1984
By Christopher N., Brooklyn, NY
Think about the environment that surrounds you while you read this review. You are probably in a safe, reasonably comfortable place. Now, if you were in the world of 1984, you’d be reading this surrounded by telescreens that constantly watch you while announcing false but true news bulletins, posters with a moustached man known as Big Brother, and beetle-like workers. That is, of course, if you are not at home, which would be a small, more-or-less empty apartment with a telescreen to see your every move.
Originally published in 1949, the novel takes place in the super state Oceania, where the fascist, totalitarian, socialist, and omnipotent government structure, Ingsoc (English Socialism), rules the land. Ingsoc encourages the system of thought known as doublethink (“the power of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously, and accepting both of them”) and thus creates the three slogans that summarize the world of 1984: “War is Peace,” “Freedom is Slavery,” “Ignorance is Strength.”
The protagonist is Winston Smith, a man who thinks and remembers too much for his own good. Little by little, he
realizes that things are not as they should be and they should change. With this idea, a strong instinct, and an ethical mind, he hazards his life - the life of “the last man in Europe.”
An extremely moving, well-written, interesting, anti-totalitarian, and quite scary book, 1984 takes first place in my book rankings. And with Orwell’s brilliant mind and his succinct, vivid style, you can’t go wrong. But don’t think this is a fun read. It is serious - Orwell changed history with this book that sparked a realization and motivation in me, and may in you, too.
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