Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of those books were everyone remembers certain things about it, but there’s a lot more to it than just comparing certain events in time to being like ‘something out of 1984.’ In fact, the whole book feels like it could be applied to some degree, rather than just the mention of ‘Big Brother is watching you’ or ‘room 101.’
1984 is about a totalitarian future where the government controls your every move and thought (least they want to do the latter part) Where individualism is not recommended, and any thoughts or outcry against the Party will result in you being disappeared. The government controls the present, and manipulates the past. They are responsible for everything good, and nothing bad.
The story follows Winston who’s not buying into the drivel he’s being fed, while also working for the Party in the Ministry of Truth (who specialises in lying). Winston believes there is an underground movement that is fighting back against the Party and is desperate to find them, while committing a few thought crimes along the way. Inevitably, the two worlds have to collide.
I’ve always loved this book. It’s one i’ve been able to read at different intervals of my life and always been able to compare it to something going on in the world. This time round, I feel like I could match up more than ever with the conversations about erasing and changing history to suit modern sensibilities. Changing books, movies and music. Being afraid to say things around others. Living in a constant state of paranoia as those around you plot your downfall. It could easily be a pretty damning assessment of Social Media and Cancel Culture rather than just a fascist government. Horrifying and timeless.
Its theories on war and fear still ring true to me. There are pages and pages where i’m just nodding my head, especially when Winston discovers ‘the book.’ The creation of this joyless sexless society is also something I worry about. I don’t want to be one of those people that says 1984 is happening, but the words are on the page and Orwell clearly looked into the past to predict the future, even if the time wasn’t quite right.
It’s an incredibly absorbing read from start to finish as you fall into this rabbit hole of a disturbing dystopian future. The relationships throughout the book all feel doomed, while you constantly hope they’re not. The future presented is one you hope will fail, but how can such a powerful entity as the Party fall? You want everything to turn out alright, for the rebellion to rise, but constantly wonder if that’s even possible.
I think it’s brilliantly written and I love Winston. He’s such a complex character, but you never lose sight of who he is on the page. The world building is second to none, and the suspense of the whole book just keeps building as you get closer and closer to what has to happen and that ending you really don’t want. It’s unavoidable. I’ll never grew tired of this book, but I hope next time I read it I can identify with less of it.
