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 A shocking book March 16, 2010
K. Antley (USA)
I think I recall reading this in highschool, but of course, did not realize it's value at the time. Upon reading it 20 years later, I was amazed! This was a very shocking book in that when it was written there was no way the author could have known what would have been invented or happening in our present time or in 1984. It reads like fiction, but we know it is reality. He sheds light on many events that are already in motion, even though government may not make it official to the public. This book is a warning of just how terrible life could be if we continue to be blinded by what we are told by the media; how truth is distorted by the deliverer and their masters and how humans will ultimately destroy themselves for the sake of power if allowed to do so. Of course history does repeat itself, I hope that will be proven incorrect.
A high schoolers opinion of the classic novel 1984 March 16, 2010
Domino (arlington heights IL)
George Orwell created an interesting but slightly disturbing look at life in his idea of a future world in 1984. He does a brilliant job using symbolism and he really shows some of the flawed points of government and people. His purpose with this novel was to inform people to be aware of what is going on and try not to lost their brains as they follow the crowd. Another important point that he tries to get across is how too much power can corrupt people.
George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Blair, was born in 1903 in a British colony of India. He was most well known in his time for being a journalist, but today he is remembered for his novels. Animal farm is one of his most famous novels along with 1984.
Orwell has many good points and does a wonderful job in passing on those lessons throughout much of the book. That is untill the ending where many of these lessons are then blurred in a confusing, creative, and chilling cliffhanger. While for me the ending was a little disappointing, I can see how many others would enjoy it. I personally prefer endings that are more resolved.
I think that the book tells an intriguing story that will keep the reader on their toes the entire time. On top of that, the characters are wonderfully written and easy to relate to. I found that the goals were well represented. Overall, I think that this is a classic story that is full of excitment, terror, and love. I would recommend it to anyone I know who is looking for a good book.
 Disturbing and Relevent February 27, 2010
Galgar
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It may be said that great books comment on their times, and on the human experience, but masterpieces actually shape history. We may look at George Orwell's 1984 in two ways: first, his description of the terror of totalitarianism, which his generation witnessed firsthand in the form of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. Orwell does a masterful job of presenting such a world in its day-to-day reality, the unspoken weight of oppression found in police states, the everpresent fear that becomes natural after a while, the ease with which that fear eventually makes you just go along with it all.
But history has also shown us that totalitarianism eventually burns itself out, that it cannot be sustained in the long run. This is scant reassurance for its millions of victims, true, but maybe a bit of hope for the rest of us. The second point about 1984, and the thing that makes it a masterpiece, is the way that it has shaped our culture today, not through its description of totalitarianism itself but the way it describes the very real methods used by governments and ideologies to control us. Terms like "doublethink" are now a part of our daily discourse, describing not the subjects of totalitarian states like North Korea but the modern, wealthy democracies that claim to be free. And this is the most chilling message of Orwell's novel: you don't need to be in a totalitarian regime to be controlled by clever propaganda. You don't need to have the police cameras in your home. You only need the fear of them, or the belief that war is peace or that torture is justice or that history is a thing that the powerful are entitled to rewrite for their own ends. Because self-censorship is every bit as complete as the regular kind, and is actually preferred by those who would control us, since it's far cheaper and easier than putting an actual gun to your head.
A frightening book that just may haunt you for days February 22, 2010
Steven (Colorado, USA)
1984 is one of those rare books that really affected me right down to my very core. I was actually a little shaken up after reading it. Going in I knew this wasn't going to be a happy story but I didn't realize the lasting impact it would have on me.
1984 is a book about totalitarian control over a society. Big Brother is always watching. Always.
This story follows Winston Smith. He works for the Ministry of Truth. The Ministry of Truth is hardly as truthful as the name implies. His job is to fabricate history and rewrite it. History has been rewritten so many times that nobody seems to know true history - Winston perpetuates these "truths" so that the party is always correct.
In Oceana there are no real freedoms. You don't even have the freedom to think. Right from the beginning Winston shows signs of going against the party. He covertly writes in his journal, which is not allowed but at the same time he blends in, he does his job and he does his best to keep the spotlight off of him. Soon enough he meets a young energetic (and oblivious) girl named Julia who is also going behind the back of Big Brother.
I'm not going to go much further into the story, this is something you just have to read yourself. This book hooked me right from the beginning and I charged through it in just 2 sittings (something a bit abnormal for me, I'm a little bit of a slow reader). I just couldn't put this book down.
I'll try to leave the story be, but I do want to bring up one of the more disturbing aspects of this book - newspeak. Newspeak is a language (or dumbing down of the English language) that is being developed throughout the book and its the only language in the world where words are being stripped away from the lexicon, rather then added. The new language strips away the feeling of words, for example the phrase "All men are equal" doesn't make sense in newspeak because "equal" would only mean equal in size, not equal in freedoms. The greatly simplified language is being developed to dumb down society, to control thought.
1984 hit me like a ton of bricks. I was actually quite emotionally drained after reading it. I'm typically not too much of a softy with these types of things but 1984 successfully made my eyes well up a bit and may be the only book that has done this to me. At times I almost wanted to tear this book apart, only because I didn't want it to even exist in my imagination - not because it's a bad book. Yes 1984 is frightening. Very frightening.
I'm currently playing catch-up, trying to read all of the books I should have read in my younger days. If I ever read a better book I will update this review, until then I must say 1984 is the best book I have ever read.
A Chilling Story February 18, 2010
Andrew (Chicago)
1984
By George Orwell
Signet Classics. $9.99
(Ages 14 and up)
Reviewed by:
High School Freshman
George Orwell is a gifted writer who has written many novels, several of them involving government and politics. In this creative and haunting book, he attempts to reach out to his readers to show them what the world might be if the use of technology and invasion of government without proper boundaries can be disastrous to humankind and society.
George Orwell, pseudonym of Eric Blair, wrote many novels in his lifetime. Many of Mr. Orwell's novels will be read from generation to generation. This was thanks to his great creativity in his writing. One good example of his imagination and creativity is when he wrote one of his most famous novels, which used symbolism to recognize the government, politicians, and effects of the Russian Revolution, is the short but clever book, Animal Farm. Mr. Orwell uses similar elements of government in 1984 to illustrate the evils of governments and what they can inflict on its people.
Based on the great detail, originality, and the vivid depiction of Winston's struggle in 1984, I believe the Mr. Orwell has successfully portrayed a negative utopia. For example, in part three, chapter five, Winston, the main character, was placed into the torture chamber of Room 101. Here, he was tortured and beaten in order to clear his head of freedom and independence in order to replace it with the government ideas and propaganda. This chapter shows that there is fragile line between governmental control and supervision, and the dangers of mind control in an entire society.
There are both weaknesses and strengths in this novel. One weakness is that George Orwell's explanation of societal views is complicated and difficult to understand without extensive knowledge of political ideologies. In order to fully comprehend what is going on and to understand the symbolism he is using, the reader must be knowledgeable in governmental studies. Although these factors seem to detract from the book, there is one important strength that really makes this book fantastic. This great strength is his use of symbolism and reference. There is more to the story than reader may initially think. I am sure if I reread this book ten or even twenty years from now, I will view this story in a different perspective.
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