1984 essay outline

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Essays on 1984

Hook examples for "1984" essays, the dystopian warning hook.

Open your essay by discussing George Orwell's "1984" as a prophetic warning against totalitarianism and government surveillance. Explore how the novel's themes are eerily relevant in today's world.

The Orwellian Language Hook

Delve into the concept of Newspeak in "1984" and its parallels to modern language manipulation. Discuss how the novel's portrayal of controlled language reflects real-world instances of propaganda and censorship.

Big Brother is Watching Hook

Begin with a focus on surveillance and privacy concerns. Analyze the omnipresent surveillance in the novel and draw connections to contemporary debates over surveillance technologies, data privacy, and civil liberties.

The Power of Doublethink Hook

Explore the psychological manipulation in "1984" through the concept of doublethink. Discuss how individuals in the novel are coerced into accepting contradictory beliefs, and examine instances of cognitive dissonance in society today.

The Character of Winston Smith Hook

Introduce your readers to the protagonist, Winston Smith, and his journey of rebellion against the Party. Analyze his character development and the universal theme of resistance against oppressive regimes.

Technology and Control Hook

Discuss the role of technology in "1984" and its implications for control. Explore how advancements in surveillance technology, social media, and artificial intelligence resonate with the novel's themes of control and manipulation.

The Ministry of Truth Hook

Examine the Ministry of Truth in the novel, responsible for rewriting history. Compare this to the manipulation of information and historical revisionism in contemporary politics and media.

Media Manipulation and Fake News Hook

Draw parallels between the Party's manipulation of information in "1984" and the spread of misinformation and fake news in today's media landscape. Discuss the consequences of a distorted reality.

Relevance of Thoughtcrime Hook

Explore the concept of thoughtcrime and its impact on individual freedom in the novel. Discuss how society today grapples with issues related to freedom of thought, expression, and censorship.

Surveillance and Totalitarian Control in George Orwell's "1984"

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Orwell's Use of Literary Devices to Portray The Theme of Totalitarianism in 1984

The culture of fear in 1984, a novel by george orwell, 1984 by george orwell: literary devices to portray government controlling its citizens, the use of language to control people in 1984, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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Dictatorship of The People: Orwell's 1984 as an Allegory for The Early Soviet Union

Searching for truth in 1984, a world without love: the ramifications of an affectionless society in 1984, on double-think and newspeak: orwell's language, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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The Theme of Survival and Selfishness in The Handmaid's Tale in 1984

Government surveillance in 1984 by george orwell: bogus security, george orwell's 1984 as a historical allegory, exploitation of language in george orwell's 1984, how orwell's 1984 is relevant to today's audience, the relation of orwel’s 1984 to the uighur conflict in china, symbolism in 1984: the soviet union as representation of the fears people, parallels to today in 1984 by george orwell, the relationship between power and emotions in 1984, proletariat vs protagonist: winston smith's class conflict in 1984, a review of george orwell’s book, 1984, o'brien as a dehumanizing villain in 1984, family in 1984 and persepolis, the philosophy of determinism in 1984, orwell's use of rhetorical strategies in 1984, control the citizens in the orwell's novel 1984, dangers of totalitarianism as depicted in 1984, dystopian life in '1984' was a real-life in china, dystopian world in the novel '1984' awaits us in the future, the internal conflict of the protagonist of the dystopia '1984'.

8 June 1949, George Orwell

Novel; Dystopia, Political Fiction, Social Science Fiction Novel

Winston Smith, Julia, O'Brien, Aaronson, Jones, and Rutherford, Ampleforth, Charrington, Tom Parsons, Syme, Mrs. Parsons, Katharine Smith

Since Orwell has been a democratic socialist, he has modelled his book and motives after the Stalinist Russia

Power, Repressive Behaviors, Totalitarianism, Mass Surveillance, Human Behaviors

The novel has brought up the "Orwellian" term, which stands for "Big Brother" "Thoughtcrime" and many other terms that we know well. It has been the reflection of totalitarianism

1984 represents a dystopian writing that has followed the life of Winston Smith who belongs to the "Party",which stands for the total control, which is also known as the Big Brother. It controls every aspect of people's lives. Is it ever possible to go against the system or will it take even more control. It constantly follows the fear and oppression with the surveillance being the main part of 1984. There is Party’s official O’Brien who is following the resistance movement, which represents an alternative, which is the symbol of hope.

Before George Orwell wrote his famous book, he worked for the BBC as the propagandist during World War II. The novel has been named 1980, then 1982 before finally settling on its name. Orwell fought tuberculosis while writing the novel. He died seven months after 1984 was published. Orwell almost died during the boating trip while he was writing the novel. Orwell himself has been under government surveillance. It was because of his socialist opinions. The slogan that the book uses "2 + 2 = 5" originally came from Communist Russia and stood for the five-year plan that had to be achieved during only four years. Orwell also used various Japanese propaganda when writing his novel, precisely his "Thought Police" idea.

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” “But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” “Being in a minority, even in a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.” “Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn't matter; only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you-that would be the real betrayal.” “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” "But you could not have pure love or pure lust nowadays. No emotion was pure, because everything was mixed up with fear and hatred."

The most important aspect of 1984 is Thought Police, which controls every thought. It has been featured in numerous books, plays, music pieces, poetry, and anything that has been created when one had to deal with Social Science and Politics. Another factor that represents culmination is thinking about overthrowing the system or trying to organize a resistance movement. It has numerous reflections of the post WW2 world. Although the novella is graphic and quite intense, it portrays dictatorship and is driven by fear through the lens of its characters.

This essay topic is often used when writing about “The Big Brother” or totalitarian regimes, which makes 1984 a flexible topic that can be taken as the foundation. Even if you have to write about the use of fear by the political regimes, knowing the facts about this novel will help you to provide an example.

1. Enteen, G. M. (1984). George Orwell And the Theory of Totalitarianism: A 1984 Retrospective. The Journal of General Education, 36(3), 206-215. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/27797000) 2. Hughes, I. (2021). 1984. Literary Cultures, 4(2). (https://journals.ntu.ac.uk/index.php/litc/article/view/340) 3. Patai, D. (1982). Gamesmanship and Androcentrism in Orwell's 1984. PMLA, 97(5), 856-870. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/pmla/article/abs/gamesmanship-and-androcentrism-in-orwells-1984/F1B026BE9D97EE0114E248AA733B189D) 4. Paden, R. (1984). Surveillance and Torture: Foucault and Orwell on the Methods of Discipline. Social Theory and Practice, 10(3), 261-271. (https://www.pdcnet.org/soctheorpract/content/soctheorpract_1984_0010_0003_0261_0272) 5. Tyner, J. A. (2004). Self and space, resistance and discipline: a Foucauldian reading of George Orwell's 1984. Social & Cultural Geography, 5(1), 129-149. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1464936032000137966) 6. Kellner, D. (1990). From 1984 to one-dimensional man: Critical reflections on Orwell and Marcuse. Current Perspectives in Social Theory, 10, 223-52. (https://pages.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/essays/from1984toonedimensional.pdf) 7. Samuelson, P. (1984). Good legal writing: of Orwell and window panes. U. Pitt. L. Rev., 46, 149. (https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/upitt46&div=13&id=&page=) 8. Fadaee, E. (2011). Translation techniques of figures of speech: A case study of George Orwell's" 1984 and Animal Farm. Journal of English and Literature, 2(8), 174-181. (https://academicjournals.org/article/article1379427897_Fadaee.pdf) 9. Patai, D. (1984, January). Orwell's despair, Burdekin's hope: Gender and power in dystopia. In Women's Studies International Forum (Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 85-95). Pergamon. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0277539584900621) 10. Cole, M. B. (2022). The Desperate Radicalism of Orwell’s 1984: Power, Socialism, and Utopia in Dystopian Times. Political Research Quarterly, 10659129221083286. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10659129221083286)

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The Definitive Guide to Analysing ‘1984’ for English: Summary, Context, Themes & Characters

Newspeak? Doublethink? What do all of these words mean? If you need help analysing 1984 by George Orwell, you’ve come to the right place — we’ve got all you need to know with a summary, list of key characters, themes and a 3-step essay analysis guide!

We’ve even got an analysis table and a sample paragraph that’s all free for you to download on 1984.

So, let’s throw back into 1984 (the fictional one of course)! 

1984 by George Orwell Summary & Key Messages Key Characters in 1984 Context Themes Explored in 1984 Essay Analysis of 1984

1984 by George Orwell Summary & Key Messages

The politics of oceania.

1984 belongs in the dystopian, science fiction genre as it explores the dangers of corrupted power under a totalitarian regime. Totalitarianism is a government system that dictates how its citizens think, behave and act by constantly keeping an eye on them and carrying out punishments for those who don’t obey. Sounds strict, hey? 

Sadly, this is the life of our protagonist, Winston Smith. Winston lives in a nation that resembles London in Oceania, which has been in a war with Eurasia and Eastasia since forever but no one really knows what the war is about. This is because the Party controls its people through rewriting history in the Ministry of Truth, where Winston edits historical records as part of his job.

