What Is Power?
Essay Preview: What Is Power?
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Power is the ability to control others and have a heavy influence on them. When you have power, you have an advantage and authority over other people and stand in a higher position than them. People with power usually have things that other people want/need or have the ability to do bad things to them that would cause others pain or unhappiness. People who have power, are generally respected, feared or both.
Powerful people get their power from popularity. Other people around them give them power. The more known, respected and feared they are, they more power they have. In 1984, OBrien had great power over Winston, because Winston feared him and what he could do to Winston. OBrien was in a higher position and Winston was scared of him, because he knew the pain that OBrien could cause him, allowing OBrien to make Winston do whatever he wanted him to do. People can also get power from the actions that they do-good or bad. In 1984, both Julia and Winston had sexual power over each other. They could both give each other something that no one else could-in this case, sex.
It does not do good only to obtain power-you also have to keep your power. Powerful 3people have to maintain the reason why they gained their power in the first place. They have to keep the fear, respect, wealth, dignity, position, etc. that elevated them to the powerful state.
Powerful people can use their power for the good, by helping others and doing positive things for the society. Or they can also use it for the bad, by abusing their power and taking it to their own advantage, and only letting the power benefit themselves. In 1984, the Party and OBrien used their power for the bad. They tortured and hurt people, to make the people of the