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Summary: Fabulous!
Review: The best anti-utopian book imaginable!And yes, there are many and a lot of them take themselves too seriously and are quite pompous. 1984 also takes itself seriously but it has a right to. It is so well written that gravity is the only appropriate sentiment in a very dark world. Most people have heard of Big Brother and the Thought Police and the hype over and over again. Is 1984 really that good? Yes! The most moving scene for me was at the end, when a character succumbs under torture to betray someone (hope I'm not giving too much away - after all torture and betrayal are compulsory ingredients in an anti-utopia anyhoo) and the empathy portrayed in the book was so strong that I got depressed because I felt like it was ME that just betrayed everyone I care for. A wonderful book, a must read especially since it can be done in a day (and should definitely take no more than 2!). Unlike the anarchists and conspiracy theorists who reckon 1984 is especially relevant "in today's global climate", I say it's a book for all time.
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Summary: Think this book is about communism/socialism - think again!
Review: This book becomes even more topical in light of the events over the past year (those elusive WMDs, your great nation kept in fear with constant terrorist alerts, the latest airport fingerprinting of visitors 'security' measure) and it seems strange to me that people think this book should makes us wary of the evils of communism. I'm totally the opposite, I feel the book gives us a warning of what can happen if you are made to feel fear to the extent that you are prepared to lose that 'freedom' you are rightly so proud of. With the introduction of the Patriot Act (couldn't fail with a name like that, could it?) totally blasting that freedom out of the water, this book has never been more relevant or more scarily real. Yes, it's fiction but considering it was written more than 50 years ago, so many things are actually happening now and we are accepting them because we are 'told' we are in danger and it's for our own protection - the book even has it's very own Bin Laden. It makes it extremely convenient for anyone voicing their disagreement with policy to be silenced under the Patriot Act and not receive any rights whatsoever. Because it's dressed up with a cool name and there's the constant fear of terrorist attack, all of a sudden it's acceptable and what's more, welcome with open arms. If you haven't read this book yet, please read it. It's an eye-opener as to what freedom really is, or was, and far from being depressing, it shows the strength of the human spirit to desparately try to protect what's good and search for the truth.
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Summary: Few books can change the world. This one did.
Review: An absolute must read for young adults that are being seduced by repackaged Communist and Socialist idealism.
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Summary: 1984 or 2004?
Review: Eric Blair's 1984 is not only his finest work but also one of the most influential and provocative books of our time. The work obviates to us to full actuality how the world had evolved for the worse during the dark period from 1932 to 1949. Winston Smith and O'Brien are the most important characters whose keystone dialogue raises alert for the prospect of human future. Prophecy or Caution?
While we might prefer to interpret "1984" as a precautionary tale or some social warning, bloodshed, warfare, massive torture and murder, not to mention Stalin's cruelty, the Nazi mechanized techniques of organized massacre, the Cambodian, the Iranian and the Iraqi, the North Korean, and all the other countless horrors, have inevitably to a certain degree changed "1984" from caution to warning, further elevating the work to a 20th century prophecy. Despair about Future of Man
A sense of hopelessness about the future of man hovers over the book. In a way "1984" is an expression of such a hopeless mood about the bleak future of man. It warns readers that unless the course of history (and leaderships) changes men all over the world will forfeit most of their human qualities and become soulless automatons without being aware of the depravity. In the Winston Smith-O'Brien dialogue, "Imagine a boot stamping on the human face-forever" might have exaggerated the current state of human soulness. The 20th century history has confirmed and fulfilled dehumanized practices as mentioned in "1984" like 24/7 surveillance of all sounds, activities, and conversations; deprivation of freedom of speech, penitence for thought crime and wiping out of existence and memory and thus forfeiting any way to make appeal to future. For example, a Party member lived from birth to death under the eye of the Thought Police. Even when he was alone he could never be sure he was alone. Wherever he may be, he could be inspected without warning and without knowing that he was being inspected. The Party tacitly encouraged prostitution as such outlets for instincts that could not be altogether suppressed. This unforgivable crime was promiscuity between Party members in order to remove all pleasure from sexual act. Even to his wife, a