The Best People In Life Are Free

I Love You

1984 by George Orwell introduces its readers to an excellent example of a negative dystopia and a totalitarian government. In a moment of desperation,  Winston Smith decides that he will be writing his diary towards O'Brien, a man who works at the Ministry of Truth and that Winston thinks is also against the Party. Winston begins writing about his wife (who he is separated from) and about proles (the poor percentage of the population), who Winston thinks are the only hope for changing the system. Then, Winston visits the proles to ask the old ones if life was better before Big Brother or after, but finds no answers. He discovers a woman, named Julia, following around but is surprised when she gives him a letter telling Winston that she loves him.

My Thoughts On...

“I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY.” (Orwell,80)

This reflects Orwell´s opinion on the world at the time the book was published. Orwell was a British man living during the Cold War who was probably disgusted with the world's events at the time, and decided to write a book about it. He understood how the constant political, economic, and military problems made themselves present in his everyday life, but he didn't understand the reason behind it. Just like the Western Bloc was in constant disagreement with the Eastern Bloc, Oceania was in constant war with Eurasia and Eastasia. George Orwell was able to incorporate events and ideas from his time living into his book, but was still able to add fiction to his novel.

This movie is about a boy who tries to find
a reason for everything in his life.

   

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. It that is granted, all else follows.” (Orwell, 81)

I think that this is an excellent example of how deep into a person's mind the government is trying to control. Orwell is explaining that the government in 1984 is capable of changing basic operations of math in order to control the minds of citizens and, worst of all, the citizens accept it without questioning it. Will the government say that two plus two make something other than four and make the citizens accept it? Will Winston accept it?

Next Up On 1984...

This book has brought me a lot  more surprises than I thought it would, and I'm positive that there will be many more to come throughout the book. Also, I found out that the name of the author, George Orwell, is actually a pseudonym for Eric Arthur Blair. I thought this was interesting since I originally thought that George Orwell was the author's real name. I have honestly no idea of what could happen next with the book, but I do hope that more things about Winston and Julia are revealed. I hope that Winston decides to do something to change the system and gives O´Brien his diary.