1984
by George Orwell
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Book Summary Information
Author: George OrwellEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1950-07-01
ISBN: 0451516753
Number of pages: 267
Publisher: Signet Classics
Book Reviews of 1984
Book Review: 1984: As Fresh as If It Were Yesterday
Summary: 5 Stars
Someone's watching. The government has you entrenched in a conspiracy so deep, where a national tragedy gave leadership the opportunity to seize all of your rights in the name of your personal protection. No, this isn't the Patriot Act- it's "1984," a dystopian Science Fiction novel by George Orwell, the author of "Animal Farm." Written in 1949, "1984" hardly seems as dated as its title might imply. Really, nothing could be farther from the truth. The world set up by Orwell, over seen by Big Brother and his invisible band of Thought Police, has people political prisoners within their own country. Winston, a worker in the Record Department of one of the three ministries (The Ministry of Truth, or Minitrue), finds his mind resisting the world he's given, not completely accepting the "news" he's given, as well as doubting his contentment. He enters into a relationship, finds himself contacted by an underground resistance, and comes to discover some of the more dangerous traits of the Party. Orwell's "1984" is an extremely well written political masterpiece, which traces societal trends in an innovative and pessimistic sort of way.
From the beginning, Orwell introduces new touches of technology made from innovations in his time. Things such as telescreens (basically televisions with the capability to communicate with and spy on members of the outer party) and speakwrites (a microphone that transcribes dictations) give a modern sense to the novel, while keeping it somewhat futuristic, even in modern times. No extravagant inventions like space ships or teleporters are touched on, so there isn't a feeling of inaccuracy or over-optimism that seems to be common in more ambitious science fiction media. Honestly, I found myself wishing that something such as a speakwrite existed for homework assignments, or even writing this very review; however, I didn't get that overwhelming sense of "Yeah right, nothing like THAT existed in 1984" from the position of being here in 2007.
Orwell brings out the political message of the novel most obviously by using the supposed revolutionary Goldstein's book. The chapters from Goldstein's book are inserted into 1984 as Winston reads them. Although these excerpts read something like stereo instructions or college dissertations, it really affirms the politics behind Orwell's writing. The three political bodies, or countries, in this novel consist of Oceania, Eurasia and East Asia. Oceania includes the United Kingdom, Eurasia includes the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and East Asia includes China and Japan. The fact that Orwell had the foresight to predict a lot of specific traits of world politics (such as the takeover of one party regimes in China) and the escalation of current world politics (such as the arms race and the containment policy against the Soviet Union) absolutely floored me. There were times when I was reading through sections of Goldstein's history where I simply had to put it down, because some of the events supposedly taking place in the fifties and sixties I had just learned about in my history class as taking place around then. That in and of itself is not only brilliant, but very powerful; just knowing that the book predicted some of the things that happened gives more credibility to the more radical things Orwell predicted. That's what's so strong about "1984;" there's this sense of "It could happen."
SPOILER WARNINGS!
Another strength of the novel was the relationship between Winston and Julia. Although I personally didn't like Julia - (she struck me as a very odd sort of a rebel who didn't even seem to know what she wanted) - her character was perfect for the novel. Her quirky unpredictability and her complete disregard for authority showed how even the most seemingly active Party members harbored deep reservations about the life they were living. Also, her somewhat shallow and lukewarm interest in politics was a good portrayal of the way people would begin to act after living under an oppressively totalitarian regime. It was admittedly strange to me how Winston was impressed by how many men Julia had managed to sleep with, but their relationship was still believable. Both of them had the fundamental desire to rebel against the system, and they channeled that towards sex. Fortunately, I couldn't personally relate to that, but it did represent a form of rebellion on Orwell's part against people who want to turn sex into a utility and take all of the pleasure out of it.
The ending, however, was the most potent part of the novel. When Julia and Winston are caught and tortured, and Orwell describes the nightmarish ordeal Winston is put through, the reader really comes to understand how Winston develops. Throughout the entire novel, Winston's progression from a nervous rebel, to a carefree rebel, to a penitent traitor was perfectly delineated by Orwell. After Winston suffers through his torture and decries everything- his distaste for Big Brother, his suspicion of changing information, his mental rejection of double speak- he becomes just another guy. Another drone under Big Brother, a man who loves and follows Big Brother and works for Big Brother. At first, I admit I was disappointed. I kind of hoped for some sort of upset, a little sense of rebellion or even a feeling that something might have changed because of what Winston did. That lack of closure in that sense, however, was actually really good for the book though. It just shows how hopeless, how drone-like, how terrible an existence under a complete ruler can be, and how there really isn't any hope of the dystopian society changing after it has come in full swing. It really drove home that people should actively keep their most basic rights, and never let them slip away.
"1984" was one of the most contemporary feeling books I have ever read that was written before the 80's. It's well written, engaging, exciting and interesting, and provides intellectual fodder as well as personal enjoyment. There is suspense, love, and introspective thought, and the entire novel is building up towards the big twists on the end. Personally, I think "1984" is one of the best of its kind, and was a better political metaphor than Alduous Huxley's "Brave New World" or even Orwell's own "Animal Farm." However, you'll never be able to look at your government the same again- Big Brother is watching you.
Summary of 1984
Nineteen Eighty Four, by George Orwell - Akasha Classics, AkashaPublishing.Com - It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him. The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats. At one end of it a coloured poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted imply an enormous face, more than a metre wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features. Winston made for the stairs. It was no use trying the lift. Even at the best of times it was seldom working, and at present the electric current was cut off during daylight hours. It was part of the economy drive in preparation for Hate Week. The flat was seven flights up, and Winston, who was thirty-nine and had a varicose ulcer above his right ankle, went slowly, resting several times on the way. On each landing, opposite the lift-shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff's attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell's prescience of modern life--the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language--and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written.
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