I first read it when I was about 13. I've read it about twice since then. The ending is just so crushing. All the shit he went through, all his beliefs
He was willing to throw all of it away. When he joins in the mob I almost cried
.
PS. What did the proles represent? Were they economic class or a race? Did the laws of society not apply to them? Why?
Methinks this is a thinly veiled attempt to have us answer your essay question.
The proles were the irrelevant, suppressed lower class. The laws of society didn't really apply to them because they didn't present any danger -- too busy minding their own difficult lives.
I didn't want to open that kettle of fish. But that is like the Ministry of Truth.
In fact it's SCARY how well this book holds up.
Much more realistic than Brave New World (or Equilibrium). I know they're different ideas, but while BNW seems fantasy I could almost see Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia actually coming into existence soon.
My favourite novel I've ever read. (mild spoilers within, some marked, some not)
I've not read it in a while but think of society as breaking down into 3 level - the Inner Party, the Outer Party and the proles. The proles are far and away the biggest group of the three - the outer party pretty much exist solely to peddle the lies and convince the proles of what the Inner Party want them to believe.
It's a bleak book but it was beautifully done. I'll never forget reaching the end of the second part and being so shocked that
the inner party were on to them
I don't think I put the book down until I finished it. It's incredble how Orwell builds you up into thinking it's a story about
one man and his bringing the system down
when it's completely not, the way the third part just dismantles that and makes you feel stupid for believing it was possible. I'm not sure it had that impact in 1948 (pre modern-day blockbusters where the good guy overcomes the odds) but it certainly does now.
I did read a theory that all was not lost though. There's an appendix that explains double speak that's written in the past tense and this could be a clue that eventually
the party were brought down
. As much as I want it for Winston, I sincerely doubt it happened :/
Don't be *too* harsh on Brave New World (I had to do a comparative piece between 1984 and BNW once). You note that it's different, it certainly is and touches on different themes and although I still loved 1984 more, I still enjoyed BNW. And of course if you look at when the book was written and look at all the things it predicted it's quite startling in its own right.
Finally, if you're not read Animal Farm - either at all or recently - do so. I read it about a year and a half ago and though it was obviously written about communist Russia, it's quite scary how well it fits our present day...
My favourite novel I've ever read. (mild spoilers within, some marked, some not)
I've not read it in a while but think of society as breaking down into 3 level - the Inner Party, the Outer Party and the proles. The proles are far and away the biggest group of the three - the outer party pretty much exist solely to peddle the lies and convince the proles of what the Inner Party want them to believe.
It's a bleak book but it was beautifully done. I'll never forget reaching the end of the second part and being so shocked that
the inner party were on to them
I don't think I put the book down until I finished it. It's incredble how Orwell builds you up into thinking it's a story about
one man and his bringing the system down
when it's completely not, the way the third part just dismantles that and makes you feel stupid for believing it was possible. I'm not sure it had that impact in 1948 (pre modern-day blockbusters where the good guy overcomes the odds) but it certainly does now.
I did read a theory that all was not lost though. There's an appendix that explains double speak that's written in the past tense and this could be a clue that eventually
the party were brought down
. As much as I want it for Winston, I sincerely doubt it happened :/
Don't be *too* harsh on Brave New World (I had to do a comparative piece between 1984 and BNW once). You note that it's different, it certainly is and touches on different themes and although I still loved 1984 more, I still enjoyed BNW. And of course if you look at when the book was written and look at all the things it predicted it's quite startling in its own right.
Finally, if you're not read Animal Farm - either at all or recently - do so. I read it about a year and a half ago and though it was obviously written about communist Russia, it's quite scary how well it fits our present day...