The Party also invented a new language called “Newspeak” , which eliminates any words associated with rebellion to ensure full subservience of their nation. 

Wherever Winston goes, he is bombarded with posters of their omnipresent leader, Big Brother. There are also hidden cameras and microphones that are implanted everywhere by the thought police to monitor every move of its citizens.

It’s a scary place because if you do or say anything wrong, the thought police will capture you and force you into lifelong labour . In this world, people cannot have close friends, cannot date whoever they want and cannot have intimate relationships.

Instead, the people pent up these emotions and channel them into aggressive patriotism for their government which are expressed in two minute hate rallies. 

The Start of Winston’s Rebellion

Winston has had enough of the Party and its strict control. He purchases an illegal diary to commit crimethink, where he expresses his own thoughts and feelings about the Party through writing. He also writes about his interest in O’Brien, a member of the Inner Party who he believes could be part of the underground rebellion group called the Brotherhood. 

Access 1984 Downloadable Sample Paragraph and Examples of Analysis

Winston’s and Julia’s Relationship

At work, Winston realises that his historical records were not aligning with his memories . He notices Julia, a young beautiful girl staring at him, and he is afraid that she will turn him into the “thought police”.

However, Julia passes him a note that says “I love you” and they start an affair. 

O’Brien’s Betrayal 

As their relationship grows more seriously, so does Winston’s hatred for the Party. He and Julia decided to reveal their rebellion to O’Brien, who also appeared to be on their side .

O’Brien welcomes them into the Brotherhood and passed Winston a copy of Emmanuel Goldstein’s book. As Winston starts reading the book, the thought police charge in, arrest Winston and Julia and bring them to the Ministry of Love. Turns out, O’Brien is a snake. 

The Party Tortures Winston

At the Ministry of Love, Winston is tortured mercilessly and this makes him confess everything he knows about Julia and the rebellion .

It is then revealed that the government carries out these acts to exercise total power and control over the people of Oceania, to the extent where people not only do things out of fear, but genuinely believe in what they are doing even if it doesn’t make sense.

Winston’s Loss of Individuality

In Room 101, Winston experiences a true Fear Factor episode. The thought police threaten Winston with his ultimate fear, rats that would eat his face off. This caused Winston to scream “Do it to Julia, not me!”, which represents his betrayal to the only person that held value to him.

After this, the thought police let both Winston and Julia go, but the two ex-lovers can no longer look at each other face to face as they are both broken inside. Winston becomes a changed man who does not want to think about rebelling and instead becomes highly supportive of the Party and Big Brother. 

Key Characters in 1984

Winston Smith  The main protagonist who works under the Ministry of Truth in London, Oceania. His appearance is frail, pensive and intelligent. He hates the Party and its totalitarian system with a desire to revolutionise his current political situation. He can be emotional and idealistic with his goals. 

Julia  A beautiful young girl who is Winston’s love interest. Julia is sex-positive with an optimistic attitude about the future of the Party. She represents parts of humanity that Winston lacks, such as passive survival, intimacy, intuition and pragmatism. 

O’Brien  A mysterious leader of the Inner Party who Winston trusts as Winston believes that O’Brien is a member of the legendary rebellion group, the Brotherhood. It is revealed later in the novel that O’Brien is a leader of The Party who has been keeping a close eye on Winston. His betrayal launches us into the inner mechanisms of The Party and its totalitarian rule. O’Brien’s character parallels that of famous dictators in modern history such as Stalin and Hitler, as he is determined to indoctrinate Winston in the name of “purity.” 

Big Brother  Have you watched the show Big Brother? His character in the show is almost the same as in 1984, except a lot more controlling. In 1984, Big Brother is the most dominating figure in Oceania as he is perceived to be the ruler, although Orwell does not specify whether he really exists or not. Big Brother’s face is plastered among posters, coins and telescreens with the slogan “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” so it’s impossible to avoid him anywhere. 

Emmanuel Goldstein As the leader of the legendary group of rebels called the Brotherhood, Emmanuel Goldstein is the opposing figure of Big Brother. Although he never appears in the novel, he has had a profound impact on Winston’s hope for the future. He is the most dangerous man in Oceania, according to the Party.  

Context in 1984

To understand 1984’s context, we must first understand the author’s personal background to craft a well thought-out essay analysis. This is because the author’s personal and historical experiences do shape the novel and its themes. So, let’s start with Orwell’s schooling days.

If you ever felt suppressed at school, Orwell can definitely relate with you on that. As a “lower-upper-middle class”, Orwell didn’t fit in with his peers and was upset with the restricted routine that schools impose on their students.

He then went on to become a British Imperial Policeman in Burma where he hated his job as he had to execute strict laws under a political system he didn’t like. After this, he moved to England and became a full-time writer. 

Orwell experienced poverty for awhile, and even lived as a coal miner in northern England which caused him to shift from capitalist ideals to democratic socialism. Here are the simplified definitions of the political concepts that influenced Orwell’s beliefs and 1984’s themes: 

• Capitalism: An economic system where property is owned and controlled by private actors, rather than by state. As such individuals can control how much they set their prices, instead of leaving it to the government to dictate. 
• Democratic Socialism: Unlike capitalism, democratic socialism is an economic system whereby property and products are owned and controlled by the entire society, alongside governments. So, the main difference here is that governments have a say in trade whereas in capitalism, governments do not interfere with private owner’s business. 

Orwell was also concerned with the rise of Thatcherism. 

In the year 1936, Orwell fought as a socialist in the Spanish Civil War during World War II, where he became familiar with totalitarian systems that are under leaders such as Hitler and Stalin. Although Orwell was passionate about socialism at first, he soon became disillusioned and disappointed with its ideals as Stalin used communism as the foundation of his authoritarian system. 

Stalin of the Soviet Union was also an important influence in shaping 1984’s totalitarian regime of Oceania, as Stalin used secret police to force confessions out of enemies through torture alike how the Ministry of Love did with Winston . Like the Party, the Soviet Union also tampered with physical records of people as they imprison and/or eliminate millions of lives. 

With the rise of the nuclear age and television in 1949, Orwell envisioned a future where everyone would always be monitored through screens in a post-atomic dictatorship . This became a fear that was highly possible when speculated thirty five years into the future. 

But as we all know, this did not become true. In the early 1990s, the Cold War ended with the triumph of democracy, as signified by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Even so, Orwell’s 1984 still serves as a precautionary tale against the corruption and abuse of totalitarian regimes, along with a profound insight into the use of language and history to manipulate one’s individuality.  

Want more information on George Orwell? Take a look at this biography found via the Orwell Foundation page!

Themes Explored in 1984

To help you get started on your thesis or topic sentence , here are three key themes from 1984 that you can write about in your essay analysis !

The Consequences of Totalitarianism

After experiencing the violence and corruption of totalitarian regimes in Spain and Russia, Orwell wrote 1984 as a warning about the dangers of an authoritarian regime where the government holds the most power. As such, the Party in 1984 administered extreme methods of physical and psychological manipulation to enforce total submission of its people. 

Physical control by the Party includes total surveillance of its people to the extent where even a twitch in the face can be enough to warrant an arrest. Morning exercises, called Physical Jerks, are also carried out before long hours at work to tire people out so they don’t have the energy to think beyond the Party’s propaganda. 

The Party also uses physical torture to “re-educate” and punish those who rebel against them. It is this physical pain that causes Winston to lose his own individuality and moral beliefs, allowing the Party to infiltrate his mind and dictate his sense of reality. 

Meanwhile, the Party also uses psychological tactics to saturate the individual’s mind with propaganda and disable its ability for independent thinking. On top of watching everyone everywhere, the telescreens are also used to indoctrinate (ie. brainwash) people into supporting the Party despite its flaws.

The telescreens also perpetuate slogans such as “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” , to remind people that their government is always watching their back so they better behave according to the Party’s standards. 

The Party also deems close friendships and conversations with others illegal. So, if you’re itching to spill the tea, your only method of venting your emotions out is through pep rallies, where the Party encourages you to show extreme expressions of hatred to its political enemies. Ultimately, this allows the Party to dictate how and where you should express your emotions, keeping you from expressing your individual feelings, thoughts and opinions. 

Here are some quotes that illustrate the perils of totalitarianism: 

The Power of Language to Liberate and Control 

In 1984, language has the dual capacity to both restrain and facilitate individual expression. This is another key message that Orwell imparts, as he highlights how language can either promote or limit ideas which influence our beliefs, behaviour and identity. 

The Party uses Newspeak as a way of controlling the language that its people speak, which in turn dictates the people’s thoughts, actions and personalities (or lack thereof).

By eliminating words that are associated with rebellious thoughts, the Party essentially removes the people’s ability to think of resistance because there are no words to conceive it. With continual edits with Newspeak, the Party inches a step closer to their ultimate goal of total coercion from their people.

Yet, in Winston’s case, he uses language as a vehicle of self-expression as he purchases a diary for himself and writes his everyday thoughts, opinions and feelings into it . By writing in his own words, he is able to build himself an identity with his own passions, goals and perspective.

