# data[].attributes.body
I just think the book was a little too descriptive and lengthy , that is something some people enjoy but i thought that it was superfluous and it bored me

# data[].attributes.body
I really enjoyed the whole story and the message that it puts out. I liked that it was realistic and that it was not written to please anyone but instead to actually spark a change.
The story developed really nicely and was really well thought out, attention to detail was phenomenal . The ideas Orwell put out really fascinated me and made me think.

# data[].attributes.body
1984 is a sort of warning it tells us to be aware of the inevitable future there is so much to learn from it. First of all since it is a cautionary tale we need to make sure that our future doesn't turn out like the one in the book, full of miseru and represiion.
We also learn from different characters the way we should act.  Winston's flaw was how quickly he trusted people and how easily he was willing to take risks.
From Julia we learn that we need to be aware of the consequences of our actions and not just believe in the future.
Orwell wrote this book thinking that this is what the world would turn into, at the time it was written, people believed that WWIII was coming soon.

# data[].attributes.body
Manipulation is a big part of 1984, the party is constantly brainwashing society into believing whatever it is that they want them to believe. They use practices like double think and torture to do this. They even go as far as changing history.

# data[].attributes.body
The past is very important in the book, the party keeps changing and rewriting the past as they wish and Winston is trying his best to remember the past and he wishes life could go back to the way it was.
People get in trouble because he remembers 'false' things from the past.
Th image depict erasing the past which is exactly what the party does in 1984.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a place that Winston heard about in a dream and he keeps referencing it through the book, we finally find out that that place is the ministry of Love. I think this picture shows the idea perfectly because it shows the darkness and dreadfulness of the light.

# data[].attributes.body
In the book, the party is constantly rewriting the past to accommodate for changes. They have a habit of vaporizing people or removing and evidence that can prove that the person ever existed. That seems to be what is happening in this article. North Korea also shares other themes like manipulation and surveillance with 1984.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The purge of Jang Song Thaek has brought about many changes in North Korea. One of these changes has been the disappearance of news articles from North Korea's state media websites concerning Jang. North Koreans are in the dark about this, but KCNA and Rodong Shinmun post articles on their websites that can be seen by anyone abroad.

These articles include those that were published recently, but also ones that were uploaded years ago. It is from these articles that the North Korean authorities have deleted any references to Jang.

They have also removed pictures with Jang's face, and have edited out scenes from videos where Jang appeared.

A similar thing happened to Lee Young Ho after he was purged last summer. Lee was the most powerful man in the North Korean military before being purged. Soon after he was removed from his position in July 2012, any mention of him was deleted from the North Korean media and history textbooks.

Lee had stood in the first line with Kim Jong Un during Kim Jong Il's funeral, but now even this photo cannot be seen anymore in North Korea.

This history of purging is a unique characteristic of the country and has led the world to believe that history does not exist in a country like North Korea. North Korea's leaders may remove or distort the country's historical facts and truths at their own will.
Removed from view

That being said, there is no denying that Jang, Lee, and others like them-regardless of whether they were good or bad-played tremendously large roles in recent North Korean history.

Now, however, North Koreans are not even allowed to mention their names.

There are many forces in this world that aim to distort history. Political forces of every color and stripe tend to distort historical facts in order to suit their own interests or values. However, the act of distorting historical fact cannot mean refusing to acknowledge truths that are already well known by the people.

Moreover, all societies have political forces that are in competition with each other, so political forces that attempt historical distortion face criticism from other political forces. It is common for rightist scholars to attack leftist scholars, whether it be in Korea, Germany, or Russia.

In such countries it is impossible to completely distort historical fact. Even if, with the intent of removing certain facts from collective memory, historical facts are not reported, the other side emphasizes and spreads those facts regardless.
'Perfect control'
North Korea is in a completely different situation, however. North Korea has no conflicting political parties, and only a very small minority of the population has a complete hold on power. The leadership has perfect control over history.

North Korea's supreme leader may remove all mention of Jang, Lee, and other purged party members, and can choose not to talk about important historical events. North Korean leaders are also free to concoct events that never really happened and spread them as historical fact.

I will give you one example here.

North Korea's official propaganda machine argues that Kim Il Sung commanded the Chosun People's Revolutionary Army (CPRA) in the 1930s. A look at records from the time, though, shows that there is no written evidence that this organization existed. Kim did fight against the Japanese but fought as an officer in the Chinese Communist Party's armed forces.

But nationalism and the need to paint Kim as a heroic leader have led the North Koreans to ignore this fact and turn the existence of the CPRA into a historical fact.

This kind of shameless distortion of history is one reason why the outside world completely ignores the North Korean version of its own history.
Translated by Robert Lauler. Andrei Lankov, a professor at Kookmin University in Seoul, is a Russian historian, North Korea expert, and regular RFA contributor.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
North Korean Leaders Rewrite History At Their Own Will

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The purge of Jang Song Thaek has brought about many changes in North Korea. One of these changes has been the disappearance of news articles from North Korea's state media websites concerning Jang. North Koreans are in the dark about this, but KCNA and Rodong Shinmun post articles on their websites that can be seen by anyone abroad.

# data[].attributes.body
1984 is a book written by George Orwell as a warning against the rise of totalitarianism/ communism. Orwell lived in a time where there was a very big fear over the rise of corrupt governments. The book is set in the country of Oceania, who is run by The Party. Oceania is able to change facts, history, and anybody's life. The main character, Winston Smith, realizes this isn't acceptable, and begins to rebel against the country, which can potentially end in his death.

# data[].attributes.body
O'Brien is a liar, but it's okay because it's his job. We think of him as Winston's ally, but he ends up being a spy to catch rebels. He is mysterious, but overall a friendly guy. He simply thinks what he is doing is right. He is very smart, and is able to play tricks on Winston in order for him to believe that he is a friend. He is very good at torture and manipulation.

# data[].attributes.body
Julia is Winston's partner in crime. Julia is as rebellious as Winston, but she really cares about living a happy life full of love, and not as much about taking down Big Brother.

# data[].attributes.body
Winston Smith, the protagonist of the book, is a single male adult living in the country of Oceania. He wishes to break away from the totalitarian government that rules Oceania, and joins a group of rebels in order to do so. He is rebellious, inquisitive, and perceptive. He is very daring, and he takes risks for his own happiness, despite the fact that he could easily be caught.

# data[].attributes.body
I rate this book 4.5/5 stars. It is very well written, and the concepts are well explained, but the end is disappointing.