Nineteen Eighty-Four
by George Orwell
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.80 You Save: $9.20 (54%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.85 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Nineteen Eighty-Four
Book Review: Meditation over Thought and Language
Summary: 4 Stars
George Orwell in his essay "Politics and the English Language" makes explicit his belief that language and thought are intricately intertwined, and in his masterpiece "1984" he makes this even more explicit.
The protagonist Winston Smith is almost 40 years old in the year 1984, making him as old as George Orwell's adopted son who was born in 1944. Under the Ingsoc (English socialism) system, Smith is an Outer Party cadre, but what he really is as a writer. He is neither a Alexander Solzhenitsyn nor a Noam Chomsky because there simply is no tolerance for any dissent whatsoever. He is trapped not physically but mentally, and every second of his life is like torture to him. As a writer he, like Orwell, believes that language permits thought which permits the self. What Ingsoc enforces is the negation of language (Newspeak) and the negation of thought (doublethink) which equals the negation of self.
Newspeak is the reduction of language ino meaningless absurdity, and thus Newspeak is the ultimate bureaucratic language -- it eliminates all the nuances and subtleties of the language, making it only functional. Newspeak is the ultimate straitjacket for a writer.
Doublethink is a mode of thinking that accepts contradictions, holding two opposing ideas to be both true. Doublethink negates logic, and thus higher order mental processing. More nefariously, it creates servility in most men, and duplicity in some: most individuals cannot comprehend two competing ideas at once, and thus doublethink negates them into no-think; those geniuses who are capable of holding contradictions in their head automatically become deceptive and manipulative -- in holding two competing truths the person becomes the only truth.
In "1984" there are two individuals capable of doublethink: Winston Smith and the book's antagonist O'Brien. Smith refuses to submit to doublethink, and instead seeks the freedom to pursue truth. He writes in a diary, a blatant crime, and he addresses his writings to O'Brien, who Smith correctly suspects can understand him. They are doppelgangers of each other, and their difference is in their attitude towards doublethink. If Smith is doublethink's greatest critic, then O'Brien is doublethink's greatest practitioner. If Smith cannot stand to live another day under Ingsoc, O'Brien is in fact Ingsoc, Big Brother, and the Party, for he alone is the truth. If O'Brien wishes to be Big Brother's greatest enemy he is the truth, and if he wishes to be Big Brother himself he is still the truth.
Ingsoc is a system of slow banal torture, whereby individuals must voluntarily (under the threat of torture) surrender their selves to Big Brother. They are not permitted to write, to think, and above all to be intimate: the greatest act of rebellion by Winston Smith and Julia was to make love and to love each other. It is not enough for Big Brother to demand your obedience -- he must also control your thoughts and your memories.
O'Brien is clearly a psychopath, and Smith is his plaything; O'Brien does not fear and hate Smith -- he is just contemptuous. For seven years, O'Brien had been watching Smith ("Big Brother is watching you"), and when Smith carelessly and faithfully went to O'Brien with his subversive thoughts then O'Brien's only thought could be: he's always known. Smith orchestrated his own sacrifice, but it was not a martyrdom: it was in fact just an escape from his life. If a writer cannot write, then that is a fate worse than death.
Book Review: A 500 Word Essay About '1984'
Summary: 5 Stars
What is the most significant novel of the twentieth century? Justify your answer with specific examples.
The 20th century produced a plethora of literary masterpieces. Choosing, and then asserting which novel is the most significant is supremely difficult - almost as difficult a choice as Abraham had when the Lord asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. I personally love the mental stimulation in works of fiction. In particular I love the human drama and savage social criticisms that are found within fictional dystopias. As such, I believe the most significant novel of last century was `1984' by George Orwell. The book addresses (and attacks) issues of authoritative governments, propaganda, sectorisation, thought control, social classes, as well as rebellion, and love and hate.
As a novel, `1984' is so highly regarded that it has been reprinted into some 65 world languages. This fact alone speaks volumes about the importance of this particular piece of literature. Orwell writes his novels for anyone who can read, albeit some people may find a dictionary necessary at times. By writing simply, Orwell doesn't exclude anyone from his novels.