Sadly, in a world where the government overrules individual expression, Winston’s use of language dwindles, though it is encouraging to see how language can still work to preserve independent thought.

Here are three quotes that can help you get started on this theme: 

The Importance of Preserving Our Identity and Individualism

What happens if we lose everything that defines us as us? 

1984 truly delves into this scary concept as the Party removes everyone’s personal details so they are not able to establish their own identity. For example, even Winston does not know his own age, who his real parents are nor can he trust his own childhood memories as there are no photographs or evidences to help him differentiate between reality and imagination. 

Aside from Winston, the rest of Oceania are also denied documents that could give them a sense of individuality and help them differentiate themselves from others . This causes their memories to grow fuzzy, thus making the people of Oceania vulnerable and dependent on the stories that the Party tells them.

In turn, by controlling the present, the Party can re-engineer the past. Simultaneously, by controlling the past, the Party can rationalise its shortcomings and project a perfect government that is far from the truth. 

With no recollection of the past, the people of Oceania can no longer stay in touch with their real identities and instead, become identical as they wear the same uniform, drink the same brand of alcohol and more. Yet, Winston builds his own sense of identity through recording his thoughts, experiences and emotions in his diary. This act along with his relationship with Julia symbolises Winston’s declaration of his own independence and identity as a rebel who disagrees with the Party’s system. 

Despite this, Winston’s own sense of individuality and identity dissolves after his torturous experience at the Ministry of Love, which transforms him into another member of the Outer Party who blends into the crowd. By asserting a dark vision of humanity’s individualism, Orwell urges audiences in the present to truly value their freedom to express and preserve their identity. 

Here are some quotes that are related to this idea which you may find helpful:

Of course, 1984 also includes other themes that you may be thinking about writing analysis for, such as: 

• Rebellion and Patriotism 
• Active versus Passive Survival 
• The Corrupt Use of Technology

Check out our recommended related text for 1984 .

Essay Analysis: How to Analyse 1984 in 3 Steps

Analysing your text is always the first step to writing an amazing essay! Lots of students make the mistake of jumping right into writing without really understanding what the text is about.

This leads to arguments that only skim the surface of the complex ideas, techniques and elements of the text. So, let’s build a comprehensive thesis through an in-depth analysis of the 1984. 

Here are three easy steps that you can use to analyse 1984 and really impress your English teachers!

Step 1: Select your example(s)

1984 is a world of its own with its totalitarian systems, use of foreign words and more. So, we totally understand if you’re feeling lost and don’t know where to begin. 

Our piece of advice is to look for examples that come with a technique. Techniques offer you a chance to delve into the text’s underlying meaning, which would help you deepen your analysis and enrich your essay writing. 

Find our extensive list of quotes from 1984 by George Orwell!

Here are two quotes that relate to consequences of totalitarian power, which we have picked to help you visualise which examples can provide a deeper meaning: 

“Big Brother is Watching You.”  “WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” 

Step 2: Identify your technique(s)

Getting a good grade in English is more than listing out every technique that you can find in the text. Instead, it’s about finding techniques that allow you to dive deeper into the themes you’re focussing on, while also supporting your argument. 

Try to look for techniques that allow you to explain its effects and link to your argument such as symbols, metaphors, connotations, similes and historical allegories . In Orwell’s case, he uses a lot of language techniques such as neologism, where he makes up his own words such as “Doublethink” or “Newspeak”. 

For the two quotes above, its three techniques include historical allusion, rhetoric and oxymoron. 

If possible, you can look out for a quote that encompasses a few techniques to really pack a punch in your analysis. 

Step 3: Write the analysis

Once you’re done collecting your examples and techniques, the next part is writing. You must remember to explain what the effect of the technique is and how it supports your argument. Otherwise, it’s not going to be a cohesive essay if you’re just listing out techniques. 

An example of listing out techniques looks like this: 

“The rhetoric “Big Brother is Watching You” is also a historical allusion while “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength” is oxymoronic.”

Instead, you must elaborate on how each of these techniques link to your argument. 

“Big Brother is Watching You” is a rhetoric imposed by the Party to instil psychological fear and submission of the people of Oceania, whereby Orwell uses to warn the dangers of totalitarianism. “Big Brother” is also a historical allusion to Hitler to remind the audience that 1984 is not entirely fictional but a possible future of our reality, urging us to take action against totalitarian regimes with the autonomy we have now. 

Meanwhile, the slogan ““WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” represents the oxymoronic mentalities that have been indoctrinated into the people of Oceania, highlighting how totalitarian regimes would force its people to think whatever they want their people to think, no matter how illogical it is. 

Together, your analysis should look something like: 

The Party perpetuates the rhetoric, “Big Brother is Watching You” to instil psychological fear and coercion of the the people of Oceania, which forewarns a lack of individual freedom and private reflection within authoritarian regimes. As “Big Brother” is a historical allusion to Hitler, Orwell reminds the audience that 1984 and its extremist politics is a reality, urging us to defend our independence before it’s forbidden. Furthermore, the slogan “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength” embodies the oxymoronic mentalities that the Party indoctrinates into its people, revealing the extreme extent of psychological control an authoritarian regime strives to ensure their power is never questioned, no matter how irrational it is.

Need some help with your essay analysis of other texts aside from 1984?

Check out other texts we’ve created guides for below:

• Romeo and Juliet
• Run Lola Run
• The Meursault Investigation
• In Cold Blood
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Book Thief
• The Tempest
• Blade Runner
• Things Fall Apart
• Mrs Dalloway

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George Orwell

Ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on George Orwell's 1984 . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

1984: Introduction

1984: plot summary, 1984: detailed summary & analysis, 1984: themes, 1984: quotes, 1984: characters, 1984: symbols, 1984: literary devices, 1984: theme wheel, brief biography of george orwell.

Historical Context of 1984

Other books related to 1984.

• Full Title: Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel
• When Written: 1945-49; outline written 1943
• Where Written: Jura, Scotland
• When Published: June 1949
• Literary Period: Late Modernism
• Genre: Novel / Satire / Parable
• Setting: London in the year 1984
• Climax: Winston is tortured in Room 101
• Antagonist: O'Brien
• Point of View: Third-Person Limited

Extra Credit for 1984

Outspoken Anti-Communist. Orwell didn't just write literature that condemned the Communist state of the USSR. He did everything he could, from writing editorials to compiling lists of men he knew were Soviet spies, to combat the willful blindness of many intellectuals in the West to USSR atrocities.

Working Title. Orwell's working title for the novel was The Last Man in Europe .

Home ➔ Free Essay Examples ➔ 1984 Essay

Writing an Essay on George Orwell’s 1984

George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 masterfully depicts a society dominated by a totalitarian government. Through extensive imagery, Orwell reveals the nature of an anti-utopian regime from the viewpoint of Winston Smith, an outer party member tasked with rewriting history, indicative of the past controls in the novel. His perspectives reflect the present controls in the novel and unveil the dystopian totalitarian society of Oceania, a nation in constant antagonism with others.

1984 by George Orwell is recognized as a must-read literary masterpiece, engaging readers across all age groups with its rich characters and stimulating essay topics. The novel’s detailed historicism and depiction of the dominant political party’s actions, echoing their party slogan, have inspired numerous thought-provoking essays.

While some may believe that all possible essay topics on 1984 have been explored, this is only partially true. Every essay uniquely explores an author’s thought process, offering new perspectives even on familiar themes. For instance, the concept of doublethink, central to Orwell’s political fiction narrative, continues to be a subject of lively debate. Moreover, the novel raises complex issues worth exploring, such as the effects of government surveillance and the erosion of civil liberties in a dystopian society.

How to Choose an Effective Topic

Consider the social problems highlighted in this dystopian literature to select a relevant essay topic. Possible research subjects include:

• Gender balance in the novel: Examine the roles of men and women, particularly focusing on Winston Smith and Julia’s relationship.
• Symbolism in the novel: Identify images and ideas that relate to real-world events and explore the author’s intentions behind these metaphors.
• Brainwashing: Analyze how altering history impacts the novel’s characters and how doublethink affects their behavior.
• Room 101 metaphor: Contemplate the symbolic significance of Room 101, where individuals confront their worst fears and psychological effects.
• Power display: Investigate how power is portrayed in the book and the Party’s methods to demonstrate its supremacy.
• Technology use: Discuss how technology is employed to limit freedom and its effects on characters’ mental and physical health.
• Historicism: Examine the correlation between events in the book and real-world history, comparing Orwell’s portrayal to historical periods like World War II or the Soviet Union.

These research ideas can become fascinating and purposeful essay topics . Consider each and choose a subject that offers fresh perspectives, ensuring to express your own opinions and attitudes.