Party member was expected to have no private emotions and no respites from enthusiasm. A real romantic love affair was all it took to crumple the Party. Desire was deemed thought crime, which entailed death. The Party saw that it was not infallible and that all its belief rested on the omnipotent Big Brother. It therefore called for an unwearying, moment-to-moment flexibility in the treatment of facts-alteration of the past and rewrite of history in order to wipe out existence of certain human beings and historical facts. It was not merely that speeches, statistics, and records of every kind must be constantly brought up to date in order to show that the predictions of the Party were in all cases accurate. It was also that no change of doctrine or in political alignment could ever be admitted. Whatever the Party held to be truth was truth. It was impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party. Notwithstanding the Party contrived to have its way and imbued the belief in people, how could the Party control people's memory? The Party had wiped out most of the older generation during the great purges and the few who survived had long ago been terrified into complete intellectual surrender (sounds familiar like the Chinese Cultural Revolution?) When memory failed and written records were falsified, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human life had got to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any standard against which it could be tested. "1984" is meant to be read as a warning, an exhortation, and not so much prophesy. However exaggerated and haunting the negative utopia is being depicted, the book is a startling work of an imaginary world that is convincing. 4.0 stars. 2004 (4)
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Summary: I wrote this review for a book project in my English class.
Review: 1984 by George Orwell was brilliant, disturbing, excellently written, depressing and most of all eerily predicting of the future. I enjoyed reading it very much. Orwell's writing is phenomenal. The way he describes things is incredible and beautiful. I admired his bold statement against socialism. His book was extremely persuasive and should be read by all that have not yet read it. It is a classic, yet it holds all the contemporary aspects of a newer book. No part of this novel was unsatisfying for me. There were no parts of the novel that did not keep me waiting for what would happen next. This could quite possibly be my favorite book that I have read yet.
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Summary: Orwell a genius?
Review: I think anyone who creates a language (even if it's only been partially created) for his/her writing, is an absolute genius. George Orwell is no exception. The vision and ideas that he brought forth in 1984 is something that can never be copied without disastrous results. This is one of the most enjoyable books that I've ever had to read for English class. While reading this story, I have to keep telling myself that the book was written in the 1940's. It's amazing what Orwell predicted for our future and how our much better, and how much worse, the present really is. The creation of Newspeak is a message to the deterioration of the English language, which is not so far fetched. Orwell wasn't so successful in his other predictions, but the book is fiction right? Every page of new developments and plot lines engrossed me more and more. It's a great book that can evoke so much emotion in its reader. That's what happened to me. It's wasn't happiness, either, mind you. I put so much confidence and hope into Winston, that I was crying for his failure and my disappointment, by the end of the book. Truly a must read book. Even if you hate the book after reading it, it's still a book that should be read by everybody. It's sheds light on corruption, power, and rebellion. The only part I didn't enjoy was select portions of Goldstein's "book", such as the repeated chapters. If Orwell lost any readers of 1984, it was probably during that part of the book.
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Summary: George Orwell Was An Optimist
Review: USA Today = George Orwell's 1984
Perma War for Perma Peace
Police State = Freedom
Corporate Owned Government = "Democracy"
Virulent Lockstep Gasbags of the Corporate Media Cartel Propaganda Outlet$ = Free Press
Constant Terrorist Alerts due to Government funded "terrorists". Dissenters and not the Government Provacateurs = the only ones rounded up however.
9/11 Reichstag Fire = Divine Godly Mandate to Murder anyone who interferes with the Plute's Unearned Profits. Fascist Dystopia. I recommend you read the book "The F-Word: American Fascism and the Politics of Illusion" by David McGowan.
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Summary: 1984, 2004, 2084?
Review: Ok, Ok, I know . . . 1984 came and went and we are living in the 21st century. Orwell's book is certainly dated and that does affect the reading. However, any good work of literature does not rise and fall on the culture of the day, but on the inner struggle. This book is well written and the dangers printed are always on the horizon for us all. This book is still powerful enough to make your insides twist and cause you to watch the news in a new way.
