Original Language: English
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Political Fiction
Introduction:
George Orwell's famous novel "1984" was published in 1949. It serves as an example of a dystopian novel that depicts Oceania's unequal and unpleasant society, which is filled with totalitarian methods and ongoing surveillance. The book was intended to serve as a warning about what would occur if people allowed their governments to become overly powerful.
The totalitarian society in the book was modelled after Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia by democratic socialist author George Orwell.
The book also explains how governments can change reality and twist the truth to fit their story.
The book had such an influence on me that I couldn't get it out of my thoughts for a couple of days. After finishing the novel, I felt a little frightened also.
Book Summary:
There are only three super-nations in the entire world in the story: Oceania (which includes the former United States and the United Kingdom among others), Eurasia, and Eastasia. The three super-nations are engaged in a continual state of war thanks to their unstable alliances. All of the super-nations are authoritarian states that keep their grip on power by a combination of constant surveillance, historical revision, and linguistic restriction.
Winston Smith, a writer for the Ministry of Truth of Airstrip One (the region's current name, which was formerly England), serves as the narrative's main character. He "corrects" historical documents every day as part of a deliberate and ongoing effort to rewrite history to serve The Party's objectives. The political organization in charge, led by the tyrant Big Brother, is known as The Party. Winston belongs to the Outer Party (though he is not a member of the super-elite Inner Party), and in exchange for a few minor advantages over the lower-class proles, he must put up with continual observation.
His every action, as well as thought, is being observed by The Party. All people are surrounded by telescreens that capture their conversations and facial expressions. If The Party is suspicious of someone, he/she becomes the target of 'Thought Police'.
Smith appears to fit in and appear to be just like everyone else on the outside. But deep down, he senses a growing revolution against the repressive social environment.
Winston is proficient in Newspeak, the government's official language that is gradually becoming everyone's official language, and uses it as part of his employment. When the switch to Newspeak is complete, the language will only be able to be used to express ideas that are approved by The Party; anything else won't be able to be expressed in speech and won't even be able to be expressed in thought. Newspeak is the only language in history whose vocabulary reduces from year to year, a deliberate destruction of nuance and opposing viewpoints to suppress criticism and debate of political views. Although Winston is unsure if they are more than just rumours, there are reports of an underground revolt.
Every item, living or dead, saw Big Brother everywhere, in the shape of posters, commercials, telescreens, music, and The Party's "Hate Hours," as well as the transformation of children into spies wearing blue uniforms and other things. There was never-ending adoration for Big Brother and his philosophy of totalitarian government.
Although it is unclear whether Big Brother actually existed, his catchphrase "Big Brother Is Watching You" served as the people's guide for every step and breath they took.
Book Review:
The novel takes you on an emotional rollercoaster that a human brain can process and reflect on without drawing attention away from the plot. You feel confused, dismayed, betrayed, and grieved all at once as a result of Winston's poor decision-making skills and the apparently brave love story that you support.
The narration in "1984" is so compelling that you are left to take in all the heart-pounding conclusions for which you were unprepared. You find it amusing that all of this could come from a three-hundred-page work of fiction.
It is not just an unsettling tale about the state and how it uses unfair tactics to carry out its will, but also one about how people interact with one another. A story about extensive inequality, a story about a complete betrayal by your own instincts that puts you in the hands of your enemy, a story about a parent who can't trust their own children, a story about a colleague who can't sit with another colleague, a story about a person who can't even think the thoughts of his liking.
I can't emphasise enough how brilliant George Orwell's "1984" is or how much power it has, but perhaps stating that "1984" is simply a work of modern literary genius can help explain just how excellent a book this really is.
This book provides an informative representation of the dangers of totalitarianism and excessive authoritarianism of any kind as well as a warning against them. It paints a horrific vision of a society that could so easily exist. But it is much more than that. In addition to giving us such a compelling fundamental narrative – one that is not just about power, deceit, and lies, but also about love, truth, and the human spirit – it also succeeds on a staggering number of other levels. The book "1984" by George Orwell is a must-read without a shadow of a doubt.
My Rating: 9.5/10
