Nineteen Eighty-Four

Prepared by
Hina Parmar &
Trushali Dodiya

Points to
ponder
Introduction
Biography of George Orwell
Writing Style
Major Works
Themes of Writing
Key Facts
Major concepts in 1984
Major Characters
Plot
Character study
Symbolic study
Thematic Study

Introduction
● Orwell started writing 'Nineteen
Eighty- four in August 1946 and
completed it in November 1948.
● The book was first published on June
8, 1949. It created some bitter
political controversy.
● Critics considered this book as one
of the most important books of the
age. It was translated into twenty
three languages and in 1956 it was
made into a successful film.
1966
1962
1980

● This Novel 'Nineteen Eighty four is
primarily a satire at Soviet Russia, it is
also in some ways directed against the
British society of Orwell's time. Orwell saw
elements of Oceania in England of his
own day as well, not to speak of the
United states.
● The novel portrays the very real political
terrorism of Nazi Germany and Stalinist
Russia transported into the Landscape of
London.

• ‘1984’ was written between the years of 1947-48, only 2-3 years after
the end of World War II. This conflict of immense proportions, the
outcome of which was critical to the survival of democracy, inspired
George Orwell to consider the tenuousness of the people’s rule.
• His book created some bitter political controversy, and Orwell tried to
clarify that thing that his recent novel is not intended as an attack on
Socialism or on the British Labour party of which he was a supporter
but as a show up of the perversions to which a centralized economy
is liable and which have already been party realized in communism
and facism.

Biography of George orwell
● Eric Arthur Blair - pen name -George Orwell.
● He was born in 1903 in Motihari, Bengal, in india.
● Eric Blair attended the local primary school at Henley
on Thame.
● Orwell's essay, called "Such,Such were the joys"
contains memories of his life at St.Cyprian's. This
essay was written in 1948, but was published only after
his death because the memories recorded in it were not
only unpleasant but too painful.
● The Novel 'Nineteen Eighty Four' particularly reflects
the pernicious effects of his life at this school.
● From St.Cyprian's School, Orwell proceeded to the
public school at Eton where he spent the next four and
half years.
● In 1949 he published 'Nineteen Eighty four', this was
his last novel and by the end of 1948 he was seriously
ill and was hardly able to write anything. In January
1950 he died.

Writing Style
● George Orwell’s writing style is very direct and somewhat
journalistic.
● Orwell provides six rules for writers to follow
1. Never use metaphors or similes that are typically seen in
print.
2. Never use a long one when an equally good short word will
do just fine.
3. If a word is not absolutely necessary, then do not include it.
4. It is important to never use the passive tone when the
active tone is also usable.
5. One should never use a foreign phrase or scientific term if
there is an everyday equivalent that can be used.
6. It is absolutely imperative to break any of these rules if the
only other. option is to say something barbaric.

Major Works
● Down and out in paris and London (1933)
● Burmese Days (1934)
● AClergyman's Daughter(1935)
● Keep the Aspidistra Flying(1936)
● The Road to Wigan Pier(1937)
● Homage to Catalonia (1938)
● Coming Up For Air(1939)
● The Lion and the Unicorn : Socialism and the
English Genius (1941)
● Animal Farm (1945)
● Critical Essays (Dickens, Dali, and other )(1946)
● The English People(1947)
● Nineteen Eighty Four (1949)
● Shooting an Elephant and other Essays(1950)
● England your England(1953)
● Such, Such, were the Joys(1953)

Themes
of His
Writing
Language
Loyalty
Totalitar
ianism
Poor
vs.
Rich,
Imperiali
sm
Love and
Sexuality
Technol
ogy
Communi
sm

Key Facts
● Full Title - 1984
● Author - George Orwell
● Type Of Work - Novel
● Genre - Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction
● Language - English
● Time And Place Written - England, 1949
● Date Of First Publication - 1949
● Publisher - Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.
● Narrator - Third-person, limited
● Climax - Winston’s torture with the cage of rats in Room
101
● Protagonist - Winston Smith
● Antagonist - The Party; Big Brother
● Setting (Time) - 1984
● Setting (Place) - London, England (known as “Airstrip One”
in the novel’s alternate reality)
● Point Of View - Winston Smith’s

