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Not Death, but Annihilation: Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and the Catastrophe of Englishness- Erik Jaccard

What was the author's thesis/main idea? What points were they making? (do not spend a lot of time on this part, this is just a paraphrase/summary)

The author's thesis states that not only is 1984 a critique of a totalitarian government, but also the decline of English culture. Jaccard makes emphasis how the way the society was ruled is a metaphor for how modernity crushes traditional values.

How well did the author make their point? Was it a valid, substantiated argument?

I feel that Jaccard makes a valid argument. It is backed up by historical context and social/political changes during the time the book was written are mentioned. Not only does it mention this singular work, but it also pulls from Orwell's other works showing that this could be a pattern in his writing.

Do you agree or disagree with the author's analysis? Explain why or why not with textual evidence of your own from the novel.

I disagree with the authors' analysis simply due to simplicity. I feel that 1984 is a cautionary tale of the direct effects of abuse within government types. "The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power." (pg. 263). This quote shows the direct correlation between Orwell and critiquing simply totalitarianism and unchecked power. Another quote that supports the theme of 1984 is simple to pull out is, "Such a thing as an independent political movement was outside her imagination: and in any case the Party was invincible." This adds a touch of Orwell's belief that individual freedom is important, as mentioned previously.

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1984 Movie- 1984

Similarities/Differences in the Film Adaptation

I feel that there were a lot of similarities between the book and the film. The plot was pretty similar as well as characters and themes. They both show the portrayal of an oppressive government and the use of propaganda, specifically Big Brother. Another example was the rewriting of history and how it affects the way that the population is controlled. Winston rebels against the totalitaristic society, as does Julia. They both show the methods used to keep the population in submission such as brutal torture, humiliation, brainwashing, and the public hangings. The language Newspeak was vital in the plot of both the movie and the novel. The class system comprised of the Inner and Outer Party was used in both cases as well where the Outer Party/Proles are oppressed and exploited. Telescreens and Thought Police are an additional similarity. I feel a great difference was Julia being more of an equal to Winston in the movie than she was in the book. She felt more minor throughout the novel but in the movie, she takes equal steps to rebel against the government. The book shows the general governmental control to be more subtle unless someone is doing something wrong. The movie makes control very obvious and highlights the violence that goes hand in hand with the government's power. I also think that the film makes Julia and Winston's love seem more romanticized and less of a desire for simply rebellion.

The Tone/Message in the Film vs. the Book

I believe the book and movie both portray similar tones and messages. They overall convey the warning of totalitarianism and lack of free will. Violence, a dystopian world, and darkness are all apparent themes. There is also a sense of hope and escape between both the film and the novel. Bleak and cautionary is how I could describe the two along with the strong emphasis on resistance against oppressive governments.

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What are some of the techniques used by the Party to control people's thoughts and beliefs?

Techniques such as the Thought Police, Doublethink, and Telescreens all come together to control people's thoughts and beliefs. A common theme of the majority of these techniques is using fear to put people into submission.

What is the significance of the way the novel ended? Do you believe that rebellion is possible? Is the portrayal more pessimistic and against the idea of any change ever happening?

I feel that the end of the novel shows that even the most rebellious and willing people are subject to the Party. The book ends on a very sour note with Winston now being a loyal member of the Party. I feel that the ending is very pessimistic in nature and suggests that the Party is inescapable.

What role does technology play in 1984?

The use of telescreens in 1984 is one of the major ways technology influences 1984. They are used both for surveillance and propaganda. The telescreens make it very difficult to rebel against authority. It is a very odd concept in the way that in real life we mostly see technology in aiding our concepts of true facts and allowing us to access a wide array of sources. Technology in 1984, though, is used against the people.

How does O'Brien's character affect the line of events in the novel?

O'Brien's betrayal was the biggest turning point in the novel, in my opinion. He portrayed himself initially as a fellow resistance member while really being in the Party himself. It shows just how far the Party is willing to go to instill its beliefs.

What role does language play in 1984 in shaping an individual's beliefs and perceptions of reality?

The Party uses language in many ways to control everyone's thoughts and beliefs. Newspeak, for example, limits the ability of an individual to think for themselves. The Party is able to eliminate terms that would be used against them, effectively showing how language affects reality and the individual.

