Member Reviews

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  3 of 3 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 5 stars

  “1984 is NOT an anti-socialist novel anymore than ANIMAL FARM was an anti-communist fairytale. Orwell WAS a socialist; but he most definitely was't a Stalinist supporter. His personal experiences in the Spanish Civil War and Revolution taught him that lesson. (see his HOMAGE TO CATALONIA) In 1948, when this novel was published, the Stalinist States and the capitalist States were engaged in a very Cold War and a large part of that Cold War was being fought on the ideological front--the so-called "battle for mens' (sic) minds". That the CIA managed to surreptiously spin 1984 in an anti-socialist direction (oh the hopelessness of it all--there is no alternative to capitalism) by using its media connections and the general confusion and well founded fear, especially amongst bourgeois intellectuals of the time, is more a tribute to the success of the very dictatorial manipulations of language, truth and logic though social behaviourist manipulation than anything else--the very same processes which Orwell was attempting to critique in 1984.
  
  Once you unwash your brain from this hype, you can come to really appreciate what this novel is about: political domination of people who no longer have a connection to their own instinct for freedom. It has been terrorized out them by constant monitoring, fear of non-conformist behaviour, fear of libidinous activity, fear of friendship, fear of love, in fact, fear the the very classless social soldarity which Orwell's understanding of socialism was based on. Thus, in the upside-down world of Big Brother, the Ministry of Love turns into its exact opposite as does the Ministry of Peace.
  
  Orwell recognized that language is the rich way which the human race has developed to communcate and to advance reason out of irrationality. For Big Brother and his minions, reason and language are enemies of obedience to the His ruling apparatus, His ruling class, His State. By destroying language, Big Brother hopes to destroy reason and by extension, to extinguish humanity's instinctual urge towards freedom. ”

  Mike B) wrote this review Thursday, December 20 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 3 stars

  “1984 is open to various interpretations obviously, and there's some unfortunate irony in that modern day twisters of words and meaning for the sake of propaganda will use it to prove how their side is holy and the other side isn't. That's a pity, but it's also inevitable and points to something in human group behavior that Orwell had a very good sense of as he pondered the Socialism of his day.
  
  There's only one thing I dislike in this tale, and it's that when caught the two protagonists, who were such rebels against authoritarianism, buckle at the first sign of true hardship that might accompany their rebellion. It is necessary development in the story I suppose to reveal big brother in a more specific and less abstract fashion, but all the same I would've liked it if they continued their fight somehow. I like Farenheit '451' much better in this regard. Violent resistance is impossible against a totalitarian regime, but intellectual resistance is forever an available means so long as ideas are preserved to be passed on to future generations.
  
  Anyways, in response to similar comments on another message board (about not liking how easily rebellion is defeated), another poster offered me a link to this very thoughtful interpretation of what '1984' is really about, and I found it to be a very well thought and unique interpretation of '1984', which some of you may also enjoy:
  
  http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/ctc/docs/hell1984.htm
  
  If you haven't read Dante's 'Divine Comedy', it might be useful to do so in order to fully ponder the above linked interpretation of '1984'.”

  Thomas B wrote this review Wednesday, January 30 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “1984 is a must-read. It sounds an alarm for the societies of the world to be aware of falling into the idea of 'doublethink' which can degrade human individuality and wipe out human emotions and connections.”

  Hedy t wrote this review 5 hours ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “It officially scared me! Watch out for big brother.”

  vanessa r wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would... I've left it for so long and I finally made myself picked it up. I'm glad I did.
  George Orwell wrote an amazingly believable world. That's probably because it's a reflection of our own society & humanity. The thing about this book is the hope within the life of misery. He wrote in such a way that even though I knew it's false I was borne away along with the main character to believe that it could be true... Is it? Well, you're gonna have to read it for yourself.”

  Tien H wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 3 stars

  “A very frightening book. Here is a world that easily could be. Recommended”

  Little Timmy B wrote this review 4 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “I read this in highschool. I found it disturbing, but look at how many things we now have in place or actually do. amazing. I should read this again.”

  Anne S wrote this review Monday, September 8 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 4 stars

  “Another great tale of the evils of totalitarianism (the other being Animal Farm). More suspenseful than Animal Farm and more dark. Good study in the effects of torture and how, if properly coerced, you can get anyone to admit to anything (kind of scary). A must-read at least once in your life.”

  Attila wrote this review Thursday, September 4 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 3 stars

  “Well before 1984 and cetainly well before it became possible to do so, George Orwell envisaged an era when the rulers would be watching every movement and monitoring every act of a citizen. Such is vision that separates great minds of thinkers and writers from the mundane entertainers. ”

  Dr. J. G. wrote this review Thursday, August 28 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 4 stars

  “scary”

  Ray A wrote this review Tuesday, August 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )