"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past."
- George Orwell
If you are looking for a classic hall-of-fame piece of English literature, the 1984 book should be your best pick.
The 1984 full book is a fictional world that metaphorically describes today's state of political affairs, despite the novel being written almost 40 years in the future.
This post discusses the 1984 book summary, review, book info, the purpose behind the expressions, and the 1984 book PDF.
Since the 1984 book is banned by many organizations due to its pro-communist approach, we have also discussed a way through which you can access the 1984 book PDF anytime and anywhere at your comfort.
So let's have an insight into Orwell's 1984 full book and what makes it promising even in today's date.
1984: Book Info
Book Name: 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
Originally Published: 8th June 1949
Author: George Orwell and Thomas Pynchon (Foreword)
Original Language: English
Genres: Dystopian/Utopian Literature, Social Criticism, Political Fiction, Social Science Fiction Novel
1984: The Author
Eric Arthur Blair or George Orwell (pen name) was an English author, novelist, essayist, critic, and journalist born on 25th June 1903 in Motihari, Bihar, British India. He is famous for his work characterized by lucid prose, opposition to totalitarianism, lucid prose, and support of democratic socialism.
He has produced many literary criticisms, fiction, poetry, and vitriolic journalism and is best known for his allegorical novel Animal Farm (1945) and the dystopian novel 1984 (1949). However, the latter sparked controversies in many nations and organizations due to its pro-communist political and social themes and sexual content.
Orwell has been in support of democratic socialism and expressed his political freedom and feelings that are highlighted in his society that is depicted in 1984.
1984: The Summary
In a nutshell, the 1984 book summary talks about utopian literature set in Oceania. It revolves around Winston Smith, who wrestles oppression at a place where the political party scrutinizes human actions with the ever-watchful "Big Brother."
Despite the odds, Winston dares to express his thoughts and expresses his individuality in a diary, and if that is not it, he even pursues a relationship with Julia.
Since it was a punishable offense, Winston's acts are considered as a punishable deed and bring him into the opposition's eyes, which then reforms the nonconformist.
1984 the book narrates the story of Winston, who questions the system that keeps his futuristic but utopian society afloat. But chaos ensues soon once he gives in to his natural curiosity and decides to be no longer enslaved.
The whole 1984 book theme discusses how the Party perpetuates the eloquence, "Big Brother is watching You," to inculcate and infuse psychological fear, rumination, and coercion in the people that forewarns a lack of individual freedom and solitary reflection within despotic and draconian regimes.
1984: The Review
1984 book review is something that teaches the readers that the most powerful way to control or authorize people is language.
The 1984 book has a slogan with three oxymorons, where Freedom is slavery, war is love/peace, and ignorance is strength. That represents the mentalities of the people of Oceania, highlighting how totalitarian regimes force their people to think what they want, regardless of the thoughts or approach being illogical, groundless, or baseless, in a way exploiting their freedom of speech or expression, or simply individuality.
It is revealed in the 1984 book how the 'Party' removes everyone's personal details so no one ever gets to know of their identities. There exists no records of age, biological parents, photographs, or any evidence that can help Winston distinguish between imagination and reality.
Big Brother is a historical reference to Hitler and Orwell's approach to 1984 the book takes the readers into thinking that despite the novel being dystopian literature, its extremist politics is still a reality.
The 1984 novel also introduces the concept of "Doublethink," where people hold two contradictory beliefs in their minds at the same time and, coincidentally, accept both of them. In addition, Orwell created "Newspeak," which the highlighted 'totalitarian government' utilizes to discourage free thinking among its people.
1984 The Book: PDF
George Orwell's 1984 book articulates the role of truth and facts that dwell within societies, and also the numerous ways through which they can be easily manipulated and exploited. Though 1984 is a novel based on dystopian literature written over seven decades back, its teachings are still relevant in the modern era, which is the reason it was criticized and is still banned in many nations and organizations.
But all this shouldn't exploit your rights to factual literature. If you aren't able to get a hard copy of the 1984 book but are keen not to let go of your individuality through Orwell's expressions, you can still grab a 1984 book PDF and access it on your own terms anywhere.
A PDF copy is easy to carry and read, giving you the ownership to go through the content in your comfort. Especially if you are a solo traveler or the commute is long, you can access the 1984 book PDF with a single click and dive into dystopian and political fiction right away.
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1984: What was Orwell's Purpose in Writing 1984?
So you may wonder what is the book 1984 about or what was Orwell's purpose in writing the 1984 book?
The novel is Orwell's urge through the 1984 full book to the audience to defend their individuality and independence before it is exploited in the hands of a few autocratic leaders.
The oxymoronic slogan "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength" reflects the dictatorial and tyrannical mentalities of the Party through which it runs its propaganda and brainwashes the people revealing the extreme extent of psychological control to ensure its power and stature is never questioned, despite it being irrationally unreasonable.
The Party's whole purpose is to instill propaganda and fear in its people and force them to believe without thinking, even if contradictory. It teaches the audience that power and tyranny are made possible through worlds and language, and how they are mediated easily.
Hence, people must wake up from slavery and take a stand to preserve their identity and individuality, or else they'll lose everything that defines them. In fact, Orwell wrote 1984 book in 1949, right after World War II ended, with the purpose of warning its readers that his 'dystopian expressions' shall never come into practice, even though such things existed in his time and tyranny prevailed in Spain, Germany, the Soviet Union, and many other countries.
Orwell's struggle with TB is an allegory of "Big Brother" as a disease. Ultimately, just like Orwell, who was close to dying, eventually, Winston dies at the end - though his death is metaphorical. But finally, Winston learns to love Big Brother and is finally happy.
The Bottom Line
The 1984 book is symbolic of the dangers of totalitarianism, physical control, and psychological manipulation. It depicts how the 'Party' controls every single piece of information to manage and rewrite the content for its own ends.
Since the 'people' are not allowed to keep any record of their past, viz., photographs, documents, etc., their memories eventually become fuzzy and unreliable, and they lose their identity and individuality., making them believe anything that the 'Party' proclaims.
So controlling the present and manipulating the past becomes a lot easier, and once the past is controlled, one can justify all the actions in the present. However, some readers may find it intense and disturbing due to the theme of sexual freedom.
