R3: 1984 by George Orwell

Released: 8^th June 1949

Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction and Politics

Number of Pages: 311

As one of the most influential writers of the 20^th Century George Orwell is best known for his stories that resonate beyond simply engaging the reader. Is there anything that hasn’t been said or analysed about 1984? All I can offer is my own personal perspective. Ironically for a novel released over fifty years ago, 1984 is far ahead of its time, with some indication of the point we have reached and where we may be going. I had been meaning to get into the novel for a while and picked up a copy during my travels in Greece earlier this year.

The novel follows Winston Smith, a 39-year-old worker at the Ministry of Truth (which deals with lies along with many contradicting institutions). At first, he gets on with his work quietly, fulfilling his duties and doing what the all-seeing, all-knowing Big Brother expects of him. But when he falls in love with fellow employee Julia, the two begin to seek freedom from the system, expressing their opinions and beliefs undeterred by the punishment that awaits them if they are caught. Taking place entirely from Winston’s perspective, we see his thoughts as the bleak world he lives in unravels; facts are manipulated and twisted, war is viewed as a constant and necessary part of society, the downtrodden live in a never-ending squalor and on top of all that, people’s actions are constantly monitored and scrutinised by tele-screens. It’s all done by the directive of The Party who rules with an iron fist.

1984 is the nature of power and the desire to acquire more of it taken to its highest extreme, a society in which the corrupt leaders at the top cannot be toppled and every citizen beneath is hopelessly beholden to an endlessly droning round of propaganda. It delves into great detail at a couple of points, pausing the narrative to lay on thick themes of control in all its forms; social, information and behavioural to the point of no freedom for thought or creativity. There’s a collection of important terms that both lay out the society Winston and Julia live in as well as the strict enforcement of the Party and these are also carefully explained. Doublethink summarises the contradictory beliefs forced upon common people while Newspeak is a language specifically coded to make independent thought impossible. Yet for all the development of the world, Big Brother remains unseen; what does it personify? A master? Man, or woman? Or something entirely different? This central mystery, not to mention Big Brother’s imperviousness to any damage or intervention creates a great amount of discomfort and unease in both the characters and the audience. It’s only the moments where Winston and Julia are in each other’s company that things grow more relaxed and intimate, emphasising the disconnect they share with society at large. The novel also forms the basis of its heart and emotion from this perspective.

While we are far and away from the wholly fascist setting of the novel, aspects of its world, particularly endless surveillance and the bombardment of information from unsavoury media outlets are not unlike our own. The Two Minutes of Hate which keeps Ministry employees in lines speaks to both the resurgence of nationalism in the 21st Century and the vitriol spewed in online arguments. Our current information age sees us subjected to so much information that many lose track of the big picture.

It can be also argued that 1984 inspired two whole generations to form “what if?” scenarios, imagining and foretelling our own personal destruction. One of the biggest entertainment franchises I can think of that takes inspiration from 1984 is Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear, which homes in on an omnipresent organisation that rules the world behind the scenes, controlling the flow of information and eventually creating a perpetual series of proxy battles in 2008’s Guns of the Patriots which is very similar to the novel’s continuous battles between Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia.

Recommended?

Absolutely… 1984 is a novel that has been constantly viewed over the decades as one of the best pieces of literature ever written and I’m inclined to agree. While the plot is somewhat basic and uneventful, it’s the horrifying world and its striking relevance to today that creates one of the most absorbing plunges into dystopia you’ll ever read. It draws upon countless influences including history, social orders such as Marxism (Proles easily considered short for the exploited Proletariat) and the then recent aftermath of World War Two to create a frightening depiction of a human life dominated by fear and control. Anyone with even a remote interest in reading should get 1984 in their collection as soon as possible.

Entrances into other media include the 1984 film adaptation (A fitting release date…) starring John Hurt and Richard Burton as well as other adaptations in radio and theatre. Paul Greengrass, the filmmaker behind the excellent United 93 and The Bourne Ultimatum is also set to direct a second film adaptation in 2019.