what problem has orwell presented in his book?

[binqker]

that is relevant in our world today??? is it solvable? please give some opinions. thanks

[Shea]

Um... which book?

If you're talking about 1984, which is the only one I've read so far, I think Orwell was sending a sort of message of warning, but I really don't believe he thought things could get that bad. But, hey, I don't really know much about it. I really didn't like the book because I'm a romantic and so I hated the ending.

[binqker]

yea im talking about 1984. but im not sure how he was sending a warning to the future...

just want to know what problem he was presenting?

[atiguhya padma]

1) The problem of individuality in a heavily pluralist state.
2) The problem of the dehumanising tendencies of modern technology
3) The problem of personal identity
4) The problem of thinking outside the box
5) The problem of bureaucracy

[binqker]

ok theres 5 problems he presented. by what means those represents?

[binqker]

so ''thinking out side the box'' is what im doing right now. and how can i relate something that is similar in todays world? therefore is it solvable?

[Stanislaw]

Orwell was saying that comunism is horrible, people need to be free, not constantly under control, he was basically bashing the commies.

[atiguhya padma]

He was also making statements about British society just after the war.

[Morriggan]

Orwell was a socialist, so I do not feel that he was strictly bashing comunism- at least not communism in a clearly Marxist sense. The problems that Orwell presents are those that occur when the people have allowed themselves to believe that they need a leader to be safe.
Orwell shows us on a large scale- perhaps exagerated- what can happen. Orwell has given us a warning. And without going in to a George Bush rant, I would have to say that we all should maybe take a good look at society because I feel there are some major similarites to Winston Smith's world and our own.
Orwell gave us so many aspects to look at that made up the world of Oceania, but I think that atiguhya padma hit the nail just about on the head with some of her suggestions. Orwell deffinately warns of a pluralist society. Pluralism separates the common people from government and paves the way for one group to take control. In a pluralist country you only have to win over the interest groups and the common people, feeling that the work of keeping the government under control is the work of those groups, will follow willingly. The people will feel that their best interests have been represented. This is what would allow a Orwellian Government to take control.
I also agree that personal identity is something that Orwell gives us to consider. Winston goes over the idea of what make s a person insane- i.e. a minoriy of one. This also ties tightly in with the idea of a plualist society. You are either part ofa group or you do not have an identity. Winston goes over in his mind whether beinga monority makes him the only insane person in Oceania of the only sane person. This is something that comes up in everyday society. We all must conform to societal norms in order to succeed and often when we are alone those norms fall away. Often a person find themselves in a place wher they see that those rules of society do not fit him and then he wonders what is wrong with him: if everyone else can do it, why can't he?
Guess it would be best to stop there. I didn't mean to make my first post so long.. but Iam inthe process of writing a term paper on this book and I guess I composed a good portion of it here.
:D