1984 by George Orwell Book Review

Title: 1984
Author: George Orwell
Publisher: Secker & Warburg
Genre: Dystopian Fiction, Political Fiction, Science Fiction
Year of Publication: First published in 1949
Pages: 328
ISBN: 9780451524935

Our Rating of This Book

Summary of 1984

1984 is set in a totalitarian society controlled by the Party, led by Big Brother. The story follows Winston Smith, a Party member who, despite appearances, secretly hates the regime. As the plot develops, Winston engages in a forbidden love affair with Julia. Simultaneously, he harbors rebellious thoughts against the Party’s control over truth. However, his journey reveals the terrifying extent of the Party’s mind control and constant surveillance.

Orwell examines how governments can manipulate both actions and thoughts to maintain power. Over time, the Party enforces loyalty through fear and propaganda. Big Brother and the Thought Police illustrate the extreme invasion of privacy. Consequently, citizens live in constant fear, knowing their every move and thought are monitored.

Orwell explores how controlling language shapes reality. Specifically, through “Newspeak,” the Party limits thought and truth by controlling words. They can add or delete words as needed and change meanings as needed. Additionally, Orwell introduces “doublethink,” where citizens accept contradictory beliefs. This reveals the Party’s manipulation of truth to suit its needs.

Main Plot & Characters

Winston Smith — He is the main character in this book. He works in the Ministry of Love. Winston dislikes the Party and everything they stand for.
O’Brien — He is a member of Inner Party and holds some important posts.
Julia — Winston begins a relationship with her.
Parsons — He is Winston’s fellow employee at the Ministry of Truth.
Emmanuel Goldstein — The party paints Goldstein as the Enemy of the people and someone who engaged in counter revolutionary activities.
The Ministry of Plenty (Miniplenty) — Responsible for economic affairs.
The Ministry of Love (Miniluv) — Maintain law and order. This one is the worse one since it has no windows.
The Ministry of Truth (Minitrue) — Concerns itself with news, entertainment, education and the fine arts.
The Ministry of Peace (Minipax) — Concerns itself with war.

Writing Style

Orwell’s writing in 1984 is simple and direct. You can feel Winston’s despair very clearly and through Orwell’s descriptions. You really get a very good sense of the oppressive atmosphere. Moreover, Orwell’s focus on language manipulation is reflected in the novel’s structure, with “Newspeak” highlighting how the Party suppresses complex ideas.

Memorable Quotes

“And if all the records tell the same tale, then the lie passes into history and becomes truth. The Party slogan even says it. He who controls the past, controls the future. And if a party can thrust it’s hands into the past and create truth from lies, that is more terrifying than mere torture and death.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“… that the Party had invented airplanes. He remembered airplanes since his earliest childhood. But you could prove nothing.. There’s never any evidence.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“But in the future there will be no wives and no friends. Children will be taken from their mothers at birth, as one takes eggs from a hen. The sex instinct will be eradicated. Procreation will be an annual formality like the renewal of a ration card. We shall abolish the orgasm. Our neurologist are at work upon it now. There will be no loyalty, except loyalty towards the Party. There will be no love, except the love of Big Brother. There will be no laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a defeated enemy. There will be no art, no literature, no science.”— O’Brien
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever.”— O’Brien
“The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their most essential command.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“Curious that you can create dead men but not living ones.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“When the act of forgery is forgotten, he would exist just as authentically and upon the same evidence as Charlemagne or Julius Caesar.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“The past was erased, the erasure is forgotten, the lie becomes truth.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“Down with Big Brother! Yes, I said that!.”— A fellow Prisoner at the Ministry of Love
“Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past..”— The Party slogan dealing with the control of the past
“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four.”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own except that you happen to be insane.”— O’Brien
“What is in Room 101?”— Winston Smith’s reflections
“We do not destroy the heretic, because he resists us. So long as he resists us, we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and all illusions out of him; we bring over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him.”— O’Brien

Final Thoughts on 1984

1984 continues to influence modern culture and political discussions. Terms like “Big Brother” and “Orwellian” are now widely used to describe government overreach. Furthermore, the novel remains a powerful tool for analyzing censorship, surveillance, and authoritarianism today.

It is amazing that this book was first published in 1949 given a lot of things that have come to light over the years across many countries around the world.

Have you read this book or listened to the audiobook versions?

Authors

Ufuoma Akpotaire

Ufuoma Akpotaire is a passionate book, movie and music reviewer with a love for travel and culture. She combines her enthusiasm for storytelling with her experience exploring new places and stories. Through her reviews, she celebrates creativity and inspires readers to appreciate the connections between books, movies, music, travel, and global cultures.
Nathaniel Adebayo

Nathaniel is a Media Content Specialist at Verayea, where he specializes in curating content and gathering data for the company’s extensive book library. He is also dedicated to writing insightful reviews, offering thoughtful perspectives on a range of media. His work ensures that Verayea’s library is comprehensive, well-organized, and informative, providing valuable resources for its audience.