How to Come Up With an Innovative Idea

Engaging your reader, sparking curiosity, and presenting fresh insights are the hallmarks of a compelling essay . But how does one achieve these? The answer lies in innovation. Innovation in essay writing is not just about uniqueness; it’s about offering a new understanding of a familiar subject. An innovative idea can challenge established viewpoints, connect disparate concepts, or revitalize well-trodden debates. Writing about a widely studied text like 1984 by George Orwell requires an innovative approach to stand out and encourage deeper discussion.

Understanding the Novel

To create innovative essay ideas, it is essential to understand “1984” thoroughly. Dive into the novel’s world, absorbing the plot’s nuances, character dynamics, themes, and Orwell’s distinct style. Reflect on the characters’ actions and the story’s development. Understand Orwell’s historical context and motivations, whether as a warning, critique, or dystopian vision. This deep comprehension will fuel unique essay topics.

Brainstorming Techniques

Enhance your brainstorming with techniques like mind mapping, starting with core concepts like ‘totalitarianism’ or ‘doublethink’ and expanding into related areas. Use free writing to unleash subconscious thoughts and insights. The questioning method can lead to innovative ideas by asking probing questions about the novel’s characters, themes, or Orwell’s intentions.

Connecting to Contemporary Themes

Consider how “1984” reflects our contemporary society. Draw parallels between Orwell’s dystopian world and current political and social issues. Analyze the novel’s portrayal of surveillance and propaganda in relation to modern discussions about privacy and misinformation. By linking these themes, you bring your essay a modern, innovative perspective.

Diving Deeper into Characters and Themes

Go beyond surface-level understanding. Explore the psychological depths of characters like Winston Smith, Julia, and Big Brother. Analyze how their motivations interact with Orwell’s overarching themes. Investigate themes like totalitarianism, privacy, and the nature of power. Such exploration will reveal fresh perspectives and groundbreaking essay topics.

Here is a comprehensive, comma-separated list of themes found in George Orwell’s “1984”:

Totalitarianism, censorship, manipulation of information, propaganda, surveillance, resistance to power, psychological manipulation, physical control, the alteration of reality, loss of individuality, loyalty, nationalism, sexuality and love, class struggle, language as mind control, memory and the past, fear, betrayal, fatalism, repression, truth, power, control, privacy, rebellion.

Examining Literary Devices

Study Orwell’s literary craft, focusing on how his use of metaphor, simile, irony, and foreshadowing enhances the narrative and themes. Understanding these devices is key to unlocking deeper meanings and forming the basis of insightful essays.

Here is an exhaustive, comma-separated list of literary devices found in George Orwell’s “1984”:

Allegory, allusion, analogy, antithesis, aphorism, apostrophe, assonance, cacophony, characterization, conflict, connotation, denotation, dialogue, dramatic irony, dystopia, euphemism, foreshadowing, hyperbole, imagery, irony, juxtaposition, metaphor, metonymy, mood, motif, paradox, parallelism, personification, plot, point of view, prose, repetition, satire , setting, simile, symbolism, syntax, theme, tone, understatement, foreshadowing, flashback, alliteration.

Encouraging Multiple Perspectives

View 1984, a classic in social science fiction, from different angles. Consider the story from the perspectives of various characters under the party’s control or through different theoretical lenses like feminist, Marxist, or postcolonial theories. These diverse viewpoints can illuminate the text and inspire unique essay topics.

Consult Secondary Sources

Expand your research with secondary sources like scholarly articles and literary critiques, seeing ‘1984’ as a prime example in its genre. They can provide new interpretations and context, enriching your essay with a well-rounded perspective. Critically evaluate these sources and integrate them to support your unique viewpoint.

Evaluating Ideas

Once you’ve generated various ideas, it’s time to evaluate them. Not all ideas are created equal. Ask yourself: Which of my ideas are truly innovative? Which ones offer fresh insights and perspectives on “1984”? Which will engage my audience most effectively? Consider the scope, depth, and relevance of each idea. Can you find enough evidence in the text to support your argument ? Will your idea contribute to the existing discourse around the novel, or does it risk rehashing well-trodden arguments? This critical evaluation will ensure that you choose the most innovative and effective idea for your essay.

Comparative Analysis with Other Dystopian Novels

Innovate by comparing “1984” with other dystopian works like “Brave New World” or “Fahrenheit 451”. This comparison can highlight common themes and narrative techniques in dystopian literature, providing a fresh angle for your essay.

1984 Topic Examples

When choosing an essay topic for “1984”, it’s important to select a subject that resonates with you. Here are some topic ideas to consider:

• Mechanisms of Control : Explore how the Inner Party employs various methods to instill paranoia in Oceania’s citizens and analyze their effectiveness in maintaining the regime’s rule.
• Historical Parallels : Examine elements within “1984” that mirror real-world instances of totalitarian rule, such as the parallels between the Party’s tactics and those used in historical dictatorships.
• Winston’s Rebellion and Failure : Discuss the complex dynamics that lead to Winston’s inability to overthrow the oppressive government, focusing on the interplay between his character traits, the political environment, and societal structures.
• Effective Methods of Totalitarian Rule : Identify and argue the most effective strategy used by Big Brother to maintain control over society, comparing it with other methods depicted in the novel.
• The Role of Propaganda : Analyze the use of propaganda in the novel and its effectiveness in controlling the populace within a totalitarian society.
• The Power of Language : Delve into Orwell’s introduction of ‘Newspeak’ and discuss how language manipulation consolidates a totalitarian state.
• Technology and Control : Scrutinize how Orwell portrays technology as a tool for surveillance and societal manipulation in the novel.
• Dehumanization in Totalitarian Regimes : Discuss the dehumanizing effects of living under a totalitarian regime as portrayed in “1984”, focusing on how the regime’s control over individuality and personal life affects the characters.
• Doublethink as a Tool of Control : Examine how the concept of doublethink is used to maintain the totalitarian government, analyzing its role in perpetuating the state.
• The Role of the Proles : Analyze the depiction of ‘the proles’ in “1984” and discuss their potential as a disruptive force against the oppressive regime.

The Perils of Doublethink in 1984 (Essay Sample)

George Orwell’s “1984” provides a chilling exploration of a dystopian society under a totalitarian regime, where citizens are compelled to accept contradictory beliefs simultaneously – a concept Orwell termed as “doublethink.” This novel vividly portrays the sinister consequences of doublethink on personal freedom and objective reality. In this essay, we delve into Orwell’s critique of doublethink, elucidating its damaging impacts on individual freedom of thought and the recognition of objective reality.

In the world Orwell conjures, doublethink becomes a psychological instrument of the totalitarian government, meticulously designed to manipulate citizens into submissively endorsing the regime’s ideology. An instance of this can be seen in the paradoxical statement, “two and two equal five,” a governmental doctrine the citizens are forced to embrace despite its glaring falsity. This powerful manifestation of doublethink unveils the ability of the Party to distort the truth and disseminate its propaganda without any resistance. The collective acceptance of these blatant lies not only obstructs free thinking but also paves the way for a society in which objective reality is perpetually challenged.

The insidious nature of doublethink lies in its capacity to coerce citizens into abandoning their personal convictions and accepting the Party’s dictates, thereby suppressing their freedom of thought and action. Such mental manipulation leads to a society of individuals unable to discern truth from falsehood, submissively adhering to any propaganda the government propagates. Scholars argue that through doublethink, people are psychologically conditioned to accept lies as truth, demonstrating the horrifying extent of control the Party exerts over the masses (Orwell, 1990).

More alarmingly, doublethink blurs the boundary between reality and fiction, contributing to a society where the concept of objective truth becomes obsolete. In Orwell’s words, doublethink “negates the existence of objective reality while simultaneously accounting for the reality it denies” (Orwell, 1990). This suggests that proponents of doublethink willingly forsake objective truth, accepting any belief propagated by the Party irrespective of its veracity. An illustration of this is when citizens believe that consuming fruits is harmful, despite their inherent knowledge of their nutritional benefits. This form of cognitive distortion serves the interests of autocratic leaders, providing them with unwavering control over the populace.

Overall, Orwell’s “1984” paints a disturbing picture of a society crippled by doublethink, an instrument of manipulation stemming from totalitarian ideology. The consequences of this dangerous practice are the suppression of individual freedom of thought and the denial of objective reality, all serving to solidify the unyielding control of a corrupt government. Therefore, Orwell’s novel stands as a stark warning against the acceptance of doublethink, reinforcing the vital importance of independent thought and the recognition of objective reality in a democratic society.

• Anderson, M. (2016). Charter school reform: doublethink and the assault on the vulnerable. Journal of Thought , 50 (3-4), 33-48.
• Kaye, S., & Chin, C. (2017). Donald Trump’s use of post-truth double-think politics is a threat to liberal democratic norms. USA pp–American Politics and Policy Blog .
• Moran, S. (2018). Control in WWII Novels: 1984 and Brave New World (Doctoral dissertation, Worcester Polytechnic Institute).
• Orwell, G. (1990). Nineteen Eighty-Four. 1949. The Complete Novels , 7.

Writing the Thesis Statement and Conclusion

Crafting the thesis statement.

