Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell’s Dystopia

Literary Significance One of the most influential political novels of our century Added vocabulary to our everyday speech Fascinating plot and vivid characters Although the year 1984 has passed, the questions Orwell leaves us with remain relevant today

Themes Dangers of Totalitarianism The Attack on Privacy The Control of Language The Destruction of History The Value of Memory The Appreciation on the Past The Fallibility of the Human Mind

Symbols/Motif Urban decay (motif) Big Brother Paperweight/rhyme “The Place Where there is no Darkness” Red-armed prole woman Winston’s diary

Winston Smith Late 30s, lonely, in poor health, separated Alienated by his awareness/intellectual Rebels - diary/Julia Needs to understand the past Afraid of rats Is broken in the end "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 300

Julia Young, beautiful, sensual Devious – plans trysts and pretends well Small scale rebellion Not intellectual Longs to be feminine O’Brien says she gives up easily "she only questioned the teachings of the Party when they in some way touched upon her own life. Often she was ready to accept the official mythology, simply because the difference between truth and falsehood did not seem important to her." pg 154

O’Brien Complex/paradoxical Burly and imposing, wears glasses and adjusts them – “refined” Tormentor/saviour ''Do you remember writing in your diary …'that it did not matter whether I was a friend or an enemy, since I was at least a person who understood you and could be talked to? You were right. I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind except that you happen to be insane.' pg. 271

Minor Characters of Interest Syme – represents the Party’s unwillingness to allow unique minds to exist. He is vaporised. “One of these days, thought Winston with sudden deep conviction, Syme will be vaporized. He is too intelligent… The Party does not like such people”. Parsons – a typically orthodox man. His imprisonment at the end reinforces the injustice of the system “…one of those completely unquestioning, devoted drudges on whom…the stability of the Party depended." —pg 22

Discussion Topics Newspeak – use in your essay and discuss as a method of mind control Proles – Winston/Orwell thinks they might be the only hope Past artifacts and Winston’s obsession Expression of energy through 2 mins hate Telescreens Winston’s memories and dreams

Children are evil – new generation The inherent contradiction of party slogans The relationship between Winston and O’Brien Winston’s betrayal of Julia – the last of his humanity?

Key Quotes cont’d “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime is death." —pg 27 “Who controls the past …controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." —pg 32 “If there was hope, it must lie in the proles..” – pg 60 “We are the dead”.