How can a hero survive in a world gone mad? Both Casablanca, the classic film of the 1940s, and 1984, a literary classic by George Orwell, revolve around a world in chaos, where it is impossible to trust anyone and a war breaks out inside and outside. In 1984, the protagonist, Winston, is hiding from a totalitarian, thought-controlling government bent on suppressing any aggression against the Party. In Casablanca, the main character, Rick, deals with a world shaken by the impacts of World War II, where everyone was a spy, and even spies were being spied on. They both long for hope and courage in their mutually exclusive worlds, but only Rick finds hope in his. Winston dies in utter despair, where no one will ever know of his life or actions, yet he dies a hero. Rick is a cynic, thrown into a chaotic but romantic world, and emerges victorious. In Casablanca, we emerge with a feeling of hope and joy, that the forces of good can overcome and that we will ultimately triumph over our enemies, wherever or whatever they may be. Although sloppy and romantic, Casablanca is a touching film and probably one of the best ever made. 1984, on the other hand, is a deep psychological thriller. In the world of total thought control, we find that even a hero as strong as Winston is struck down by the party, simply for being alive, and that the virtuosity within humanity will eventually be overwhelmed by our own greed and lust. Their struggles are those of man against the oppressor. Both 1984 and Casablanca are about a world gone mad and the struggles of not-so-ordinary people. It is often possible to create parallels between the characters of the two. Renault can be compared to O'Brien, because both are "double agents" i...... middle of paper ......t of the rest of the world. Heroes can exist in a world gone mad, as we find in both 1984 and Casablanca. Lazlow is a hero of the rebellion, who stood up to the oppression of the German government and fled to Lisbon. Winston spat in the face of the Party, aroused human emotions within himself and committed the gravest crime: he was alive. Both acted despite the defeat and achieved their victories. There are many similarities between the characters and events of 1984 and Casablanca. The phrase that sums it all up was said by Rick. “That day in Paris, the Germans wore gray and we wore blue.” They dared to be different and human, in a world gone mad by its own evils. How to cite this quote from PageMLA: "Casablanca and 1984 (1984)". 123HelpMe.com. April 18 2014.