`1984' is simply written, easily read and thoroughly brilliant. It is about government totalitarianism in Britain - but it could be about any country on the planet. The government in the book are a brutal regime that use lies, propaganda, and power to keep their citizens in a state of fear and subjugation. We have seen Orwell's sage words come true in various world governments; including Zimbabwe, and perhaps more poignantly, North Korea. In fact, the word `Orwellian' stems from `1984', and can be used to refer to any tyrannical government.
Winston Smith is the main character in the book. He works for the government and his job is to write propaganda - including wiping out official facts, and embellishing government statistics. The world is broken down into three super-states, and the British government he is part of is in `Oceania'. Here we see more future events scribed before the fact. Oceania can be regarded as similar to the modern day European Union. Currently, sectorisation is in progress all over the world. APEC, OPEC, the G20 and a host of other blocs and conglomerates reinforce this point.
This literary masterpiece has been studied rigorously in various high school English classes all over the world, and this is testament to its significance as a novel. My high school used both `1984' and Orwell's other classic, `Animal Farm' as texts for senior English lessons. It is somewhat ironic though; that in the 21st century the `Big Brother' concept has been turned into a smutty, distasteful television program.
`1984' is a book filled with human drama. It is about us not letting go of our democratic values, and making sure that we, the citizens, keep our governments transparent and accountable. It is about the courage of one man to rebel against tyranny, but sadly it also finishes with tyranny winning in the end. The book foresees actual historical events, and lets us know that dystopia is a possibility anywhere, anytime. `1984' is used in many classrooms around the world - and some aspects of it are part of modern day popular culture. These facts, as well as the points already outlined make this book the most significant novel of the twentieth century.
Book Review: WAR IS PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY; IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Summary: 5 Stars
+++++
This novel by George Orwell (whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair, 1903 to 1950) is about the effects of totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is a characteristic of a government or state in which one political party maintains complete control under a dictatorship and bans all others.
This story, which takes place in London in 1984, follows one man (named Winston Smith) and his love interest (Julia) as they struggle against this totalitarian party ("The Party") whose leader (actually dictator) is "Big Brother." The Party political orthodoxy rules the giant country of "Oceania" (in which London is located).
At the heart of this party's political orthodoxy is the process of controlling thought through the manipulation of language and information by the use of "Newspeak" which utilizes what is called "doublethink."
Newspeak is the official language of Oceania (but is not the only language spoken). It is a language that eliminates unnecessary words and is designed to diminish rather than help expressive thought. For example, Newspeak states that there is no good and bad but only good and "ungood." Doublethink is the ability to simultaneously hold two opposing ideas in ones mind and believe in them both. The three Party slogans that title this review are examples of doublethink. Another good example is that (2+ 2 =4) and (2 + 2 = 5).
The Party keeps everybody in line through Newspeak and doublethink. But they also have other methods. For example, they have the "Thought Police" that investigate "thoughtcrimes." These are "crimes" of just having negative thoughts about The Party. Another example are telescreens that watch your every move even in bathroom stalls. Thus, "Big Brother is watching you" at all times.
Winston and Julia are discovered to be guilty of thoughtcrimes by O'Brien (who is the personification of The Party). O'Brien also represents those leaders who use cruelty and torture as their primary method of control (like Hitler and Stalin did). He makes them pay for their "crimes."
This novel clearly shows how totalitarianism negatively affects the human spirit and how it's impossible to remain freethinking under such circumstances.
This novel also contains an appendix written by Orwell. Here he explains various aspects of Newspeak and to my surprise he states that by the year 2050, Newspeak will be the only language that anyone will understand. Why does he state this? He wanted to keep the fear of totalitarianism alive in his readers well past the year 1984. (Thus, this novel is still quite relevant for today!)
Finally, this novel in a word is fascinating! It is well written and is filled with symbolism and imagination. It begins slow but gradually picks up speed. And the story is very interesting.
In conclusion, this novel is a masterpiece of political speculation that serves as a warning to us all. Read it for yourself to see why it brought Orwell world-wide fame!!