● INGSOC: English Socialism
● Thought Police: Thought Police (Thinkpol) are the secret police of the superstate
of Oceania, who discover and punish thoughtcrime, personal and political thoughts
unapproved by INGSOC regime.
● Thought Crime: A crime that you are guilty of because you are THINKING of
doing something bad. Thoughts that go against the political ideology of the Party.
● Victory Mansions: Victory Mansions are the apartment building Winston lives in,
nothing from the plumbing to the electricity works and it emphasizes the effect
that living under a totalitarian government has on society.
Various Concepts described in
the novel

Oceania's interior
ministry.
Enforces loyalty to
Big Brother through
fear, buttressed
through a massive
apparatus of security
and repression, as
well as systematic
brainwashing.
Thought Police
comes under this
ministry
The Ministry of
Truth is centered on
creating lies
The Ministry of Peace
is where everything
related to the war is
handled. Peace is
never considered,
Command
Economy
It oversees rationing
of food, supplies,
and goods
01
02
03
04
Ministry of Love
-Miniluv
Ministry of Plenty-
Miniplenty
The Ministry of Truth-
‘Minitrue’
The Ministry of Peace-
Minipax

Big Brother
Big Brother, fictional character, the
dictator of the totalitarian empire
of Oceania in the novel. Though Big
Brother does not appear directly in
the story, his presence permeates
Oceania’s bleak society.
“Who controls the past controls the
future who controls the present
controls the past.”

● Two Minutes Hate: Two Minutes Hate is the daily, public period during which
members of the Outer Party of Oceania must watch a film depicting the enemies of
the state, specifically Emmanuel Goldstein and his followers, openly and loudly to
express hatred for them. Purpose of it is existential anguish and personal hatreds
towards politically expedient enemies: Goldstein and the enemy superstate of the
moment.
● Hate Week: Hate Week is observed in the late summer. It is a psychological
operation designed to increase the hatred of the population for the current enemy
of the totalitarian Party, as much as possible, whichever of the two opposing
superstates that may be
● Newspeak: Newspeak is language used by politicians and government officials
that is intentionally difficult to understand or does not mean what it seems to
mean and is therefore likely to confuse or deceive people.
● Doublethink: Doublethink is a process of indoctrination in which subjects are
expected to simultaneously accept two conflicting beliefs as truth, often at odds
with their own memory or sense of reality.

WEAPONS
ICONS Critical Summary
Part 1
• This novel starts with a bright cold day in April.
• The opening chapter introduces briefly characters - Winston
Smith O‘Brien, and the girl working in the Fiction
Department. There is also an introduction to Emmanuel
Goldstein - enemy of the people and against whom a hate
campaign is daily carried on by the authorities.
• The name of this state is Oceania. Airstrip one is one of the
provinces of this state and London is the chief city of that
province.
• One of the important things to notice is a poster showing a
large face with the caption :“Big Brother is watching you” -
Then there are the Thought Police,and the Telescreen.

The three slogans of the party deserve special attention, these
slogans are
'War is to be regarded as peace '
'Ignorance is to be
cherished as strength'
'Freedom is to be regarded
as slavery'

• Winston decided to keep a diary. Which
decision is a dangerous one, and he is
perfectly aware of it, but he doesn't care about
what happened to him.
• Winston was married to a woman called
Katharine but he had separated from her.
• All marriages between party members have to
be approved by a special committee -
organization called the "Junior Anti Sex
League “.
• Eighty - five per cent of the population of
Oceania are proles and only among them can
the force to destroy the party ever be
generated. As the party slogan puts it " proles
and animals are free".

• Julia hates the party- She works on the novel writing
machines in the fiction Department of theministry of truth.
• Winston has taken on rent the room above mr.Charington's
shop- realise the risk involved - The quality of Winston's
love for Julia is also dwelt upon.
• most unexpected encounter between winston and O'Brien.
• Chapter 8 - marks a climax in the story - both take the
dangerous step of reavealing their true feelings to O'Brien
because they are under the impression that O'Brain is also
secreatly opposite to the party.
• They came to know that mr. Charrington who is not an
antique dealer but an official of the Thought Police.
Part 2

Part - 3
• Winston is now a prisoner in one of the cells of the
Ministry of Love - has no idea of where Julia is or what
her fate might be - The door opens and O‘Brain enters -
he is member of the inner party and Winston can expect
no mercy from him.
• He is subjected to several kinds of torture - in order that
he should confess his crimes against the state - How
many times he had been beaten,how long the beating
had continued he could not remember -made to confess
crime which he had never commited.
• The punishment to which Winston is being subjected
arouse in us both a feeling of terror and pity -There is a
touch of melodram and sensationalism in the account of
the beatinga and the mechanical tourture to which
Winston is subjected.

