The word "proles" is a plural noun that refers to the working class in George Orwell's novel, "1984". It is pronounced as /prəʊlz/ (prohls) using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable is pronounced with the short o sound, and the second syllable ends with an s sound. The spelling of this word follows English pronunciation rules with the letter "o" representing the short o vowel sound and the letter "e" in the suffix "-es" indicating that it is a plural form.
The term "proles" is a noun used to refer to the lowest social class in a society, particularly in relation to George Orwell's dystopian novel, "1984". The concept of proles originates from the word "proletariat," which traditionally denotes the working class in Marxist theory. In the context of "1984," the proles are those who are seen as living outside the strict control of the Party and the oppressive society they have established.
In Orwell's novel, the proles represent a vast majority of the population who are characterized by their ignorance, poverty, and lack of political awareness. They are regarded as insignificant and remain unimportant to the Party's goals of maintaining power and control. The proles are seen as a potential threat due to their greater numbers, but their general disinterest and lack of organized resistance make them relatively harmless to the Party's authority.
The proles live in impoverished neighborhoods, engage in menial labor, and are often distracted by simple pleasures and entertainment. They have little access to education and information, existing on the fringes of society. In contrast to the rigid Party members, the proles possess freedom in personal relationships, thought, and behavior, as well as more basic human traits such as individuality and emotions.
Overall, the concept of "proles" encompasses the social and political divisions within a hierarchical society, highlighting the vast disparities between the ruling elite and the marginalized working class.
The word "proles" originates from Latin. It comes from the terms "pro" meaning "for" and "alere" meaning "to nourish". Together, "proles" means "offspring" or "descendants". In Latin, it is used to refer to children or the younger generation. The word has been adopted and used in various fields, such as biology (to describe the offspring of animals) and politics (as a term coined by George Orwell to refer to the lower social class in his novel "1984").