do i think this book is high school appropriate? maybe for a senior class, but definitely not for tenth graders; even if we are in honors. i think it would be better understood if it was read in college because then we wouldnt have to use our notes on tests and quizzes. i did not like reading this whatsoever, it is a college level book in my opinion.
What age is a tenth grader?
According to Aldous Huxley, D.H. Lawrence once said that Balzac was 'a gigantic dwarf', and in a sense the same is true of Dickens.
Charles Dickens, by George Orwell
15-16
You may have a point. I notice that the book is not one of the books on the syllabus for 15-16 year-olds in British schools. Animal Farm is, but that is an easier book. 1984 does not seem to appear in English literature syllabuses for 17-18 year-olds neither. I am surprised about that. I struggled with 1984 as a 16-year-old, but mainly because it was different to every book I had read until then. I read Animal Farm at school, liked it, and tried to read 1984 in my own time. I gave up when I realised, by the decreasing number of pages left, that Winston was never going to escape, join the counter-revolution and bring down Big Brother. I felt a bit cheated. 1984 is quite a mature book. Up to age sixteen, I suppose most of the books I had read were quests. In The Lord of the Rings, everyone is on a quest to destroy Sauron's ring. In Watership Down, the rabbits are on a quest to find a safe warren. I think 1984 can be termed an 'ironic' book. Winston fails to achieve anything. 1984 contains some deep ideas, many of which Orwell had been ruminating on for years, and which you can also read in his essays. For example, the abuse of language to control thought, and the ability of people to make themselves believe what it suits them to.
According to Aldous Huxley, D.H. Lawrence once said that Balzac was 'a gigantic dwarf', and in a sense the same is true of Dickens.
Charles Dickens, by George Orwell
I've already made the same comment tonight, and it's a common thread with the book at school.
While you may not understand it now, when you re-read it in 10 or 15 years, you will get a much better understanding of it all.
Go to work, get married, have some kids, pay your taxes, pay your bills, watch your tv, follow fashion, act normal, obey the law and repeat after me: "I am free."
Anon
I read 1984 at 15, a few of my friends did too. I don't see why a 15-16 year old would find it difficult to understand it's not a very complicated book.
I don't think that the story itself is very difficult, but figuring the underlying themes and meanings that Orwell is putting in is a very difficult thing to do. "reading between the lines" is not always the easiest. And while some readers may find the book a quick read, others may not.
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