How does the novel relate to the modern world? What is the significance of having a dystopian novel be so relatable?

The novel relates to the real world in the sense that we have restrictions that are controlled by a higher power, such as the government. 1984 could be inspired by real-world events such as the rise of the Nazi Party. Censorship is still a very big and debatable topic modernly and was taken to extremes within this book. I think that 1984 is attempting to warn against those in power controlling an individual's ability to access and pass along information. It serves to prove the importance of individual freedom and checked powers.

What is the role of propaganda in 1984?

Propaganda is used to control public thoughts and beliefs. An example of a slogan used, "War is Peace", is used to create mental confusion in the individual making critical thinking difficult. Another example is The Party's Ministry of Truth, this sector is key in rewriting everything to fit the Party's version of events in anything historical. Propaganda is used as a tool of oppression.

How do Winston and Julia express and relate to the theme of identity and what is the significance of the struggle of their identities?

Winston's struggle to be free from the Party is so that he can go back to how the past was. He wants to be free from the Party's control. Julia also wants to be free from the Party but mostly in the way that she wants to escape the mundane and find pleasure in life. She doesn't really care about creating her own sense of individuality as much as living life on her own terms. Both struggles highlight the importance of individual freedoms. The way the Party seeks to control thoughts is not only oppressive and cruel but also dehumanizing.

How does the Party use fear in order to keep people in line? What is the impact of this amount of control on individual freedom?

The Party portrays the outside world as dangerous and harsh and therefore uses fear to keep its population under its control. The Party not only uses fear to demonize those outside of Oceania but also to punish those who disobey rules. The thought of torture and brainwashing is enough to terrify citizens into compliance. This shows just how bad a lack of individual freedom is and the inherent dangers of totalitarianism.

How does Winston's relationship with Julia challenge the Party's control over his life?

The Party has strict rules regarding sexual behavior, directly challenging the Party. Winston is asserting his individuality by having sex with Julia and not being in compliance with what the Party has to say about those desires. The Party also seeks to eliminate emotion and this challenges the Party's control. The only love is supposed to be toward the Party and its ideals when, in this relationship with Julia, Winston loves her and it gives him a sense of purpose and control against the Party.

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"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious." (pg. 70).

This quote shows the importance that consciousness has in general. People must first become aware of being oppressed before they can work against it. Once people rebel, they become more conscious of just how they were manipulated and oppressed and therefore push for more change and resistance.

"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself." (pg. 281).

This shows how the Party attempts to control others' thoughts and beliefs. It shows that for an individual to rebel they must push aside everything the Party claims to be reality to become their individual.

"The heresy of the heresies was common sense."

The Party manipulates people's perceptions of reality to such a great extent that common sense is seen as a threat. This quote shows how individuality in any, way, shape, or form is a threat to the Party's power. The Party attempts to create a reality where people cant think for themselves and they are only forced to accept the Party's version of the truth. They seek to suppress all individuality to stay in control.

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"The Party is not interested in the overt act: the thought is all we care about."

This quote shows how the Party wants to control people's thoughts and beliefs. They must start from here to keep individuals under their control. This shows exactly how totalitarianism is used within the Party.

"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows."

Propaganda and censorship are used to enforce what the Party deems as the truth to all of Oceania. The Party fractures people's sense of reality to keep them in line, showing how totalitarianism is used in 1984.

"Big Brother is watching you."

This quote shows the simplicity of the totalitarian regime that the Party has. It shows how the Party seeks to control everyone's lives and that surveillance and constant monitoring are needed to help the Party maintain its power.

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"The Party was in control, and the people were made to believe whatever it wanted them to believe"

This shows how propaganda, in specific, is used to maintain power over the people. It shows that the people of Oceania were fully under the control of this totalitarianist rule. Being "made to believe" by propaganda is how the Party achieves its goal.

"The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not only power, pure power."

As with the last quote, this emphasizes how the Party only wants to control. One of the bigger things aiding in their control is propaganda and this, once again, shows that they can maintain this insane amount of control through manipulation.

"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them."

This quote is more separate than the last two and has a bit of a different explanation. It shows how the Party uses propaganda to manipulate people and their perceptions of reality. Those who are influenced truly believe that two contradictory beliefs are true, they are forced to accept them.

