communication breakdown

Book Review: 1984 (1949)

[ 10 / 10 ] George Orwell's masterpiece is a book of stunning force which presents a chilling vision of a not-too-distant future. Though the story literally takes place in the year 1984, even now, 20 years after its passing, his warnings are all too pertinent to our society. The book is well known for its political critiques, but what is often overlooked are the philosophical questions which Orwell attempts to address. But the most obvious feature of the novel is the sheer ferocity of his writing, which is likely to leave you speechless at times. There is no doubt that he is a man of strong convictions, and he has translated his fears, doubts, and concerns in a most captivating way...

The protagonist and main character of the story is Winston Smith, a man living in a world without concept of individuality. He lives in a city named London, in a country called Oceania, which we later learn is one of three major "super-states". Those who paid attention in history should notice that Oceania resembles Stalinist Russia taken to the extreme. There is a single, unified government, with one party (called The Party) and one leader, the enigmatic Big Brother.

Society is comprised of a caste system with 3 classes. The Inner Party are the select few who maintain the iron-fisted government and are the most loyal to Big Brother and the ideals of the Party. The Outer Party (to which Winston belongs) represents about 15% of the population, and are charged with carrying out the day-to-day operations of the Party. Most of them do their work without any real thought as to who or what they are accomplishing. Nevertheless, they are constantly watched and monitored to ensure that they remain loyal. The rest of the society are the dumb masses, referred to as "the proles" (sound familiar?). They are virtually ignored throughout the book, considered by the Party to be useless and incapable of any threat to the government. They are allowed to go about their own business and live life as they see fit, which should sound very similar to early 20th-century life.

In the first of three parts of the book, we are introduced to Oceania through Winston's eyes. Shocking enough is the governmental control of the people - propagandist posters on every wall, "telescreens" in every room which monitor civilian action, the conditions of poverty in which everyone lives. But what is really chilling is when Winston goes to work and begins telling us about how the Party functions. Winston's job, in essence, is to rewrite history whenever the Party decides that something should be changed. The Party deals in absolutism - when something is said, not only is it true, it has always been true - and Winston's job is to help make that possible by destroying any evidence to the contrary. If the Party says it is at war with one of the other super-states, every reference that has ever been written that contradicts this must be rewritten. Literature, poetry, periodicals - no written word is safe from their grasp. It is by these means that the Party controls knowledge, and thus truth.

Humanity in Oceania is at best an empty shell. People are vessels, filled not with their own hopes and dreams, but with Party ideology and direction. Since people are monitored continuously, any sign of a wayward thought or dissenting opinion can be seen and eliminated, with the help of the Thought Police, who are charged with destroying any who pose a threat to the Party. Such people are not just killed - they are eliminated from all record; they never existed. For the most part, however, this precaution isn't even needed. Most of the people have been born since the Party assumed power, and thus the thought of fighting the Party would never occur to them. The rest have been brainwashed and convinced that the Party is perfect and worthy of love in every way. However, for some people, humanity and freedom just cannot be erased from their minds - they can't help but feel that something is wrong, missing. Winston has always felt this way, never fully buying into the Party. He has been able to hide it successfully until now, when we meet him. That's just when his problems start...

As I mentioned earlier, there's no doubt that 1984 serves as a scathing critique of totalitarian regimes such as Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany. The similarities are obvious (and intentionally so), and he makes some excellent points against Communism. The future he paints is so harrowing that we cannot afford to ignore its warning. I have to wonder how much of the course of history has altered because of this book, at least in the minds and thoughts it has changed. Nowadays the threat of Communism is roughly non-existent, but at the time of its writing, I'm sure the book sent shockwaves throughout the world.

But I still think what makes the book timeless are the other questions it raises. While the first part of the book is political and descriptive in nature, he really changes gears into the realm of the philosophical and psychological. There are excellent discourses on what is reality and what is sanity. He also poses a question about human nature, and whether or not it can be eliminated, or merely suppressed. There are even some frightening insights into the ideas of pain and relationships.

However, please don't think that this book is all ideas and nothing concrete. Orwell's story is a thrilling ride - he has a vast technical imagination, and even invents his own language, Newspeak, to shed more light on the culture. It's not surprising that several Newspeak words have become popular references in English as well. Clearly 1984 is one of the most important works of our time.

Whether you read it for its literary significance, or because you want a good story, you will be satisfied either way. But more than just satisfaction, you will likely be psychologically affected as well. It is probably the strongest book I've ever read, and you shouldn't be surprised if you walk away with a little worry for the future, and a little more appreciation for human nature...