Abstract
World War II left its mark on the history of nations around the world. The terrible and crucial effects of war inspired many post-World War II writers to depict the atrocities and consequences of war through their works of fiction.
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This study intends to focus on the Empire of Surveillance in English literature, the evolution of its objectives and the influencing elements. Our attention will be focused on intelligence, sovereignty and cultural narratives since World War II and since the creation of the Five Eyes. It is very important to understand the developments and the impacts on society up to today, through English literature.
Extract
[...] People live in fear and anxiety. Orwell's dystopian novel was born from a dark vision of the future after observing the tyranny of the Stalinist regime in Russia.17 Totalitarianism is represented as total social control over a given population through techniques such as thought policing and surveillance. But the vision about the future can also be found in a religious dystopia such as, for example, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. This dystopia concerns a near future when women's fertility has severely fallen due to pollution. [...]
[...] These fictional stories in English literature provide a better understanding of how a empire of surveillance would operate in the future. Our society is compared with alternative worlds that are often adapted into films like The Handmaid's Tale of Margaret Atwood. That is why the study of the empire of surveillance in English literature through spy novels and dystopian fiction is important. Indeed, the progression of digital surveillance is rapid and now affects everyone's private lives. In addition, this study will rely on a set of approaches. A socio-historical approach will be used. [...]
[...] But all of this is skillfully "staged" and is easy to read. Mixing the true and the false can offer the opportunity or the desire to look into what really happened. However with Absolute Friends, John le Carré announces the end of the old espionage. Ted is a tour guide at Linderhof Palace in Bavaria. His past in commando actions catches up with him when he meets Sasha, an East German. In the 60s and 70s, they were young activists of the far left. [...]
[...] This is the beginning of intelligence gathering with radio transmitters. Since then, thanks to the digital age, technology has evolved significantly. The Five Eyes Agreement between Great Britain, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada still exists. But surveillance has extended to the private sphere of citizens and has led to the birth of dictatorships and authoritarian societies in a situation of threat. However, intelligence has several aspects. It is sometimes called "foreign intelligence", "military intelligence" or even "intelligence human", as well as a form of confusion as to the realities to which it relates. [...]
[...] Collecting intelligence is much easier in the digital age. "Partnership forged in wartime to monitor enemy radio transmissions now scoops up data about ordinary citizens"2 In The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Gilead has implemented several methods of surveillance throughout its community. The eyes are also present with the Menacing Eyes. Who are they? These are people secretly hidden within society. Civilians don't really know if they are being watched or not. Menacing Eyes are used to enforce order and ensure that no one strays from their daily duties. [...]