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Mr. Charrington owns a small antique shop where Winston goes to purchase a diary. He is described as an old man with a mustache and a gentle demeanor. He seems to be into and knowledgeable about the past and everything it has to show us. Later, he is revealed to also be a member of the Thought Police and is, as well as O'Brien, responsible for the torture and brainwashing of Winston. His importance in the story is the emphasis on vigilance in such a totalitarian society and plays into themes of betrayal and deception. It can also characterize Winston as being very gullible and less prepared for individual freedom than he believes he was.

"You know the Party slogan: 'Freedom is Slavery.' Has it ever occurred to you that it is reversible?" This quote shows Mr. Charringtons true identity as a member of the Thought Police. He is portrayed as a harmless and generous old man throughout the novel up until this and similar statements. This characterizes Mr. Charrington as manipulative and dedicated to eradicating all those who rebel against the Party.

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O'Brien is a member of the Party, the Inner Party to be more specific. He is a large man with a thick neck and a harsh face. He is portrayed as being very good at articulation and manipulation.  He plays such a big role in the story due to, in the beginning, being portrayed as Winston's ally. After it is revealed he was a member of the Thought Police he is responsible for the torture that ensues. Though his actions are brutal, he generally believes the Party is doing the right thing for the people. He serves as a warning as to how far brainwashing and manipulation can go in such a limited society.

"Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else." This quote shows that O'Brien truly believes whatever the Party says is true. It reflects how he believes the Party can also control everyone's thoughts and perceptions. This characterizes O'Brien as one who is overtly manipulative, he uses his wits to convince others to fully submit to the Party's version of reality.

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Julia is in her early twenties and works in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. She is also described as being rebellious, as Winston, and is noted to have dark hair. Julia and her youthful nature seem to be more attracted to simply having fun and enjoying life opposed to Winston's longing for the past. She is only willing to risk being caught by the Party to satisfy her desires and wants. I feel that Julia embodies the want for pleasure and, with that, freedom. She is important to the story because she adds a different perspective on escaping the oppressive rule of the Party than Winston does.

"I hate purity, I hate goodness! I dont want any virtue to exist anywhere." This quote shows how Julia rejects the Party. It characterizes her as being rebellious in nature and her desire to live for pleasure and on her terms. She emphasizes purity and goodness as being two oppressors in her life. She is willing to resist the ideals of the Party in any way that she can.

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Winston is described as a frail and thin man in his late thirties. We see how his character is worn with the regime of the Party being so oppressive. He is noted as having a thin, pale face and an ulcer on his right ankle. The is rebellious throughout the novel and very badly wants his freedom and a connection with another person. He is a very lonely man who has to weigh his options wisely and is conflicted due to the desire for freedom vs. fear of the Party. Winston is important to the story so the reader can find someone to sort of relate to and root for. He is the protagonist and is seen as the one who is doing the right thing, even if it is against the rules.  He develops into a broken character, losing all hope he had in the beginning and then turning into a loyal follower of Big Brother.

"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus four make four. If that is granted, all else follows." I feel that this quote shows Winston's belief in individual freedom, which was his main goal throughout the story. This characterizes Winston as hopeful and a bit rebellious, willing to challenge the authority of the Party for his independence. It shows his struggle of defending what he believes to be the truth despite the oppression he faces.

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Telescreen- I believe that this is an excellent example due to its use of monitoring citizens of Oceania. This symbol can represent many things such as the power of technology, loss of privacy, crooked government, and so on. It really highlights how technology is used to oppress and manipulate people throughout the novel.

Big Brother- This symbol clearly represents government control and with it, the loss of freedom in Oceania. Big Brother can be described as a larger-than-life figure whose sole purpose is to intimidate citizens in order for them to stay in line. It also shows how powerful propaganda can be in terms of manipulation and how it affects the vast population.

Glass Paperweight- The paperweight is a symbol of hope specifically for Winston. It was found in an antique shop which shows his want to return to his old life before things changed and people were suppressed by the government. It is described as a pretty unique paperweight that can express how people used to be able to express themselves freely and how their own personal thoughts about things.

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What were the pros and cons of choosing this book?