An impactful thesis statement is the linchpin of a compelling essay. It presents your central argument clearly and concisely and guides the structure of your essay . When writing a thesis statement for an essay on “1984”, ensure it communicates your unique perspective and directly addresses the essay question or topic.

Your thesis statement should make an argument rather than stating a fact. For example, rather than saying, “George Orwell’s ‘1984’ presents a dystopian society,” you might argue, “Through the portrayal of a dystopian society in ‘1984’, George Orwell critiques the misuse of political power and the erosion of individual freedoms.”

Ensure your thesis is specific enough to be covered effectively in your essay and broad enough to allow you to discuss multiple aspects of the text. Your thesis statement should also indicate the key points you will use to support your argument.

For example: “In ‘1984’, George Orwell uses the motif of Big Brother, the concept of doublethink, and the character arc of Winston Smith to critique the totalitarian government’s manipulative control over individuals’ thoughts and actions.”

Finally, position your thesis statement at the end of your introduction . This placement effectively sets the stage for the rest of your essay and guides your readers on the journey of your argument.

Constructing the Conclusion

The conclusion is your final chance to make an impact on your readers, so make it count. It ties up your argument and gives your essay a sense of completion.

Begin your conclusion by rephrasing your thesis statement in a new way. Do not simply repeat your thesis verbatim—instead, revisit it in light of the arguments and evidence you’ve presented. This reinforces your central argument and demonstrates how your essay has supported it.

Next, summarize the key points you’ve made in your body paragraphs . This should not simply be a list but a synthesis of your main arguments demonstrating how they support your thesis.

Finally, consider the broader implications of your argument. What does your analysis of “1984” contribute to the understanding of the novel or the broader discussions around it? How does your essay connect to the world today? By ending your essay with a thought-provoking conclusion, you leave your readers with a lasting impression and demonstrate the relevance and impact of your arguments. For instance, you might conclude with a statement: “Orwell’s ‘1984’ serves as a chilling reminder of the power of propaganda and manipulation, urging contemporary societies to be vigilant against any infringement on individual liberties.”

Remember, your conclusion should not introduce any new arguments or information. Its goal is to wrap up your essay in a satisfying and coherent way, leaving your readers with a clear understanding of your argument and its significance.

Conclusion example

“ George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” profoundly illustrates the grim outcomes of totalitarian rule, creating a cautionary tale of manipulated consciousness and obliterated freedoms. [Introduction of main theme] The exploration of language manipulation, the concept of doublethink, and the pervasive presence of Big Brother exemplify Orwell’s portrayal of the dangerous potential of absolute power to manipulate reality and alter citizens’ perceptions of truth and morality. [Key themes & concepts] The novel’s relevance in today’s digital age is undeniable, with increasing surveillance technology and the proliferation of ‘fake news’ raising urgent questions about privacy, truth, and the power of political manipulation. [Contemporary relevance] More than a mere work of fiction, ‘1984’ serves as a chilling prophecy and stark reminder of the importance of critical thinking, freedom of expression, and individual autonomy. As we delve deeper into an era marked by digital surveillance and data manipulation, Orwell’s ‘1984’ remains a necessary critique and potent warning, underscoring the need for constant vigilance and resistance against any threats to our freedoms. [Conclusion & broader implications] ”

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Introduction of 1984

Summary of 1984, major themes in 1984, major characters in 1984, writing style 1984‎, analysis of literary devices in 1984, related posts:, post navigation.

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1984 Essay Writing Manual For All

Published in 1949 by Secker & Warburg, 1984 is George Orwell’s ninth and final work. The story takes place in a dystopian future where most of the world’s inhabitants have fallen beneath oppressive government surveillance, propaganda, endless war, and historical denialism. It was an instant hit and has since been adapted into several films, television series, and stage plays.

It’s a popular piece of literary writing that finds its way in most high school curricula and is one of the first novels of serious literary merit that students encounter on their way to learning how to write argumentative writing. This article shows how to do so specifically for a 1984 George Orwell Essay.

A Short 1984 Plot Summary

The story focuses on Winston Smith a low-ranking member of the ruling Party in London, Oceania (formerly England). Smith is surveilled everywhere he goes, even his own home, by the Party’s leader, Big Brother. The Party uses surveillance, propaganda, war, and historical denialism to control the citizens of the country. This sets-up the opportunity for students that want to focus on a 1984 totalitarianism essay because the oppression of the Party mirrors a lot of Orwell was commenting on as it related to the Russian and Spanish regimes at the time.

Smith is displeased by the oppression of the government and secretly purchases a diary in which he writes his rebellious and criminal thoughts. He is also intrigued by a man named O’Brien, a powerful party member Smith believes is working to overthrow the Party through the work of the Brotherhood.

As Smith begins to take action to become a part of the Brotherhood, he is found out by those that supported him in efforts to align against the Party. After torture, Smith reveals a lover, Julia, as a coconspirator or sympathizer against the Party. Later the two meet again and discuss their histories and situations, but neither trusts or has feelings for the other and Smith has been manipulated so much to the point that he admits his love for Big Brother.

As you can see, there are several types of 1984 essays you can write about, including surveillance, theme, symbolism, analysis, and rhetorical. We will discuss each of these briefly later in this article. But first, let’s start with a writing process with any essay questions for 1984 .

How to Write an Essay on 1984

Students are often asked to write a 1984 essay assignment in high school English classes when they are still honing their skills in the analysis of literary works and formulating arguments in a structured and logical way. Students can feel a bit overwhelmed with this kind of assignment because it challenges them to think critically and present an original and well-thought thesis reflecting their points of view on a given topic.

The following is a short but effective how-to-guide for writing a great essay about 1984 in just a few simple steps:

• Reading and Taking Notes for a 1984 Essay

Taking notes while reading the novel is an important part of all academic writing. There are many approaches to this, such as underlining and writing notes along the margin, keeping a separate notebook to copy down passages, phrases, or words. Whatever your preferred method, make sure you take good notes while reading 1984 . If possible, re-read certain sections you find meaningful for an essay assignment.

• Developing a 1984 Essay Thesis

Your thesis should be specific, covering only what you will discuss in your essay. For instance, if you are writing a 1984 essay about big brother you need to focus on who this character is and the role he has within the novel. A thesis statement may focus on the fear he casts on other characters just by being mysterious and omniscient. Or you can focus on his representation of the government, as someone who represents every branch and can change courses at his will.

• Creating a 1984 Essay Outline

The next step is to take your notes and opinions and arrange them in an outline. Start with the body portion. Each point should address a single argument in support of your thesis statement. Sub-points (lower levels) should include examples or evidence to support your main points. Fill in the sections for your introduction and conclusion and use your outline as you write the first draft.

• Writing the Body for an Essay On 1984

When you write the first draft, you should aim to get it done in a single sitting. Don’t worry about sentence structure, grammar, or vocabulary. Get your thoughts down on the page as quickly and as efficiently as possible. You will have time to make corrections in later drafts. Each body paragraph should focus on a single point and go in-depth. You may find that you repeat thoughts, but this can be corrected later on in the writing process.

• Writing the 1984 Essay Introduction

Next, work on the introduction. Following the same process described in step 4, write quickly and efficiently. Make sure you incorporate any background information the reader needs to understand your thesis. Place your thesis at the end of your introduction. Your introduction should be about 5 to 6 sentences long but don’t focus on this number while you write the first draft.

• Writing the 1984 Essay Conclusion

In your conclusion, you must summarize and synthesize the main points you brought up in the body of your essay. It should also reiterate your thesis statement. Don’t simply cut and paste your thesis from your introduction. You should restate it in different words. You want to remind your readers of your argument and explain how your points make your argument sound and logical.

• Revising Your First Draft After Setting It Aside

When writing your 1984 critical essay, you should set your paper aside for a few days before making your revisions. The process of revising requires you to rethink or reimagine your thesis and arguments. This is easier when you approach your first draft with a fresh mind. Don’t hesitate to rearrange, add, or remove content. To revise is to make your assignment stronger.

• Editing and Proofreading the Revised Draft

1984 Essay Topics to Consider

The following 1984 essay prompts cover a wide variety of essay types that you can apply to most assignments. We list several ideas to help you brainstorm and choose a topic that challenges you but won’t overwhelm you. Most of these 1984 argumentative essay topics can be researched online and at your school library. Just be certain that you use only trusted sources when you make your arguments:

1984 Surveillance Essay

There are many elements of the novel that lend themselves to a great essay about surveillance. From two-way television screens to wiretapping, this novel takes elements of surveillance to create a world within the novel where people are being watched by Big Brother and cannot hide their actions or words against an oppressive ruling government.

1984 Themes Essay

Related to issues of surveillance, a 1984 theme essay can be written on the dangers of totalitarianism, specifically to those that Orwell witnessed in Russia and Spain at the time. Orwell wished to warn the Western world about the dangers of these nation’s governments. At the time, the Cold War had not reached a point to cause alarm and the West was largely interested in the experiment. Orwell was more concerned with the oppressions and cruelties that he witnessed in communist countries.

