I need help understanding this book. I do know that Orwell is making predictions of his future and that they are accurate. He was right on how we are being surveyed constantly but I dont understand what the basic plot of the book is.. If you still dont understand what im getting at then ill simplify. I dont know what he`s trying to say about are future other than were being surveyed.
help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I have not actually read the book, but both of my sisters and parents have, so I think I understand the general plot. The main character tries to understand the society that he lives in, and something about his mother? The part where she is in the mourge like place and he visits her is the only part I have read = ). This probably doesn't help, but...oh well!
First off, Spark Notes (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/1984/) has a very good summary plus thoughtful analysis of all the chapters. This should help you understand as you read.
Orwell's intent was to warn against the evils of totalitarianism disguising itself in false concern for the poor, as many of his colleagues were enamored of the Soviets. No doubt the Party refers to the Soviet Communist party and their brutal ways. Almost every aspect of their daily life (Hate Week, Junior Spies, Spontaneous Demonstrations, Thought Police) has some parallel to the Soviets.
An overriding theme is the rewriting of history. As all links to the past are outlawed, one's memory will eventually fade and accept whatever the Party tells them as gospel. The Ministry of "Truth" does nothing but twist and contort the truth to meet the present-day situation. People are not only executed, but all evidence of their very existence is eliminated. Worst still, is that the workers (including Winston) know that they are conspirators in these lies, yet willingly go along with it. Soon enough, they believe their own lies.
Another aspect is the concept of individuality and freedom. Newspeak is supposed to eliminate any words that could conceivably foster independent thoughts. The Party members are expected to be one homogenous group of loyal robots, who need not think for themselves but merely spout the official propaganda without logical thought or reason (duckspeak). The ultimate irony is in the lunch scene when Parsons is extolling the Ministry of Plenty and how great the economic conditions are said to be, but in the very next sentence he asks Winston for a razor blade because the razor rations have run out.
Today there are certainly some things that have come true, albeit to a much lesser extent. The elimination of undesired words from our vocabulary (political correctness), history revisionism (almost any political campaign has this) and traffic light cameras (surveillance) are but a few examples.
Last edited by cr4909; 12-06-2005 at 08:38 PM.
Orwell, by writing this book was trying to warn us about the future. He was trying to show us what was going to happen if we weren't careful. I believe the telescreens were to warn us about how technological advances could harm our society if used incorrectly.
good point i have read the book more deaply and i think ive figured out the basic plot with help from waht you guys have posted thanks
I do not understand this novel either. I also understand that Orwell is predicting the future, but what i do not understand is the way life is set up back then. People were classed and i do not understand what Orwell is getting at . If someone can help me with htis topic please reply and help me understand this.
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