Some "content" and perspectives in Orwell's 1984

1. {
1984
George Orwell
DYSTOPIAN political satire

2. What is political satire?
 A political satire uses parody, irony and other
techniques to create a nonsense/humourous/sarcastic
response - while calling for change
 It is a tale of oppressed individuals who long for
freedom and trust-worthy leaders
IT IS A CAUTIONARY/PROPHETIC TALE ABOUT THE
NATURE OF POWER

3. Significance Today
 The power of political satire is that it requires us to make
comparisons and connections
 In that process we can’t help but compare the events and
themes to the world of today
 Abuse Tyranny Power
 Betrayal Idealism Corruption

4. “Satire is focused bitterness.”
--Leo Rosten
Satire

5. Satire
 Satire occurs when the writer ridicules (makes fun of) an issue often to
provoke change or make a comment on some element of society
 Satire is not always funny
 Sometimes it hits “below the belt”
 Uses sarcasm, irony, parody, wit
 Can be light and humorous—”Simpsons”
 More serious and “biting”—Animal Farm

6.  He wants to show the faults of the system
 He wants to criticize the leadership
 "Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936
has been written, directly or indirectly, against
totalitarianism...Animal Farm was the first book in which I
tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse
political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole." –
George Orwell
Satire

7.  The position or vantage point from which a story is
presented to the reader
 Third-person Omniscient POV
 The narrator relates the thoughts and feelings of any
of the characters in an all-knowing (omniscient)
manner
Point Of View