Symbolism In 1984 Essay

The 1984 writing style lends itself to a lot of what Orwell wanted to introduce in his use of symbolism. One never knows if Big Brother is real, but posters are plastered throughout neighborhoods to remind citizens that he is always watching. It is impossible to know who rules Oceania but we do know that there is a singular entity that controls the country.

1984 Literary Analysis Essay

When starting the process of writing a 1984 analysis essay, you need to conduct an in-depth analysis of its literary elements. This can include a 1984 character analysis of the people that drive the story forward. It can also focus on things that aren’t living but present imposing environments, such as the streets and homes that are wiretapped and surveilled by cameras in every corner.

Rhetorical Devices in 1984

There are several rhetorical devices in the novel which can be the focus of an essay, including characters, conflict, foreshadowing, imagery, and metaphor. Consider the use of the eyes throughout the novel: Smith is suspicious of everyone looking at him because he is aware of the constant surveillance that goes on in the world around him.

If you have more 1984 essay questions, we are always glad to help. Our customer support team is available 24/7 all year and we have literary experts who know how to research, write, edit and proofread assignments that earn our customers the highest possible scores. Additionally, if you need custom 1984 essay ideas, send us your assignment details and we will provide you with original lists of topics to fit your needs exactly.

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George Orwell's Anti-Utopian Reality in 1984 Novel

The overwhelming spread of military literature in the 20th century gave readers a great abundance of books to read on these topics. Some authors take both the pro and con sides of the military states and actions in discussing the political realities of their times. Among them, George Orwell wrote a novel that depicted the future that is relevant for all centuries and all political powers. The book 1984 (published in 1949, right after World War II) talks about a personality that has to survive under the pressures of an oppressive government.

About George Orwell

George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic known for his keen observations on social injustice, totalitarianism, and democratic socialism. Born in India in 1903, Orwell spent much of his life in England and was deeply influenced by his experiences during the Spanish Civil War, where he fought against fascism.

George Orwell's life and career were marked by a commitment to truth-telling and a staunch opposition to propaganda and censorship. His experiences as a colonial police officer in Burma provided him with firsthand insight into the workings of the empire and the abuses of power. Orwell's disdain for authoritarianism extended to his critique of capitalism, evident in works such as Animal Farm, a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution. Despite his socialist leanings, Orwell remained fiercely independent in his thinking, resisting ideological conformity and maintaining skepticism towards political movements of all stripes.

His writing style, characterized by clarity, precision, and mastery of language, continues to captivate readers and influence writers to this day. Through his literary legacy, 1984 stands as one of his most famous works, a dystopian masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers worldwide.

Throughout the whole story, Orwell depicts an invisible fight between the individual and the system. The book is pretty dark, heavy and depressing. Under enormous pressure, the protagonist of the story betrays his love, admits that 2+2 is 5 and glorifies his oppressors. He can’t afford an extra move, step, or look – Big Brother is watching him. The reader can get scared reading the book – but not reading it will leave all of us blind to the potential dangers of this world.

It would be mistaken to assume that 1984 makes a specific reference to one well-known social totalitarian state that no longer exists. The resistance to oppression was relevant before the USSR appeared; it is still relevant in many situations today and will still be relevant no matter how democratic and liberal our societies claim to be. That’s why 1984 was, is and will be the desk companion for many readers throughout the world.

Initially met with mixed reviews, the novel gradually gained widespread acclaim for its chilling portrayal of a dystopian future. Critics and scholars alike have praised Orwell's prescient vision of a totalitarian society where individual freedoms are systematically eroded, and truth becomes a malleable commodity. "1984" has been lauded for its incisive critique of surveillance, propaganda, and the abuse of power by authoritarian regimes.

Over the years, the book has become a cultural touchstone, inspiring countless adaptations, references in popular culture, and ongoing discussions about its relevance to contemporary political realities. Its themes of government overreach, thought control and resistance against oppression continue to resonate with readers worldwide, cementing "1984" as a timeless and indispensable work of literature.

What Is the Main Point in 1984?

The main point in George Orwell's "1984" revolves around the dangers of totalitarianism and the suppression of individual freedom. Set in a dystopian future where the ruling Party exerts complete control over every aspect of society, including language, history, and thought, the novel portrays a bleak world where truth is manipulated, dissent is punished, and surveillance is omnipresent.

Through the protagonist Winston Smith's journey of rebellion and disillusionment, Orwell underscores the importance of critical thinking, truth-seeking, and the inherent value of human autonomy. "1984" serves as a stark warning against the encroachment of oppressive governments on individual liberties, urging readers to remain vigilant against threats to freedom and to resist attempts to undermine the integrity of truth and independent thought.

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Main Characters and Roles of 1984

The characters of the book each serve very specific roles and purposes in the text, so let’s first briefly explore what the 1984 book is about. The book talks about a possible scenario for the development of the world. After several sanguinary wars and revolutions, the Earth was divided into 3 super states named Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia. Their alfa governments are in constant conflict with each other. Such never-ending conflicts are needed to distract the attention of the population from poor internal public management, terrible living conditions of the counties. More importantly, the existence of the conflict allows the government to fully control the inhabitants of the states.

Winston Smith Character Analysis

In one of such “superstates”, namely Oceania, lives the protagonist of the book. He is 39, he is thin and has a somewhat unhealthy look on his face. An employee of the Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith serves the government institution that works day and night to rewrite the past and destroy the facts that are unwanted by the government. Every day Winston changes the past with his own hands and makes it conform to the new standards devised by the ruling party.

In addition to changing the past, the Ministry of Truth also works tirelessly to promulgate the values and mantras of the county’s political elite. Seeing such truth tailoring and past elimination on a daily basis, Mr. Smith can’t help but wonder whether what is happening is right.

His soul grows a seed of suspicion and doubt and that induces him to start writing a diary. This diary is the only thing that hears what Winston thinks about his job, his life and his government, it marks the beginning of his protest.

The protagonist has to be very careful and do the writing in complete secrecy, hiding from other people and devices. As mentioned in Part 1 Chapter 1, his TV is not only a tool to feed him proper information, it also spies on him:

“The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it, moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard”.

Whatever he writes in his diary is a crime of through and qualifies for the death penalty.

Big Brother Character Analysis

Big Brother is the supreme ruler of Oceania. He has zero tolerance for individualism or diversity and absolutely no need for pluralism of opinion. He also has a network of Spies and tools set up in the country to make sure that every move of his citizens is observed, controlled and can be contained, if necessary. The Spies adore him and the Party:

Part 1, Chapter 2 “The songs, the processions, the banners, the hiking, the drilling with dummy rifles, the yelling of slogans, the worship of Big Brother — it was all a sort of glorious game to them.”

It’s impossible to do something privately in Oceania: all the houses are made of glass, all walls have surveillance and wiretapping, the Thought Police watches every move of every citizen. However, there is a difference in how Big Brother treats certain classes of its citizens. For example, for their love affair, Winston and Julia often choose secret places for dating, such as the countryside or other places where normally low-class labor workers hang out because the state doesn’t have that much security there. Low worker class is considered to have less tendency for thinking thus is treated as a lower-risk population.

Big Brother is an ultimate leader of Oceania, he is like a God and the ultimate goal is to please him. All the mistakes and loopholes of Big Brother or the Party are simply rewritten just like the newspapers. His pictures are everywhere, all the slogans are signed by his name. He is the only source of information, faith and worship in Oceania.

O'Brien Character Analysis

O’Brien is an undercover agent of the party. He secretly works for the Thought Police trying to find people who are thinking about rebellion. He is well-behaved, reserved, has a strong body. He deliberately pretends to oppose the party and Big Brother. His role is similar to that of Mephistopheles in Faust, he is the agent of the devil.

O’Brien is both a character and a concept in the book. He invades the dreams and provokes Smith to think that he doesn’t share Party ideas, he constantly pushes Smith to give birth to his unspoken internal conflict. Finally, when Smith and Julia are ready, he offers them to join the rebel movement. Later O’Brien will personally supervise the torture of his capturers, slowly killing any traces of personalities or thinking in them.

Emmanuel Goldstein Character Analysis

Emmanuel Goldstein was once a leader of the Party that brought it to power. He is now in exile and represents the only opposition available. He established an organization “Brotherhood” that is proclaimed by the Party to be the Enemy of the People. In fact, nobody knows for sure whether the organization really exists and what it does. Goldstein is an imaginary magnet for potential opposition, he serves the purpose of bringing all those who are against the Party under one roof to be destroyed then.

The Party spends a great deal of effort to publicly broadcast the hate clips about Goldstein and the Brotherhood just to give a bait for those who are seeking allies to create a rebellion.

Tom Parsons Character Analysis

Tom Parsons and his wife Mrs. Parsons live next door to Winston. Tom is a complete opposite of Smith, he follows the Party blindly and never doubts Oceania for a second. He is devoted to the war against other states and will do whatever he can to contribute to Oceania’s victory.

