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Originally Posted by Laharl
I tried to read it back in High School for something... I think it was for a book report my sophomore year. I ended up picking a different book because I thought it was, well, retarded.
I dunno why, but anti-government books have never been my thing. They always come across to me as incredibly whiny. OMG TEH GOVRNMET TELLS U LYEZ AND CONTRLOS UR BRIAN!!!1!!111!1
Also, the fact that I can't stand Orwell's style of writing comes into play. It is simply annoying.
Tangent sidenote: One of the local bands made up of kids from some of the high schools around here goes by Junior Anit-Sex League.
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It isnt an anti-government book, it is an anti-facist.
And here is an essay that I wrote on 1984: (go ahead and steal it if you want, it isnt that good).
1984
The people of 1984 live in a bland world. A world stripped of color, sound, taste, smell and touch, all except for the propaganda devices used to brainwash the public. Since the senses have the ability to trigger past memories, or even evoke new memories and inspiration, Big Brother decided to take control over the senses and use them to the government’s advantage. This mind control is an overpowering weapon used to control its citizens.
The London of 1984 is not much to look at. As described by Winston Smith: “Though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered everywhere.” (6). Being that the propaganda posters are the only bits of color on a colorless landscape, they stand out. With the world the way it is, people are forced to look at slogans of “Big Brother is Watching You” (6) or stare into the “pursing eyes” (26) of the “black-mustachio’d face” (6) of Big Brother. They are constantly having the image of Big Brother being hammered into their minds; constantly reminded that they live their lives to serve their government.
The idea of fashion, too, has been eliminated. All the party members are required to wear general issue blue overalls. For many, the way one dresses is a means of expressing one’s self. What one wears on the outside is often a reflection of how they feel on the inside. By forcing everyone to dress the same way, Big Brother is restricting self-expression.
No matter where one may go, they can never truly be free from Big Brother’s clutches, not even in the comfort of their homes. Every home contains a Telescreen which “could be dimmed, but there was no way of turning it off completely” (6), “the words were always distinguishable” (6). There isn’t a moment when the people of 1984 aren’t being fed lies and propaganda. They are never allowed a moment of silence, thus stunting their ability to think for themselves, and question their government.
Touch too has been restricted. With programs as “The Anti-Sex League”, women, at a young age, have been taught that sexual intercourse is a vulgar and disgusting act and should only be used as a means to make offspring to serve the government: “our duty to the Party” (58) as Katherine liked to call it. Though she did not like the act “what was strange was that even when she was clasping [Winston] against her he had the feeling that she was simultaneously pushing him away with all her strength…it was horrible” (58). It was Big Brother’s intention to “rob you of your pleasures” (109). By keeping its citizens oppressed, Big Brother ensured that its citizens would remain dumb and not know any better, thus giving Big Brother great control over everyone.
And finally, taste, one of the most powerful of all the senses, was controlled by Big Brother too. “Winston and Syme pushed their trays beneath the grille. Onto each was dumped swiftly the regulation lunch-” (44). Winston later describes the meal as “a filthy liquid mess that had the appearance of vomit” (45). “Had food always tasted like this?” (52) Winston thought to himself. Why would Winston think such a question if he didn’t know any better….Unless he did. “The first whiff of [the ‘black market’ chocolate’s] scent had stirred up some memory which he could not pin down, but which was powerful and troubling….” It was such an event that Big Brother was trying to prevent: the summoning of past memories through the senses.
The government of 1984 had control over everything. Big Brother was everywhere. There was no escape. People had no freedom off choice. They were reduced to a robot-like existence, but since they knew nothing better, they did not realize they were living in hell on Earth.