel 1984, the quote, "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past," is used in order to describe the power situation. This quote is very suitable because once control is gained, that group or person has the access and the right to change the past by republishing books and changing records. By doing this, the past is being controlled and once this is accomplished, the future is able to be controlled because people have no idea that anything else could happen. Ultimately once you control either the past, present, or future you are able to control the other two by being intelligent and using the resources that are at your hands.
The past, although it has already happened can be changed like it is in Oceania. There are no concrete records because everything changes everyday in the books that are published. The only part of the past that anyone knows is what they can remember in their minds. Most people in this novel do not admit to knowing anything because they think that is what is called thoughtcrime. Winston and the proles are the only ones who have memories of the actual past but Winston gets caught by the Thoughtpolice and the proles never talk of the past therefore making it easy for the past to be altered daily. The past can always change on the arrival of new information. Science is proving this daily with new hypothesis and new results all the time. The present is changing and can sometimes prove things in the past wrong.
Historical reality does not exist because that would mean that everyone had to believe that something happened. We all know the Holocaust took place, but out in the world, there are people who believe that it was not real. There are also different opinions on everything making it hard to understand what is a myth and what is reality. It is kind of like a rumor. It may be true or it could just be a well deceived piece of information that is used improperly.
Power, authority, and control can be linked to this because in order to be able to change the present, past, or future you have to have power over others in order to make them believe it is true. Authority is also needed because if people cannot respect your authority, the power that you contain is useless. Control is also brought into the equation because in order to get rid of, or stop the people who do not maintain the same beliefs as you, you have to be able to have a way to control them. Either by fear or bribery.
"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past," is a quote that is very well thought out and in this novel could actually be proven. It may seem irrational but if one group or one person could control one of those states, they would have the means to control the rest.
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