Ironically, he brought up a daughter who is just as fierce and loyal to Oceania as her parents are. One day she betrays her father by reporting to the Thought Police that Parsons spoke badly of Big Brother in his sleep. To aggravate the irony even more, Orwell makes Tome immensely proud of his daughter for “doing the right thing”.

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Julia Character Analysis

Julia is another protagonist of 1984. She is 26, she also works for the Ministry of Truth in the Fiction Department. She writes novels depicting the greatness of her country and its ruler. She is quite experienced sexually and is known to seduce Party members. She is instinctive, not very logical, irrational, with lots of untamed desire and energy. She is courageous and much more adventurous than her lover Smith. In fact, she is the one who tells about her feelings to Winston and takes him outside of town.

It’s difficult to elaborate on the nature of Julia’s and Winston’s relationship since they are the only creatures with a soul portrayed in this book. So it makes sense that they found each other and grew fond of each other. Would they have felt just as fond of each other if there were other options available – who knows? But the main point Orwell makes is that in such an authoritarian government as Oceania, finding people who think and have their own opinion is an extremely rare thing.

Julia’s sexual and emotional freedom is her way to protest against the strict order of her country. She wants to put her energy into love, emotions, memories and enjoyment, not for the glorification of Big Brother and Oceania. And it only makes the reader even more upset when in the end she breaks under the tortures of O’Brien and says in Part 3 Chapter 6:

“You think there's no other way of saving yourself, and you're quite ready to save yourself that way. You want it to happen to the other person. You don't give a damn what they suffer. All you care about is yourself”.

Mr. Charrington Character Analysis

Mr. Charrington is the owner of a thrift shop in a parole district. Proles are the majority of Oceania population who are not part of the Inner Party (those who rule) or Outer Party (those who serve the rulers) and are deemed incapable of thinking or posing a threat to the government. However, in Part 1 Chapter 7 Winston expressed his opinion in the diary that proles might rebel one day and take the Party down:

“If there is hope, it lies in the proles”.

Winston buys his diary from Mr. Charrington and that marks the beginning of Winston’s journey into critical thinking and rebellion. Later, Winston will rent a bedroom upstairs above the shop to meet with Julia there.

Winston trusts Mr. Charrington because he holds on to the past (second-hand items) and thus keeps the past intact when Oceania is doing everything it can to change or destroy the past. At some point, Winston even thinks that Mr. Charrington is a member of the Brotherhood. But as it turns out, he is an informant of the Police and spies on everything Winston and Julia do in his shop.

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1984 Full Summary

After the Second World War, the civil war broke down in Great Britain, which lead to it being occupied by a new superstate – Oceania. The citizens of Oceania live under the rule of an ideology of one Party. The ruler and impersonification of that Party is a leader called Big Brother.

The Party is divided into Inner Party (the 2% of the ruling population), Outer Party (the 13% who implement their policies) and the others, who are called proles and don’t have any opinion or importance whatsoever. But not all members of the Outer Party are in unanimous agreement with the Party ideology. Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth and is starting to question the Party’s right to rule and tell him what to do. But he understands that there’s nobody with whom he can share his concerns. So he shares his thoughts in a diary, which is also quite a dangerous thing to do.

One day Smith notices that his colleague Julia is paying a lot of attention to him. At first, he is afraid that she busted him and will give him up for the Thought Police. But after some time he finds a love note from her. They start a secret relationship that is prohibited by the government. They hide and dream about a revolution. Smith believes that their relationship will not end well – such encounters between men and women are strictly prohibited in Oceania.

Eventually, they meet a representative of a real revolutionary movement, O’Brien, who gives them a book on the philosophy of the upcoming rebellion. While reading the book in the room they rented for dating, the couple is busted by the Through Police – the so-called revolution movement representative was nothing but a set-up of Big Brother to find and eliminate potential rebels.

The government imprisons Julia and Winston and tortures them cruelly. They break under the tortures and betray each other. In the end, both Winston and his ex-beloved Julia praise the majesty and powerfulness of Big Brother and sincerely believe that their country is doing great. The Through Police manages to “cure” Winston from his revolutionary thoughts. At first, Smith thinks that he gave up Julia and his freedom just to evade the torture, but once he is released, he realizes that he is now the right man who sincerely believes in Big Brother and the Party.

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1984 Essay Sample

Dive into a literary exploration with our essay sample, where '1984' is examined under the microscope of expert analysis.

1984 Theme 1: War. The author wrote his dystopian classic in 1948 and he simply changes the last two digits of the year when naming his book. The first theme that is present in the text is the war – 1948 is the time after one of the biggest tragedies in human history, Second World War, and the time when the world watched in terror the emergence of two huge military powers – USA and USSR. Despite the victory and defeat of the fascist movement, people, tired of the loss and tragedy the WW2 brought about, felt helpless when it came to the conception of potential World War Three. The danger was in the air, the fatigue was in the minds, the fear was in the nightmares lived by almost everybody around the world. 1984 was just one of the many military literature pieces heavily exploring one of the possible scenarios that were about to happen.

In 1984 there are three states — two of which are allied, while the third is an enemy. The alliances change regularly and yesterday’s ally can turn into an enemy tomorrow. The war and conflict give Oceania a powerful excuse to disregard the shortages of food, ever-present surveillance and other social problems. The war is a guarantee of internal order in Oceania – how can a loyal citizen undermine his own country when they are at war with an external enemy?

1984 theme 2: Control. Dictatorship and the right of any institution or any given personality to exercise control over people was a hot topic for discussion towards the end of the 20th century. The thing is that there are people who don’t like making decisions because with decisions comes responsibility. So they welcome others to make decisions for them and society accepts it as their right to use predefined solutions. But step by step such willingness to let others make your choices can turn into a dangerous overcontrolling net. Oceania didn’t appear in one day, some processes led to it being like we know it. In 1984 Orwell elaborates what consequences can the war between authoritarian states have and how easy it is to turn to tyranny “for the greater good of the society”.

The citizens of Oceania are in the absolute unity with their state: if they are following the state, they have nothing to worry about, nothing to hide, nothing to think about. They are the state, and the state is at war – so when Oceania wins the war, they will win as well. The control chain is eternal.

1984 theme 3: Mind Control through Newspeak language. The overwhelming control over social life was enhanced through another theme heavily explored by Orwell – the creation of a new language for Oceania called Newspeak. The new English Socialism ideology developed by the ruling party was imposed through the invention of its own language, where each word and grammatical rule were carefully handpicked. When the events in the book took place, the new language was in the process of being introduced: it appeared in the newspapers and party members wouldn’t miss an opportunity to insert a phrase or two in their speeches. The Newspeak was supposed to have completely replaced the Oldspeak (regular English language known and spoken today and in 1980s) by 2050. That would mean yet another victory of Oceania over people’s minds and freedoms.

1984 theme 4: New and improved truth. To keep the society in place and make sure the country is not disturbed and remains focused on the war with another state, the employees of the Ministry of Truth change the news. Every day they rewrite the newspapers of yesterday, backdate them and put them back into circulation.

The altered truth concept is also revealed in the fact that Winston is not actually that good of a character. He wants to be able to think and to love, but the truth is that he is also a wicked personality: he used to steal food from his mother and sisters, he ran away from home. And the readers aren’t sure whether he regrets doing it or not.

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Symbolism in 1984

The Memory Hole

Winston’s job was about changing the news so that it matched the reality that Oceania wanted its citizens to see. In his office there were three holes in the wall: for notes on changes that had to be made, for newspapers that had to be edited and for recycling of all the materials. They were called “memory holes” as symbols of ways to destroy and alter memories of thousands of people. Memory holes are also symbols for distorted communication channels Oceania used to brainwash its citizens.

Big Brother

There was one recognizable face that appeared on numerous propaganda materials (posters, TV clips, newspapers and etc.). These materials persuaded citizens how great Oceania was and also delivered a message that “he is watching” everybody at all times. It’s a message of hope (the country will be great one day) and desperation (you are watched 24/7). Big Brother is a symbol of Oceania’s national agenda, he is an idol, a person who gained enormous power not due to his leadership potential, but because of Oceania’s inhumate treatment of its citizens.

Winston had to admit to this famous calculation when he was tortured by the Though Police. This is the symbol of a vivid false statement that is accepted socially in the society governed by a totalitarian ideology.

Winston's Varicose Ulcer

The medical condition that bothers Winston represents his oppressed feelings and desires. It is an external expression of his internal pains. From one point of view, varicose ulcer is a symbol of Smith sexual desire that is prohibited to exhibit in Oceania. On another hand, it’s a mark of Winston’s dissatisfaction with what is going on around him, it’s a visible physical repercussion of living under total control.

The Red-armed Singing Prole Woman

The woman from a lower worker class (prole) is a symbol of potential rebellion. Winston believed that proles would rebel one day and that the hope for Oceania to regain its civic freedoms lies with proles. Her female capacity to give birth is a symbol that a thought can be born within proles’ minds and new generations can see the world without total control of Big Brother.

