1. 1984
By George Orwell

3. George Orwell Pen name: Eric Arthur Blair Born in India, June 25, 1903
Composed satires attacking totalitarianism
Known for clear style, shrewd political awareness and stringent satires

4. Author’s Purpose
To warn society against the dangers of total govrenment control
To cause an awareness of the need for language and history to retain humanity

5. Big Questions
How does the devolution of free thought lead to the evolution of an overly controlling ruling body?
How does the loss of language and history serve to weaken humanity?

6. Background Info.
Orwell joined Imperial Police in Burma—caused awareness of British imperialism
investigated lives of the urban poor-developed distrust of capitalist society
Developed dislike of totalitarian form of government

7. Totalitarianism
Ruling group has complete control over every aspect of life both personal and public
1984 speaks directly to this type of rule: Big Brother=Stalin?

8. Important Info. Genre: dystopian fiction- opposite of a utopian
Published: 1949
Setting: London, England (Airstrip One); bleak and oppressive, no set date; abject poverty; a ruling elite of 2%; Oceania
Tone: frustrated, pessimistic, dark, foreboding
Themes: the dangers of totalitarianism, the importance of language to humanity
Symbols: Big Brother, the glass paperweight, the telescreens, chocolate, Goldstein’s Book,
POV: third person omniscient

9. Characters Winston Smith protagonist
Lives in memories, dreams, and a longing for the past
Falls in love with Julia which causes his demise; eventually betrays her
Humanity torn from him in “Room 101”

10. Char. Cont. Julia 26 years old and a whimsical spirit
Contrast/Foil to Winston: alive, lives in the present, young, and has a lust for life
Seemingly “devoted” to the Party; cover so she can “live”
Betrays Winston
Becomes a shell of her once lively self

11. Char. Cont. O’Brien Member of the Inner Party
Befriends Winston to ultimately betray him
Winston feels a bond to him: fatherly, loves him like Big Brother
Gives Winston knowledge of real history; validates him and then tears him down
Goldstein’s book: “The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism”
Causes both Winston and Julia’s demise

12. Cont. Big Brother Omnipresent
Does not actually exist-founder of the Party
Revered and honored like a god
Irony is that the words he speaks are created by those like Winston as they rewrite history

13. Minor Characters Katharine- Winston’s wife; no love
Mr. Charrington- owns store and rents Winston the room above
Syme-philologist working on Newspeak dictionary; Winton’s friend
Ampleforth- poet working on Oldspeak poems; sent to Room 101 for leaving in “God”
Tom Parsons- Winston’s co-worker and neighbor, given up to Thought Police by his child

14. The World… Setting is after a nuclear war in the future
Big Brother assumes control over all
No free or independent thought allowed
Democracy replaced by tyranny
History is lost—Memory holes, Winston’s job, Thought Police
No love or sincere affection

15. Winston’s Process Towards Self-Awareness
Learning—Part One
Begins diary: “Down With Big Brother” :
signifies the importance of the written word (39-40, 43-44, 51-52, 57)
Witnesses “dark haired girl”: no name yet; is not aware
Works for Records Dep’t of the Ministry of Truth
Meets and is drawn to O’Brien (11)
Explains the world around him but does not react to it: Winston is a “lonely ghost” (27)
First sees the “room” above the shop –it later becomes his outlet and ironically, his demise: concept of being “vaporized” (61)
Describes memories of wife and home life- devoid of passion or love, merely “functional” (64-67)
Big Brother and Thought Police are reality- section ends with the Party’s motto (69, 70-72, 77-78)

16. Part Two--Understanding
Dark haired girl makes contact (is she Thought Police?)
Enemy in front of him vs. human creature in need ( )
P.115: symbolic “birth” of Winston as he meets
Julia in crowd- (read/note purposeful diction)
Experience the “Golden Country” and learn each others names—symbolically more aware/ID
Julia challenges him (“keep the small rules and break the big ones” (129)/Sex as a political act; aware that things need to change (126)
Physically healing—body and mind; his ulcer is healing, he is happier
Reads Goldstein’s philosophy- rebellion continues: ( , = foreshadowing, = concept of betrayal
Ironically, section ends w/ being taken by O’Brien- he sees Thought Police for the first time, concept of “doublethink” (214)

17. Part Three--Acceptance
Enters the Ministry of Love
“unwholesome kind of hunger”(225) gnawing at
his gut
Witnesses fallen co-workers Ampleforth (230) and Parsons (232)
Knows O’Brien is head/resists him up to a point
Argues that past is true ( )
( , )
Made to enter Room 101
Falls to human flaw: natural inclination to avoid pain-wishes harm to Julia
Julia turned,- Winston realizes his fault and accepts it
Now believes the paradox- “He loved Big Brother.”– he gives in/Orwell’s fear for humanity ( , 269= concept of power; 284= fear of rats, 297= Love of BB)