”1984”
Written by George Orwell

 George Orwell was born Eric Blair in 1903 India. He was a scholarship student in a prestigious boarding school called Eton and described his family as “lower-upper middle class”.

“1984” is probably the most famous book that describes the dangers of a dystopian society. It criticizes the abuse of power by a government on its people and also details how the mechanisms of control operate in a totalitarian regime. The world of the main character, Winston Smith, is a frightening place. This is a cautionary tale as well as a criticism of some governments in the world today. It´s also the story of a society where its people refuse to commit to action and sacrifice in order to earn positive change and build a semblance of the society they dream of. Oceania is a society where the government has too much control over the minds and bodies of the citizens.

“1984” is a masterpiece among the greatest works in literature.

Winston Smith is a low ranking member in the political party that runs Oceania. He works in The Ministry of Truth which produces the lies and propaganda to the public. The Minnistry of Truth is a governmental organization that lies to the people and tells them what to think.

He is fed up with the control and oppression that he suffers on a daily basis. In this world the government is in a constant state of war against a created enemy and its own people. There are television screens everywhere in every room that constantly monitor everybody around the clock and arrest anybody suspected of wrongdoing. The whole economy is based on the perpetual warfare model and people are indoctrinated into believing the lies of the government. They are brainwashed through rallies and ads on the television screen. Even the children are brainwashed to turn their own parents in like during Nazi Germany or the French Revolution. In this society people aren´t allowed to interact freely or normally and aren´t allowed sex. Every aspect of the individual´s life is controlled through fear and brainwashing. They have a language that is constantly being shortened to get people to think less. They call that language “Newspeak”. Every version of the newspeak dictionary is shorter and shorter.

Oceania is a world without any of the basic freedoms and all the people living in it are miserable and afraid, except the top members of the party who break all the rules and behave sadistically.

Winston makes a very accurate observation when he states that the only hope for society lies with the proletariats, who are a neglected, looked down upon people.

The second half of the book explains very well the social planning of the government. OBrein talks about the perpetual warfare model that has the sole purpose of exerting control over the population. He reveals that the government of Oceania is built on lies and isn´t meant to last or benefit the individual outside the ruling class. This society is a stagnant one headed for collapse because it fears change as the enemy and does not solve its real problems or plan for the future beyond the next war. It is a society obsessed with the control of the citizens and sees that as the solution to every problem.

I highly recommend “1984” as a must read and a book everyone should own. There was also a movie made that does justice to the book and is worth seeing.

(Commentary by www.ink2quill.com )
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