1984 is a book that will live forever. It will resonate with readers from different countries, backgrounds, and political views. It is an instruction for government managers on how to compel obedience from its citizens. It’s also a vivid demonstration for citizens how the government can make them do whatever. It’s a scary but real story, cruel but eye-opening, it changes the way we treat our fundamental freedom rights. This book helps us appreciate what we have – the possibility to choose friends, love the people we find attractive, do what we like doing, think, speak, and make decisions in our lives.

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Where Does 1984 Take Place?

What is the key idea of 1984.

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1984 Essay themes are quite a lot. As a writer, you have the option of exploring between a wide variety of highly-engaging, highly- controversial, and compelling topics to work on for your 1984 essay assignment. However, choosing which specific topic to work on can be difficult. Especially when you want to make an impression on your professor for better grades.

Regardless, you’re getting a chance to work on something interesting. Here are some of the 1984 essay prompts.

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Summary of 1984

In the year 1984, the world’s population and all civilisation are significantly damaged following years of war, civil unrest, and revolution. At the time, Airstrip One, formerly Britain is a province of Oceania while Oceania is one of the three totalitarian states, which collectively rule the world.

Oceania is ruled by the ‘party’, which was formed under the ideology of ‘Ingsoc’. Leading the ‘party’ is a mysterious figure known as Big Brother. As a totalitarian regime, the Party stamps out any citizen who does not conform to the government. By using the Thought Police and intense surveillance, the regime can use devices such as the Telescreens -two-way televisions- to spy on its citizens.

Winston Smith, who is a member of the middle-class outer party, works at the Ministry of Truth. He is tasked with rewriting historical record by the ever-changing version of history as conveyed by the regime. Hence, all those who fall from favour with the Party, disappear with all proof of existence erased. Winston reads through past versions of history as the original documents are destroyed by fire, in the ‘memory hole’.

However, Winston secretly opposes the Party’s rule. He spends most of his time dreaming about a rebellion that would topple the Party from power. Thus, he makes the realisation that he is a ‘thought criminal’, which put his life and freedoms in danger.

One day, while he’s in a proletarian neighbourhood, he runs into Mr Charrington, who owns an antique shop. He buys a diary at the shop, which he uses to write his thoughts criticising the regime. At the same time, he uses an alcove to hide from the Telescreen in his room. In his journal, he also records his frustrations over a young woman, Julia, who maintains the novel-writing machines at the ministry.

While Winston is attracted to Julia, he also suspects her to be an informant. Moreover, he also suspects his superior, O’Brien, who is an Inner Party Official, is a secret agent working for the underground resistance movement known as the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a group of revolutionaries formed by Big Brother’s most significant political rival Emmanuel Goldstein.

One day, while at work, Julia hands a note to Winston. In it, she is confessing her love for Winston. After that, Winston and Julia begin a love affair. More precisely, the love affair is contrary to the Party’s insistence that sex should only be used for reproduction. But, Winston realises that Julia also shares on his resentment of the party.

At first, the two would meet in outside town. Later on, they would rent a room, which is just above Mr Charrington’s shop. In the course of the affair, Winston remembers his family, which disappeared during the civil war. At the same time, he remembers his brief relationship with his former wife, Katharine.

Back at work, Winston interacts with Syme, who has been tasked with writing a dictionary for the revised version of English; Newspeak. During the conversation, Syme admits to Winston the real purpose of Newspeak. He claims that Newspeak has been designed to reduce the capacity of human thoughts. As a result of the admission, Winston suspects that Syme will soon disappear. Indeed, Syme disappears soon after, and no one acknowledges his absence.

A week later, O’Brien approaches Winston with a chance to join the Brotherhood. They arrange to meet at O’Brien’s Flat. At the meeting, both Winston and Julia are expected to swear allegiance to the underground movement. Afterwards, Winston receives a copy of the Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, by Goldstein, from O’Brien.

The book explains more about how the party maintains power. Moreover, Winston and Julia learn the true meaning of the party slogan and the concept of perpetual war. In addition to that, the book also argues that the Party may be overthrown, if only the ‘proles’ (proletarians) rise to fight against the regime.

Unfortunately, Mr Charrington, who owns the shop close to the rented flat where Winston and Julia had an affair in, turns out to be a Though Police agent. Hence, both Winston and Julia are arrested. They are later imprisoned in the Ministry of Love. What’s more? O’Brien admits to working with the party, in a sting operation to capture ‘thought criminals’.

Many months come to pass, as Winston remains in prison. He is tortured and brainwashed into curing himself by changing his perception of the Party’s rule. To illustrate the length at which the party goes to ‘cure’ Winston, he is forced to believe that ‘two plus two equals five’. In fact, O’Brien even admits that the Party is not interested in the greater good of the country, but the power. He offers Winston brief freedom before execution in exchange for unwavering loyalty for the Party.

But when he asks Winston if there’s anything that could be worse, he says that the party has not yet managed to make him betray Julia. Besides, Winston remains adamant and refuses to pledge allegiance to the party. Thus, he is transferred to Room 101, which is the final stage of re-education.

In Room 101, each prisoner’s worst fears are stored. With regards to Winston, he fears rats. O’Brien fits a considerable wire cage on his face. There are hungry rats on the cage. At this point, Winston shouts ‘do it to Julia’. Hence, Winston betrays his love.

After release, Winston and Julia meet in a park. As they share their experiences, they both realise that they underwent torture during imprisonment. Moreover, both of them betrayed each other. Hence, they both realise that they no longer felt the same for one another.

Indeed, the Party has taken away their love. Later on, as he is at a caf, during Oceania’s celebration over military victory in Africa, Winston realises that the party had successfully brainwashed him. Above all, he realises that he loved Big Brother.

How to write 1984 essay?

There are many essay types which you can use to demonstrate your understanding of the book. For essay topics 1984, here are some of the most common types of essays, and how best to cover your content.

Descriptive Essays Ideas:

For Descriptive Essays, you would want to create content that creates a mental picture of each scene in the minds of your readers. Thus, ensure that you are adequately familiar with all the themes, characters, and setting of each scene. For instance, your descriptive essay should accurately describe,

The relationship between Winston and Julia.

The nature of the Party’s reign over the country.

The lifestyle of Oceania’s citizens under constant surveillance.

The portrayal of the underground movement and the struggle of recruitment.

Compare and Contrast Essays Topics:

If you’re working on a compare and contrast essay, then make sure you fully understand both subjects of your essay. Make sure that you accurately present the facts and provide supporting evidence for each claim you state on the essay. For example,

Compare and contrast the role played agents of the thought police,

Compare and contract Julia’s and Winston’s rebellion,

Argumentative Essay Topics:

An argumentative essay requires you to have a good understanding of the content and subject of your essay. Hence, you’ll be able to efficiently represent a particular point of view in the best way possible. For instance,

Was Winston wrong to betray his love?

What does the emergence of O’Brien as a spy tell us?

Did Winston’s conversation with Syme directly lead to doom?

Narrative Essays Topics:

With narrative essays, you’ll be required to use your imaginative skills. For starters, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the story properly. Hence, you’ll be able to create a narrative that will quickly summarise the story in a short essay. Some narrative 1984 essays include:

Create an alternative ending to the story,

Narrate Winston’s path to destruction.

Create a story on the role of Big Brother in Oceania.

To write a successful 1984 essay, start by organising your thoughts. Take everything you have in your head and lay it down on paper. Use this knowledge to create the structure of your essay. Follow these steps:

Create an outline of essay topics 1984.

Include a thesis statement. The thesis statement should tell the reader what the essay is about. What are the main ideas of the essay? For instance, writing about Winston’s rebellion and his path to destruction. Or rather, the role of technology in Oceania and contradiction in the country’s governance.

Write the body of your 1984 essay. The body of the essay argues, explains, and analyses 1984 essay themes. Thus, start with the main idea as the introductory sentence. Next, include each supporting idea in the sentences that follow.

Include the introduction to the 1984 story, introducing the characters of the essay, and its setting. This part of your essay should grab the attention of your readers. Hence, begin with an attention grabber before introducing the reader to your 1984 essay topics.

Include a conclusion, where you’ll summarise the entire essay. The conclusion will bring closure to your essay. Hence, remember to sum up all your ideas. Ensure your conclusion is at least three to five sentences long.

Add finishing touches, including checking the small details in your essay. Check the order of your paragraphs, and the introduction of critical events in the essay. Finally, review the requirements of your essay and ensure you have met them all.

There are varieties of 1984 essay themes which you can choose to demonstrate your understanding of the book. For starters, ensure that you clearly illustrate the ideas in your 1984 essay. Also, narrate each scene and analyse the time between each scene accurately. Finally, use and show dialogue between characters in your essay correctly using familiar convention formats of dialogue representations.

1984 by George Orwell – with Outline

III Roles of major Charters A. Big Brother B. Winston C. O’Brien D. Julia E. Shop owner

Introduction

Summary of 1984, roles of major charters, big brother, ministry of truth, ministry of love, orwell’s thoughts on totalitarianism, from life experiences, from a writers point of view, bibliography, related posts:, leave a comment cancel reply.