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Summary: Pay Attention... this is important
Review: As with Animal Farm (by the same author), there is much to learn from this book. What makes this book scary is how easily it could become reality. As you read this book, you must realize that in order to avoid becoming what this book portrays, we need to fight the system now. Because, as Winston learns, once the system is in place it is practically impossible to destroy it. Keep this book in mind while our government makes specific policies... especially while we lose our freedoms and rights of privacy in the name of safety, fairness, and prosperity. And what amazes me (but wouldn't surprise me) is how much the people love what they have; not knowing what they have lost. It is amazing how government can set your mind at ease with the right propaganda. A perfect example was how the government was saying how it had exceeded its prediction in the production of boots (which was actually a lie) and one of its citizens commented on how well they had done in supplying the needs of the people. In the same breath he asked if Winston had any razorblades, which had become very scarce in the recent weeks. And even scarier, it shows how easy it is for the government to twist (spin) our language and use it against us. For instance, in the book we see the Ministry of Love, which is used to torture free thinkers and those who would disagree with Big Brother. We see the Ministry of Truth, which is nothing more than spreading lies on the wealth of the nation and its citizens. So on and so forth. What is especially incredible about this book is the detail of the language that George Orwell went into, while creating a new language called Ensoc (English Socialism). This book shows all of this... and more. It is the model of what any country should NOT become. There is a lot to learn from this visionary book. You can instantly take a lot out of this book. Read it and take a look around you and you will be surprised and how quickly our society is heading in this direction. Fight this trend before you, yes you, fall in love with Big Brother.
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Summary: The Future is Now
Review: Take a deep futuristic look into the mind of author George Orwell in his intense novel, 1984. Orwell's ideas of what our world will be like in his future, is a pessimistic outlook on his new world. The "Big Brother" controls all, and the civilians of Oceania are powerless. People lack many of the simple freedoms that we are associated with today, and the government runs everything. Oceania is one of the three main super states that are battling for power. The city has a system of monitoring that will keep all residents from rebelling or from even thinking about it. The plot includes all the things that many great books do, including: love, lust, crime, and deception. This great novel shows how the creative mind of Orwell can bring us to the world he thought was to become in the year, 1984
As the story begins we meet our main character Winston Smith walking through the corridors of a large building. We quickly learn of the many new things to his world including the "Big Brother." Seeing sings posted and messages spread across the walls, Winston can not escape the watchful eye of the "Big Brother." Telescreens are everywhere and he is unable to escape their watchful eye. Winston eventually buys a journal and writes in it. From the first stroke of his pen, he is overwhelmed with the fear that he is going to be caught and go to jail. As he writes the words, "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" he knows that even if he had only thought it, it would be just as much of a crime. In fact, the thought crimes were known as the worst.
Winston works in the Ministry of Truth, here he alters historical records to fit the needs of the party. He meets a beautiful woman at work, with dark hair, Julia. He is worried that she is an informant who will turn him in for his thought crimes; however she turns out to be an admirer and is in love with him. They are in the same thought the party, and become lovers. They begin a covert affair to see if anyone is monitoring them, and eventually move into the second floor of the store where he purchased the journal. They continue on together for a long time, and Winston is sure that they will be caught and punished, while Julia is much more optimistic.
Winston becomes fixated with a party member named O'Brien, who Winston believes is a secret member of the Brotherhood (a mysterious group trying to overthrow the party.) Finally one day, Winston's dream comes true, and he is called on by O'Brien. This is what the couple thinks is the beginnings of something great. At O'Brien's luxurious apartment, he reveals that he is also against the party and all that it stands for. Then he asks for Winston to join the Brotherhood and help to stop the party and hands him the manifesto of the Brotherhood to read to Julia. Then something goes wrong, and our characters are caught up in a tricky web of lies and deception.
The way the Orwell is able to set up the characters makes you read faster and deeper into the story. He is able to draw you in using a very simple technique of being instinctively vague. My mind would race as I read the pages of this spell binding novel, and I know how Orwell was able to turn such an ordinary event like the birth of a new year, into what would seem like a hellish nightmare. The "Big Brother" makes you think how a totalitarian government would be run. What if the world had turned into this place, what if there were people watching us and recording our every move thought, it makes me glad that I am a citizen here in the free country of the United States of America.
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