“But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother- Pg. 226.” This quote really hit me when I finished this novel. I finally realized the horrors of communistic societies that George Orwell was trying to capture, and man did he! George Orwell’s classical novel of 1984 is set in Oceania, which is present day London, is one of the world’s superpowers. In this communistic society, Big Brother is the governing body over this empire which controls every aspect of their citizens’ lives. Any unconformity in thought or deed is immediately caught by the thought police and then you are essentially eliminated. Our main character Winston has had thoughts that don’t conform to the parties beliefs for many years. His main objective is to revolt against Big Brother. In this society, will he be successful in his actions? That is not for me to say.


 

If anyone is to write a novel that contrasts with the post WW2 scene and feel, it would be Orwell. In this time of despair and uncertainty, he was really able to capture the tone of civilization back then. Orwell’s character in his writing is charming and the way this story precedes is magnificent. The plot, setting, characters, and just about everything about this novel is truly genuine and real. The only complaint about this novel that I have is at some points it can become a little dry, particularly in the middle to the end of book two. But overall, this novel is a classic that should be read for ages to come.

The thing I was most shocked about by this novel though, was how it in many ways, reflected our present day society. Being written some sixty years ago, it is astounding at how accurate he could have been with his thought. His idea of continuous warfare accurately describes our society today, the War on Terror being one example. Our societies tendency to believe true everything we hear, and also how the government tracks our lives through social media, bank accounts, and many other ways. Is our society comparable to that of 1984? I don’t think so, but there are distinct similarities. The way he captured our society now sixty years ago, makes his writing all the more magical, and this is one of the characteristics that makes it a great novel.