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Learn about the plot, themes, and characters of George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984. Follow Winston Smith, a rebel against the totalitarian Party, as he falls in love, joins the Brotherhood, and faces torture and betrayal.
- Chapters Vii–Viii
A summary of Book One: Chapters VII & VIII in George...
- Themes
1984 is a political novel written with the purpose of...
- Chapters Ii–Iii
A summary of Book One: Chapters II & III in George Orwell's...
- Important Quotes
Explanation of the famous quotes in 1984, including all...
- Video Summary
1984 Video Plot Summary . Previous section Key Facts. Did...
- Allusions
Payment Summary. SparkNotes Plus . You'll be billed after...
- Chapter I
A summary of Book One: Chapter I in George Orwell's 1984....
- Character List
A list of all the characters in 1984. 1984 characters...
- Chapters Vii–Viii
Learn the main events and themes of the dystopian novel 1984, set in a future world where a totalitarian regime controls every aspect of life. Follow Winston Smith, a rebellious Outer Party member, as he falls in love, rebels, and is tortured by the Thought Police.
Nineteen Eighty-Four (also published as 1984) is a dystopian novel and cautionary tale by English writer George Orwell. It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell's ninth and final book completed in his lifetime.
- George Orwell
- 1949
- Overview
- Summary
- Analysis
Nineteen Eighty-four, novel by English author George Orwell published in 1949 as a warning against totalitarianism. The chilling dystopia made a deep impression on readers, and his ideas entered mainstream culture in a way achieved by very few books. The book’s title and many of its concepts, such as Big Brother and the Thought Police, are instantl...
The book is set in 1984 in Oceania, one of three perpetually warring totalitarian states (the other two are Eurasia and Eastasia). Oceania is governed by the all-controlling Party, which has brainwashed the population into unthinking obedience to its leader, Big Brother. The Party has created a propagandistic language known as Newspeak, which is designed to limit free thought and promote the Party’s doctrines. Its words include doublethink (belief in contradictory ideas simultaneously), which is reflected in the Party’s slogans: “War is peace,” “Freedom is slavery,” and “Ignorance is strength.” The Party maintains control through the Thought Police and continual surveillance.
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The book’s hero, Winston Smith, is a minor party functionary living in a London that is still shattered by a nuclear war that took place not long after World War II. He belongs to the Outer Party, and his job is to rewrite history in the Ministry of Truth, bringing it in line with current political thinking. However, Winston’s longing for truth and decency leads him to secretly rebel against the government. He embarks on a forbidden affair with Julia, a like-minded woman, and they rent a room in a neighbourhood populated by Proles (short for proletariats). Winston also becomes increasingly interested in the Brotherhood, a group of dissenters. Unbeknownst to Winston and Julia, however, they are being watched closely (ubiquitous posters throughout the city warn residents that “Big Brother is watching you.”).
Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-four as a warning after years of brooding on the twin menaces of Nazism and Stalinism. Its depiction of a state where daring to think differently is rewarded with torture, where people are monitored every second of the day, and where party propaganda trumps free speech and thought is a sobering reminder of the evils of ...
Learn about the plot, themes, and characters of George Orwell's dystopian classic 1984, set in a totalitarian state where Big Brother controls everything. Find book summaries, quizzes, flashcards, and more on SparkNotes.
Learn about the first chapter of George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, in which Winston Smith, a Party official, rebels against the totalitarian regime by writing in a diary. Find out the themes, characters, and plot developments of this chapter and how they relate to the rest of the book.
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Learn about the dystopian novel 1984 by George Orwell, set in a totalitarian society where Big Brother rules and Thought Crime is punishable. Follow Winston Smith, a disillusioned Party member, who rebels against the regime with Julia, his lover, and faces brutal torture and brainwashing.