• O‘Brain next acquints Winston with the kind of future of party -
there will be no art, no literature, no science "If you want a
picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face
for ever."
• Winston - intellectually and mentaly surrendered to the party -
his inner heart is still unconquered - This attitude calls for
further curative or corrective tretment by the party.
• Winston is taken to room no 101 - starving rats will shoot out of
the cage like bullets - attack Winston in his face and will start
eating into his cheeks and tongue. The cage survrv its
purpose, winston has betrayed Julia and thus lost hia integrity.
• The ending of the novel - extreamly pessimistic - Winston has
completely converted - He loves Big Brother - thoroughly de-
humanized. The love affair between Winaton and Julia alao
comes to an end.
• Thus the party has achieve its purpose.

❖ Protagonist
❖ Minor member of the ruling Party
❖ Thin, frail, contemplative,
intellectual, and fatalistic thirty-
nine-year-old
❖ Hates the totalitarian control
❖ Has revolutionary dreams
Winston Smith
❖ Winston's lover
❖ Beautiful dark-haired girl
❖ • Works in the Fiction Department at
the Ministry ofTruth
❖ Claims to have had sexual affairs
with many Party members
❖ Pragmatic and optimistic
❖ She privately rebels against the
Party for her own enjoyment (unlike
Winston's ideological motivations)
Julia
Character study

❖ According to the Party, Goldstein is the
legendary leader of the Brotherhood.
❖ BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU
❖ He seems to have been a Party leader who
fell out of favor with the regime.
❖ The Party describes him as the most
dangerous and treacherous man in
Oceania.
❖ Used him as a prime example during the
gathering of 2 minute hate
Goldstein
❖ Protagonist
❖ Minor member of the ruling Party
❖ Thin, frail, contemplative,
intellectual, and fatalistic thirty-
nine-year-old
❖ Hates the totalitarian control
❖ Has revolutionarydreams
Mr. Charrington

❖ A mysterious, powerful, and
sophisticated member of the Inner
Party whom Winston believes is also
a member of the Brotherhood, the
legendary group of anti- Party
rebels.
❖ Winston makes eye contact with this
man during one of the 2 minutes
hates
O’Brien
❖ This is the woman that Winston hears
singing when he is with Julia
❖ Represents Winston's one hope for
the future; that the proles will unite to
get rid of the party.
❖ oA symbol of fertility; that the
woman's offspring are a sign for the
future.
The red armed problem woman

❖ Totalitarianism is a form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of
its citizens.
❖ The main goal was to warn of the serious danger totalitarianism poses to society.
❖ Notions of personal rights and freedoms and individual thought are pulverised under the all-
powerful hand of the government.
❖ Orwell was a Socialist and believed strongly in the potential for rebellion to advance society,
yet too often he witnessed the horrific lengths to which totalitarian governments in Spain and
Russia would go in order to sustain and increase their power
❖ The title of the novel was meant to indicate to its readers in 1949 that the story represented
a real possibility for the near future: if totalitarianism were not opposed, the title suggested,
some variation of the world described in the novel could become a reality in only thirty-five
years.
❖ Winston Smith sets out to challenge the limits of the Party’s power, only to discover that its
ability to control and enslave its subjects dwarfs even his most paranoid conceptions of its
reach
❖ The Party uses a number of techniques to control its citizens
Totalitarianism

● There are three major controls that a totalitarian party
does in the Novel
1. Psychological manipulation
2. Physical Control
3. Control Of Information And History
Control

❖ Newspeak, the "official" language of Oceania
❖ functions as a device of extreme Party control: If the Party is able to
control thought, it can also control action.
❖ Even though the year 1984 has passed, the book is still timely due to
Orwell's vision and foresight.
❖ The decline of language troubled Orwell, who was a writer with
political and historical agendas.
❖ If language could change for the worse, then truth could change into
lies, and that was something that Orwell fought against, both in his
personal life and in his writing.
❖ Mind control
The Role of Language and the Act of Writing

