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Real Name: Eric Arthur Blair

Poet and novelist.

Wrote Animal Farm and 1984.

Wrote to criticise society and when he needed to convey a message.

Wrote about controversial topics, so he used a pen name to protect himself.

Birth: 25th June, 1903, India.

He had 2 wives. He was a terrible husband and often cheated on his first wife - who died of cancer.

He died in 1950, at the age of 46, due to tuberculosis (deserved).

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Dehumanization and Lack of Individuality

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Dehumanization and Lack of Individuality

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Being too intelligent, being able to think for himself, makes Syme a threat to the Party - as it gives him tools needed to figure out that Oceania, is not as perfect as it seems. Free thinking is frowned upon, and the hive mind is promoted, any individual not conforming to these norms is simply 'removed'.

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The position of logic here refers to the fact that the government is totalitarian and thus demands that whatever they say is true, with no fact-checking allowed, just because of the fact that they are in power. Censorship is a huge issue, which blocks people from being able to think for themselves and thus demoting intelligence and introspection while promoting mindless following of authority. Thinking for yourself is the rebellion here.

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Dystopian novels don't actually talk about a future society, rather they're criticisms or warnings to the current society.

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This is from Animal Farm, but parallels to a dystopian society can still be made

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1. Orwell almost called his novel The Last Man in Europe.

2. "2 + 2 = 5" was a real slogan of the Communist Party.

3. Room 101 was real - and Orwell lived through it.

4. Orwell finished writing his novel while severely ill.

5. Orwell modeled the character of Julia on his second wife, Sonia Brownell.

6. Big Brother was watching Orwell while he wrote 1984.

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--> Altering of history for the benefit of the government .

Many countries do this - censoring, whitewashing or hiding history.

--> Technology and the negative aspects.

--> Dangers of a totalitarian government.

--> Psychological and physical manipulation.

--> Autonomy.

--> Language and its manipulation. (Newspeak)THINK and do so often, Orwell says to the reader.

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How does Orwell use language to present life in 1984?

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How does Orwell use language to present life in 1984?

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Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records so they align with the Party's current narrative. He edits newspapers, documents, and other records to remove contradictions, erase evidence of people who have been "vaporized," and ensure the Party always appears correct. He then destroys the original versions by sending them down the memory hole.

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What is one thing that extended your knowledge and understanding of propaganda?

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What is one thing that extended your knowledge and understanding of propaganda?

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In general, the Party corrects all forms of media and information, including:

Newspapers and articles

Books and literature

Photographs and films

Broadcasts (radio and telescreen content)

Official records (like statistics, speeches, reports)

Educational materials and encyclopedias

Everything is constantly revised to match the Party’s current version of truth. The goal is total control over reality — “Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.”

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1. Although popular, Orwell’s novel also makes the list of the world’s top ten most frequently banned books. Some ban it for pro-communist points of view, and others have banned it because it is anti-communist. Regardless, it is ironic that a book warning against totalitarianism is often an item for censorship.

2. Orwell used to work for the British government during World War II as a propagandist.

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What are some of the other jobs in the ministry?

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What are some of the other jobs in the ministry?

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Fiction writers: Create fake articles, books, poems, and entertainment aligned with Party ideals.

Pornosec workers: Produce low-grade pornography for proles.

Translators: Convert texts into Newspeak.

Archivists: Catalogue and store revised materials.

Censorship clerks: Identify and flag politically incorrect content.

Each role helps control thought, rewrite reality, or manipulate public perception.

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When considering the language in a text, ask:

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When considering the language in a text, ask:

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1. Is this an instance of personal or public power?

2. Is this instrumental (coercive) or influential (motivational)?

3. Is this an example of an attempt to maintain status quo or make a change?

4. Is this anharmful or beneficial use of language as power?

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In what ways does Orwell's writing make this moment in the novel so powerful?

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In what ways does Orwell's writing make this moment in the novel so powerful?

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Orwell makes this moment in 1984 so powerful by showing how the Party completely dismantles Winston’s ability to think independently, forcing him to accept a false and terrifying version of reality. As Winston spirals deeper into psychological submission, Orwell uses stark and disorienting language to reflect the collapse of logic and truth under the Party’s control. The statement “2 + 2 = 5” becomes a chilling symbol of this power—not just a lie, but a demonstration of the Party's ability to force citizens to believe in that lie, regardless of their own reasoning. Orwell writes, “the logic of the Party’s position demanded it,” emphasizing that the Party’s authority overrides not just external facts, but the internal truths people hold within their minds. Winston’s earlier belief that “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four” is entirely shattered, showing the full extent of the Party’s psychological domination. This moment is not powerful simply because it marks Winston’s defeat, but because it reveals the terrifying potential of totalitarianism to control not only what people say or do, but what they believe to be true. Orwell’s portrayal of this mental surrender captures the horror of a world where reality itself is dictated by those in power, making the scene one of the most disturbing and emotionally impactful in the novel.