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1984 by George Orwell

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ishaan2100's review against another edition

5.0

1984 is a political novel published with the intent of instilling fear in readers about totalitarianism's hazards. The author, George Orwell, published this book in 1949, just as Europe was beginning to recover from the horrors of World War II. It was also the outset of the post-atomic era when governments had just recently realized the mind's dreadful and annihilating power. It was this socio-political clime that became the breeding ground for this novel. The story is set in 1984, where the author envisions a dystopian society. The author describes a society in which everyday activities such as working, eating, sleeping, drinking, and thinking are all regulated or monitored by the government.
The world in 1984 is divided into three states, Oceania (the British Isles, the Americas, Pacific, Australia), Eurasia (Europe & Russia), and Eastasia (the rest of it). The narrative begins in London, the capital of Oceania. Winston Smith is a low-ranking Party member who is observed by telescreens wherever he goes, including his own residence; everywhere he looks, he sees the face of the Party's apparently omnipresent boss, a man known simply as Big Brother. Everything in Oceania is under the authority of the Party, including the people's history and language.
Winston is irritated by the Party's despotism and tight control, which forbids free thought and any form of individuality. He despises the party and has purchased a diary in which he scribbles his criminal musings. Winston is also fascinated with a powerful Party member named O'Brien, whom he suspicions of being a Brotherhood member (a mysterious society working to overthrow the party). Winston is employed by the Ministry of Truth, where he modifies historical records to suit the Party's needs. One day, while working in the office, Winston receives a note from Julia, a co-worker, that reads “I love you” and soon a covert affair begins. They're constantly on the alert for signs of Party surveillance. As Winston's relationship with Julia deepens, his contempt for the Party grows. He finally gets the message he's been waiting for: O'Brien wants to meet with him. Winston and Julia make their way to O'Brien's lavish residence. They find that O'Brien, like them, despises the Party and works against it as a member of the Brotherhood. He indoctrinates Winston and Julia into the Brotherhood.
The three slogans of the party clearly depict a totalitarian state, and the party continues to justify it with explanations
WAR IS PEACE: To maintain society's order and peace, a continuous battle between the three States is necessary. That is how the first slogan is described.
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY: The second slogan, "Freedom is Slavery," implies that the only way to be free is to allow yourself to be lost and assimilated into the Party. One will be indestructible and immortal in this manner.
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH: This indicates that the social stratification of the high, middle, and bottom classes will never alter. Because the middle aspires to be the dominant power, they will act "on behalf of the low" to dethrone it. After that, a new middle class emerges, with the upper and middle classes make and enforce the law, whereas the lower class (proletarian) is just too stupid to revolt.
When Winston was reading in the room with Julia suddenly soldiers appear out of nowhere and seize them. When Winston has pulled away from Julia and transferred, he discovers that O'Brien, too, is a Party spy who pretended to be a Brotherhood member to trick Winston into performing an open act of rebellion.
Winston resists for months as O'Brien tortures and brainwashes him. Finally, O'Brien sends him to the infamous Room 101, where anybody who opposes the Party goes to die. Winston will be forced to confront his biggest fear, says O'Brien. Winston has nightmares about rats throughout the narrative, so O'Brien ties a cage full of rats to his head and prepares to allow the rats to eat his face. Winston begs O'Brien, pleading for him to do it to Julia instead of him. Winston had always been told by O'Brien that he needed to give up Julia. Winston is then let out into the world, his spirit shattered. He encounters Julia again and understands that they both deceived each other under duress, and he can't handle being near her any longer. He has lost all of his freedom and individuality, and has become a faceless member of the Party's collective, and has learned to adore Big Brother
The author in this book wanted to shock our hearts into resistance by displaying the authoritarian nightmare that has been realized and he managed to do just that. I personally think that Orwell’s vision of the future world was too grim but that’s when Orwell's brilliance shines through. The book is mostly a manifesto for the Party against which the protagonist is striving to revolt. However, the ideas and descriptions of this apocalyptic universe are fascinating, rather than boring. For me, this was a roller coaster of emotions. There were portions of the book that I thoroughly enjoyed and others that I found exceedingly tough to navigate. I'm glad I decided to pick it up and try it because it's something I've been interested in for quite some time.

greenleafbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

I have never felt so unsettled and disturbed while reading a book before. I loved this, I’m actually looking forward to my next English paper now lol!

mickey_police's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

apieceofskye's review against another edition

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dark informative reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

may01's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0

reverielala's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

katykelly's review against another edition

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5.0

The father, or dare I say it, 'big brother' of all contemporary dystopian novels

I read this at 17 when studying A-Levels, and seeing it recently adapted at the theatre I had a hankering to revisit it, half my life later.

It only grows more impressive with age, it really does. It's a classic for a reason, it's shattering, powerful and absolutely unforgettable.

This audiobook, narrated by the excellent Samuel West, gives us the voice of not only Orwell, but the lowly yet rebellious Winston Smith and those of his oppressors - the Party. A very effective way of accessing the book.

In what may be the dystopian fiction that all others since either build on, imitate or pay homage to, Winston Smith works and lives in the dreary and oppressive world dominated by the Party, who control rations, leisure time, and watch each citizen constantly through state-sanctioned TV screens.

Trying out his own small acts of rebellion, WInston is our eyes and ears on this horrendous world, one only a few steps away from our own.

The whole creation of Winston's society in Oceania, forever at war with one of the other two great powers, is exquisite. We even gain access to inner-Party literature that explains how the officials have organised their systems to oppress and maintain control.

And of course, Orwell is a modern Shakespeare in adding cultural reference points to the language that everybody will know but knot necessarily know the source of - Big Brother, Room 101, thought crime.

One of the most important books you'll ever read, and be thankful it's 'just' a fiction...