● One of the issues raised in 1984 is the idea that history is mutable or changeable
● truth is what the Party deems it to be, and that the truths found in history are the
bases of the principles of the future
● if you tell a lie loud enough and often enough, people will accept it as truth.
● "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the
past,"
● Winston Smith's position in the Ministry of Truth - creating or forging the past into
something unrecognizable to any person with an accurate memory so that each
forgery "becomes" historic fact
● The novel makes the distinction between truth and fact and then explores the social-
political-ethical-moral nuances of the evil manipulation of facts in order to control
individuals and societies for political gain.
The Mutability of History

❖ By means of telescreens and hidden microphones across the city, the
Party is able to monitor its members almost all of the time.
❖ Party employs complicated mechanisms to exert large-scale control on
economic production and sources of information, and fearsome
machinery to inflict torture upon those it deems enemies.
❖ 1984 reveals that technology which is generally perceived as working
toward moral good, can also facilitate the most diabolical evil.
Technology

❖ Party seeks to ensure that the only kind of loyalty possible is
loyalty to the Party.
❖ Neighbors and coworkers inform on one another, and Mr.
Parson’s own child reports him to the Thought Police.
❖ In the end, the Party does make Winston stop loving Julia
and love Big Brother instead, the only form of loyalty allowed
Loyalty

❖ Winston explores increasingly risky and significant acts of resistance
against the Party.
❖ Winston builds up minor rebellions by committing personal acts of
disobedience such as keeping a journal and buying a decorative
paperweight.
❖ Escalates his rebellion through his sexual relationship with Julia -
relationship is a double rebellion, as it includes the thoughtcrime of
desire.
Resistance And Revolution

❖ The basic traits of establishing one’s identity are unavailable to
Winston and the other citizens of Oceania
❖ Instead of being unique individuals with specific, identifying details,
every member of the Outer Party is identical.
❖ All Party members wear the same clothing and same etiquettes -
forming a sense of individual identity is not only psychologically
challenging, but logistically difficult.
❖ Winston’s significant decisions can be interpreted as attempts to build
a sense of identity
Independence and identity

● Big Brother is the face of the
Party.
● head of the Party
● Big Brother symbolizes the
Party in its public
manifestation; he is a
reassurance to most people
(the warmth of his name
suggests his ability to protect),
but he is also an open threat
(one cannot escape his gaze).
Big Brother The Telescreen
● the telescreens also symbolise
how a totalitarian government
abuses technology for its own
ends instead of exploiting its
knowledge to improve civilization.
● constant monitoring

● symbolizes Winstons
attempt to reconnect with
the past
● Symbolically, when the
Thought Police arrest
Winston at last, the
paperweight shatters on the
floor.
Glass paper weight St. Clement’s Church
● The old picture of St. Clement’s Church in the
room that Winston rents above Mr. Charrington’s
shop is another representation of the lost past.
● Winston associates a song with the picture that
ends with the words “Here comes the chopper to
chop off your head!” This is an important
foreshadow, as it is the telescreen hidden
behind the picture that ultimately leads the
Thought Police to Winston, symbolising the
Party’s corrupt control of the past.

● The red-armed prole woman whom Winston hears singing through
the window represents Winston’s one legitimate hope for the long-
term future: the possibility that the proles will eventually come to
recognize their plight and rebel against the Party
● prime example of reproductive virility; he often imagines her giving
birth to the future generations that will finally challenge the party’s
authority.
The red armed Problem woman

Room no. 101
● Room 101 represents the power
of the Party and is the room
where Winstons spirit is crushed.
● Room 101 is a presentation
utilized by the party to show
absolute dominance.
● It proves that the party has the
power to totally ruin someone
through the use of their deepest
fear
Rat
● Rats symbolize Winston's
greatest fear. This fear is used
against him by O'Brien, who
tortures him with a cage of rats
over his head so that he finally
gives in.

● Dystopian elements in George Orwell’s Nineteen
Eighty-four
by Balaje Palanimuthu
(Palanimuthu Dystopian elements in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four - Researchgate)
● THE WALL OF BLACKNESS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL
APPROACH TO 1984.”
(Smith, Marcus. “THE WALL OF BLACKNESS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO 1984.”)

Palanimuthu, Balaje. “Dystopian Elements in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four -
Researchgate.” Researchgate, Feb. 2019,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340448832_Dystopian_Elements_in_George_Orwell's_
Nineteen_Eighty-Four.
Smith, Marcus. “THE WALL OF BLACKNESS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO 1984.”
Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 14, no. 4, 1968, pp. 423–33. JSTOR,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/26278702. Accessed 15 Feb. 2023.
Work cited

Nineteen Eighty-Four

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