Book Review: Nineteen Eighty-Four

 

Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell 

My Rating: 4/5

2021 TBR: 7/25

 

Newspeak, Doublethink, Big Brother, the Thought Police – George Orwell’s world-famous satire coined new and potent words of warning for us all.

In 1984 the world is divided into three parts, Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia, all perpetually at war. In Oceania, the Party has created a totalitarian state that annihilates all opposition. In the forefront of the Party stands Big Brother, a figure of almost mythical power.

The story of Winston Smith’s rebellion against the Party, of his hatred of Big Brother, and of the thoughtcrime which must result in his destruction was first published in 1949. Now in the eighties – our present and Orwell’s brilliantly imaged future – his vision of brutalized and manipulated humanity is still gripping and still supremely relevant.

 

I know it is physically repulsive that as a GRADUATED literature student I haven’t read this already but, alas, this is true. I’ve of course known of it and known vaguely what it’s about because it’s so often referenced, in regular life, as well as in English Literature life.

I have finally read it. I have an edition that is so old (it was printed actually in 1984!) the glue is no longer sticky and all of the pages began to fall out as I turned them. I really enjoyed the novel. The novel is split into three parts; Part One; Part Two; Part Three. Even if it wasn’t it reads in this way too. My review will mainly focus on each part in turn.

 

Part One

We have an introduction to the world that Orwell has created. We learn with the strikingly brilliant first line that things are not as they may seem: ‘It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.’ This is a common theme throughout the novel: that time has been altered. Winston refers to the archaic 12 hour clocks, and they refer to time in a way that is odd and awkward for the reader:

‘What time do you leave work?’

‘Eighteen-thirty.’

…

‘What time?’

‘Nineteen hours.’

I think this clever switch in how the world within the novel reads and speaks about time, makes such a big difference. Even the way the residents of Oceania tell the time has changed. The Party have corrupted everything.

Within the first page we also get a look into the person who is running this strange world where clocks strike thirteen. A poster of an ‘enormous face’, covers the wall, ‘too large for indoor display’. This simple addition suggests the real overbearing nature of the world our protagonist lives in, with just this simple observation. This admission is probably Thought crime as well, suggesting that something done by the Party, for Big Brother, is 'too' anything. Too big, too controlling, too much power. The poster is of Big Brother, the leader of the Party. The slogan which is all too well known reads ‘BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.’

The rest of Part One describes more of the world Winston Smith lives in. It characterises him as a Party member working in the Records Department in The Ministry of Truth where he changes past documentation to align with the happenings and realities of the present. 

He is hired to alter the past to coincide with the Party’s doctrines and predictions; they can never be wrong. I think this whole aspect is so chilling to Winston, and the reader feels this too. This is something that I felt disturbed by so much. The actual changing of the past so that those in charge have only ever been correct is so dangerous. In a world where the term ‘fake news’ is thrown around and the media have an elitist agenda to serve very few, it is alarmingly relevant.

We learn about the strange life in Oceania under the Party. The Two Minutes Hate, the Thought Police, who can arrest people for thinking incriminating thoughts against the Party, the Telescreens that sit everywhere, watching and listening, the strangely backward slogans that govern everything the Party stands for:

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

Part One then is almost a deep dive into this world. We know Winston doesn’t really agree with this world. We know he has trained himself to look like he doesn’t think, he knows to appear plain and submissive in his facial expressions. We know he has bought a diary and a pen and wishes to write, an act that is full of suspicion and danger. We don’t, however, really know where this story might be headed.

Part Two

Part Two is where the plot really picks up. We’re now fairly familiar with the world of Big Brother and we encounter, Julia, a character we saw earlier but not for long. She is described in Part One as a ‘bold-looking girl’ with ‘thick hair, a freckled face, and swift, athletic movements.’ I knew she would turn out to be a poignant character because Orwell focalised on her so significantly, and because there really aren’t that many named characters in the novel. I think that’s supposed to make us feel how isolating and lonely this world is.

We have a strange interaction between Winston and Julia. Whilst walking past each other in the Ministry of Truth, Julia trips, Winston helps her up and slipped into his hand is a note saying only ‘I love you’.

This plays on Winston’s mind and we see the difficult and systematic attempts he makes to contact her. It’s such an interesting occurrence in this world that’s designed to leave you with no one to back you up, no one to rely on.

I really enjoyed this section for that reason. Julia is such a formidable and inspiring character. She takes her freedoms where she can, with a hard-headed attitude. I can’t wait to see how she’s ruined in a movie adaptation…

We spend a nice chunk of time with Winston and Julia as they fall in love and as they try their best to hide their relationship and secret meetings from the Party. It’s nice. You feel hopeful, as they must do. We are constantly reminded through Winston’s pessimism that their capture and death is inevitable. They decide that they will not lose to the Party as long as their love for each other remains. It’s what makes them human.

 

Part Three

I don’t want to overly spoil what comes next so I’ll keep it vague, but Part Three is when the inevitable happens. The unavoidable. I won’t say much more, except that this bit’s weird. It’s meant to be, I suppose, we are battling with philosophy, world power, delusion, torture, and misinformation. There is a long section focussed on two plus two making five, which references Winston earlier in the novel which I enjoyed. I think it’s a powerful metaphor and one that helped me to understand what was happening.

The ending is really satisfying in an odd way. I don’t think I was ever trying to imagine what would happen or what I wanted to happen, I usually just let the text take me there. I like the ending. It fits with what the reader and Winston has been through.

 

Overall, Orwell creates a chilling world that feels almost fearfully within reach. You can see how they got there, I am grateful that I believe we have enough brave people that believe in the human race and will stand up for what they believe in and make sure this never happens.

I’m giving this 4/5 stars, because I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it, but I’m really glad I read it. It’s one of those great literary works that I’ve been meaning to read for years, and it’s probably awful that it took me this long.

I’m looking forward to seeing the movie, and I hope that it’s done justice. I’d also love to see this as a play. Desperately. I think the theatre is probably the best place for it.

 

Thanks for being here.

As always you can follow the reading adventure over on Instagram: @artawaytheworld

 

Ellen Victoria