Concetti Chiave
- 1984 is a dystopian novel depicting a future society dominated by totalitarian regimes across three super-states: Eustasia, Eurasia, and Oceania.
- The original title was intended to be "The Last Man in Europe," reflecting Winston Churchill's influence and role during World War II.
- The finalized title "1984" refers to the year Orwell completed the novel, with its digits reversed.
- In the novel, Britain, part of Oceania, is renamed "Airstrip One" and ruled by "Ingsoc" (English Socialism), with Big Brother as the omnipresent leader.
- The society is controlled by the "Thought Police," which aims to eliminate original ideas and emotions, with citizens under constant surveillance.
How the title was decided
1984 is one of the most famous George Orwell’s novel (as long as Animal Farm) about the society of the future.
The original title should have been The last Man in Europe, probably inspired by the strong presence of Winston Churchill (who also provided the flirts name of the protagonist), who remained virtually the "last defender" of Europe in the Second World War before the intervention of the United States.
The actual title derives from 1984, the year in which Orwell finished it and whose last two digits have been reversed.
How the world is divided
Orwell imagine the world divided into three super-states, Eustasia, Eurasia and Oceania, all with totalitarian governments, always at war with each other. Britain, which is part of Oceania, is called "Airstrip One", dominated by omnipresent "Big Brother", ruled by "Ingsoc" (English Socialism), and controlled by the omniscient "Thought Police" aiming at the elimination of all original ideas and individual emotions.
Huge photographs of the leader dominate every public spaces, worth the grim warning that "Big Brother is watching you". At home, every citizen is spied on by a camera, children are encouraged to denounce their parents for deviations from strict political orthodoxy.
The protagonist is an intellectual and a member of the Outer Party whose job is to carry out this manipulation of the facts by rewriting old books and newspaper.
An utopian novel about individuality
1984 can be considered a subcategory of the fictional genre which focuses on the life in the future, in terms of civilisation and politics: the dystopian category.A dystopia is characterized by a future that is full of hopelessness, threats and oppression. It is a world that catalyses all the worst aspects and the maximum degradation of the actual society.
On the contrary, an utopia is an imagination of the future in which all the negative elements are weed out and everything is perfect.
As a matter of fact, in 1984 the main character, Winston Smith, at first, works for the Outer Party and he is obedient to the Big Brother but, then, he secretly starts to understand that something is wrong: everyone is manipulated by the government.
He tries to rebel to the system and yet not only he is failed by his people but he is also brainwashed so that he can forget his doubts.
So, in the novel it is shown how dangerous can totalitarianism are and how monstruous they can become thanks also a strong, corruptive and focused propaganda and technology.
As a matter of fact, technology can be not secure because it has the power to convert and horror idea in something real and tangible.
As a consequence, isolation, alienation, degradation, dehumanisation, manipulation as well as control of the public and private life and the information are increased.
In the novel it can be also noticed how efficient is the application of the Joseph Goebbel’s theory: if a big lie is repeated continuously and surely, at the end it will be believed by everyone and it will be tend to be forgotten the truth because certainties are questioned without been given support to affirm them.
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