(first published 1949; 3 parts or 24 chapters)
+++++
Book Review: The Great Novel of the 20th Century
Summary: 5 Stars
In terms of exploring the human condition in the modern era, this is the great novel of the twentieth century. I first read this book in 1968, when 1984 seemed far in the future. Now it's 26 years in the past. The totalitarian regime of the Soviet Union which so much concerned Orwell is also long gone. But the novel lives on for good reason.
Orwell's book will be read for centuries -- when the totalitarian regimes of the 20th Century are as distant in the past as the 30 Years War is from us -- because Orwell is concerned about the nature of reality and the nature of power. Reality, after all, is a construct. We must strive to superimpose some narrative on the events and data swirling around us. This requires the use of language and the use of a context. Therefore, if one controls language and one controls the historical record that gives everything a context, one can control and manipulate everyone's reality. One can, in short, achieve absolute power.
In the future dystopia imagined by Orwell the state controls language and constantly rewrites the past. Words are systmatically eliminated from the English language so that there are no longer any shades of gray. Absolute control over information is achieved so that however ridiculous the latest message from the party, it must be believed -- and if it is not believed, one begins to question one's own sanity.
Much of debate surrounding this book centers around whether the precise dystopia predicted by Orwell will ever actually occur, thereby missing the point. Given the information revolution, the shrinking of the world, and the fall of the Soviet Union, we are less concerned today about the threat of a totalitarian regime than we are by resource limitations. The dystopia we now imagine concerns a constant state of war over shrinking resources complicated by the ability of small fringe groups to use terror as an effective weapon against highly centralized and complex modern structures.
But Orwell's vision is more fundamental. Given the profound ability to manipulate and control the individual, what is to prevent humanity from ultimately degenerating over the next millenia into systems resembling the ant heap? For Orwell, the individual's duty is to be constantly vigilant about manipulations of language, ideas, and history that occur in every society so that we don't take any steps toward the world of the ant heap.
This is an absolutely brilliant book, written with great passion in 1948 by a dying man concerned about the human condition. It is one of the few books that everyone must read.
Book Review: This Book Deserves More Stars Than Are In The Sky
Summary: 5 Stars
Today's American is mentally incomplete if he/she has not read this book. If you haven't read it, please do so. If you have read it, please read it again. And keep in mind that reading it is not the goal. Knowing it is the goal.
The distinction is important because Orwell so masterfully describes the loss of truth, the loss of individuality, the loss of freedom so subtely and so effortlessly, that the crucial points are missed if the reader has a lack of focus.
with uncanny brilliance, Orwell describes the tactics used by a totalitarian state against its own people to gain submission and cooperation. The submission is so complete that the proles (the masses) no longer have ownership over their own thought! It is a subtle and painless process and only Alexis De Tocqueville, in his monumental work, "Democracy in America" has come close in the past 175 years of describing it, but even Tocqueville admits that he can't give it a name.
"In fact there will be no thought...Orthodoxy means not thinking-not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness" writes Owell. Orwell later writes that "orthodoxy is stupidity". What the reader needs to understand with this point is that "orthodoxy" is the "news" we get from our mainstream media, our establishment press. Because our mainstream media is government controlled, as explained in the book: U.S. Television News and Cold War Propaganda, 1947-1960 (Cambridge Studies in the History of Mass Communication), naturally only government orthodoxy will be espoused.
In the novel, Orwell writes, "There is no possibility that any perceptible change will happen within our own lifetime".
There are so many unbelievably essential tactics described in this book that I can't do much justice to them in this review, but the reader needs to connect with Orwell's cleverness and understand how important it is to Big Brother to control the language and rewrite the history, in fact, write the history before it even happens. This, the torture to get confessions, attacking an ally and blaming an enemy (false flag terrorism) is all here and Orwell wrote this masterpiece 60 years ago!
This book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, is drawn from heavily in the book, Don't Weep for Me, America: How Democracy in America Became the Prince (While We Slept). Here, the relevancy of "Nineteen Eighty-Four" will blow a lot of minds...