I feel that there are many pros and cons when it comes to 1984. For me, the usage of Newspeak was particularly interesting. I found this to be a pro of choosing the book because it is truly astonishing how much language almost completely dictates our perceptions and actions as humans. I think the many real-life connection also makes it a pro, it serves as a cautionary tale of sorts. Many of the concepts within 1984 seem so far out but in all reality, they are just blown-up versions of things we deal with in our day-to-day lives. Though I enjoyed this read, I feel like my interest started to slip a little after Winston started to be portrayed in a more misogynistic manner. The character development felt minimal as well and I feel that the main characters did not change massively throughout 1984. The worst, and final con, was how particularly slow the book began. I'd say the first half or so seemed to crawl by. Though many new things were introduced the plot felt very mundane.

How difficult was this book to read, and did your abilities to understand it change as the book went on?

The book was a little below average in terms of readability. It wasn't incredibly painstaking just, once again, the first half was quite boresome. I do feel that it did set up the entire latter half of the book though and it feels somewhat necessary to have the book go on how it did. Things began to truly piece together after the book went on due to previous knowledge and a better understanding of how the dystopian world went about.

What was the most interesting or engaging part of the book?

The most interesting part of the book was after Winston really started to rebel. Towards the end, when both Winston and Julia are found, they are brainwashed and tortured by the Party. This is the most engaging part id say due to the brutality and key decisions made. Winston finally submitting to the Party after being so torn apart as a person is a very key moment within 1984. I feel like the emotional intensity of these events were enough to make them the most interesting/engaging.

What was the biggest challenge in reading the book?

I will reiterate that the biggest challenge within this book was how slow it went in the first half. Before Winston really started to disobey and rebel against the Party the story was pretty uninteresting. Things started to truly pick up after his relationship with Julia began.

Why do you think this book is included in the list of great examples of British literature?

I am not fully sure why this book is an example of British literature, but there are clues as to why. A lot of the language throughout 1984 felt British as well as the overall style. It is a great example due to its dystopian nature and overall themes.

Was the book as you expected?

The book pretty much equaled my expectations of what it was going to be. I had wanted to read this book in my own free time and so I had done general research and read reviews to see if it would be a good read. Within these reviews, I came across minimal spoilers I can recall, and piecing these together with the general description of the book laid out a pretty good foundation.

What advice would you give to the next group to read this book after you?

I would say it is important to take lots of breaks with reading this novel. There are underlying themes of hope but the message is clear that individuals will always be stuck in the same world. It can be disheartening at times to read literature like that and therefore taking the book slow and reading it over a stretch of time is ideal. It is also important to not give up in the beginning when the novel is being set up just because it may be boring. Underlying themes and modern comparisons are also super neat and important to pick out. I feel that this book is really easy to compare to our modern lives and future readers should heed that.

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1984 explores themes of totalitarianism, propaganda, and government surveillance, along with several other attempts to keep individuals under control.

Censorship- Within 1984, the government censors as much information as possible. They control what people read and write, limiting these severely. We see less of this in the US but on a similar scale countries like Iran and North Korea try their best to do so. A more fitting example for the US is that of books and censorship, more broadly, on social media platforms. An example of this is the Twitter debate, should social media really be limitless? Is everything on it truly "uncensored"? I feel that this example is very real in proportion to the majority of the World.

Language/Communication- In the book, a new way to communicate/a new language is called Newspeak. This way of speaking makes it difficult for people to truly grasp the gravity of certain situations, it is a stunt to critical thinking. A real-world example of this would be the usage of phrases to cover up what is truly happening, a euphemism. A very real and frustrating example is words that perpetuate rape culture. Instead of clearly indicating the rapist is in fact at fault it leaves the discussion almost open-ended. Euphemisms such as "sexual misconduct" and "inappropriate behavior" may be used instead of directly addressing the situation at hand. This undermines the nature of the act and therefore complicates communication between individuals.

Government Surveillance- Though the surveillance in the book may be more severe than what we experience in the US, it is still a very real connection. In 1984, telescreens are used by the government to track an individual's every move. As of today, the US government tracks and monitors phone calls, online activity, and so on. A more specific example of this is the well-known NSA's surveillance program.