GEORGE ORWELL’S
DYSTOPIAN NOVEL
1984
Reading assignment / Due dates for reading, study questions, and vocabulary / Test datesPart One (page 1-104)
Part Two (page 105- 224)
Part Three (125- 297)
Student Name:
British Literature
Mrs. Hersker
I want you to approach this novel as an experience.
An experience that might change your life.
Students ask why we read 1984, “Isn’t it old? Can’t we read something newer?” Regardless of when Orwell published his novel, what is important to understand is how relevant the novel is to modern society. This book will change the way you think about the world around you. You will belong to an elite group of people who have read the book and now see the world differently after experiencing 1984.
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· Students need to experience 1984 because they should be exposed to and study the relationships between totalitarianism, technology, psychology, and language … As a work of fiction, the ideas are more accessible, more interrelated, and more engaging; the sheer horror of totalitarianism is more real.
· Orwell’s interest in language shows how corrupt language can manipulate a society and control reality by corrupting language… Studying the effects language manipulation helps us to cherish our language with all of its rich diversity and ambiguities…and the importance of using language that is not vague and misleading but clear and precise.
· Another major emphasis of the novel is the use of technology combined with advertising techniques (especially by the government) that are deeply psychological to eliminate individuality and privacy.
· Perhaps the most interesting and discussable feature of Orwell’s novel is its description of the nature of truth… Truth is proven by the consensus of millions; to the slogan ‘how can millions be wrong’ is added ‘and how can a minority of one be right.’ The “one” must be insane. The “consensus truth” concept can serve as the basis for investigation about individuality, minority rights, majority rule, and, of course, values.
· Nineteen Eighty-four teaches about the danger with which all men are confronted today, the danger of a society of automatons who will have lost every trace of individuality, of love, of critical thought, and yet who will not be aware of it because of ‘doublethink’. Books like Orwell’s are powerful warnings.
Adapted from James E. Davis, “Why Nineteen Eighty-four Should Be Read and Taught,” in Censored Books, Scarecrow Press, 1993, pp. 382-87.
PRE-READING Activity—in your assigned group, discuss each topic. Then, record your thoughts on a separate sheet of paper. You might be asked to write a detailed response to any one topic in your English journal.
· Is it a better government that has more control or less control over its population?
· The Parliament of Britain has a camera on every corner of every major city and town to ensure safety and minimize criminal acts. And it’s worked! Great Britain has one of the lowest crime rates in the whole world. However, at any given moment, law-abiding citizens are watched, scrutinized, and examined. Would you be comfortable with this? Do you think extensive camera surveillance is a good idea or bad idea? Explain.
· A privacy lawsuit within the Lower Merion School District was recently settled. Students received school-issued laptops, and signed appropriate usage contracts, since the computer is considered school district property while remaining the responsibility of the student. Unknown to the students, district administrators could “tap in” to the computer at any time through a camera device in order to ensure the students were not using the school computer for “illegal” reasons. One student in particular was bragging about selling prescription drugs in school and abusing them at home. The district “tapped in” to his computer while he was at home. They found that he was abusing skittles in front of his computer. The family sued for violation of privacy. Which side do you take? Explain.
· Cell phones and GPS units operate using towers and satellites that receive and send signals (directions, help, etc.) to devices on the ground. At any point in time, a person operating these satellites can “tap in” to you while you drive and determine your exact location. Is this a good thing or bad thing? Explain.
· Lawmakers and officials are currently reasoning a new law that would allow the random use of cell phone records along with GPS units to determine if people are texting, talking, or browsing the web while driving. If caught, tickets, points, fines, suspensions, jail time could result. Fair or unfair? Explain.
· How do you feel when people are watching you? Are you comfortable with people just stare at you, making sure you are falling in line, doing everything as you should? (see lyrics “Somebody’s Watching Me”)
Somebody's Watching Me
Rockwell
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Who's watching
Tell me who's watching
Who's watching me
I'm just an average man with an average life
I work from 9 to 5, hey hell, I pay the price
All I want is to be left alone, in my average home
But why do I always feel
Like I'm in the Twilight Zone? and...
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Tell me, is it just a dream
When I come home at night
I bang the door real tight
People call me on the phone I'm trying to avoid
Or can the people on TV see me, or am I just paranoid?
When I'm in the shower, I'm afraid to wash my hair
Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there!
People say I'm crazy, just a little touched
But maybe showers remind me of "Psycho" too much
That's why...
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Who's playing tricks on me?
Who's watching me
I don't know anymore!
Are the neighbors watching me?
Who's watching
Well is the mailman watching me?
Tell me who's watching
And I don't feel safe anymore, oh what a mess
I wonder who's watching me now
Who? The IRS?!
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Tell me is it just a dream
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy, whoa-oa-oa
I always feel like somebody's watching me
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Build Background Information 1984
1. Author: Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell)
a) Published novel in 1948
b) Orwell was ill with tuberculosis while writing the novel. He later died from this disease in 1950.
c) Orwell said about his novel: “I am not pleased with the book, but I am not absolutely dissatisfied…I think it is a good idea, but the execution would have been better if I had not written it under the influence of TB.”
2. The Conditions that Existed in the World, and are Behind Orwell’s Vision for his Novel
a) Dictatorships—Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Stalin
Ø Specific parallels to Stalin: Big Brother’s physical appearance, forced confessions, executions, “liquidations”; Stalin’s reign of terror resulted in between 8 and 13 million deaths.
Ø Other parallels to Stalin and Hitler: Extreme nationalism, emphasis on public displays of patriotism, food shortages/rationing, censorship of media, forced-labor camps, spying, secret police, constant war/threat of war, youth league (based on Hitler Youth)
b) Cold War—U.S., Soviet Union, and China
c) Brainwashing—Used by Chinese Communists and during the Korean War; Involved a two-step process (first was the confession and the second step was re-education)
d) Utopian/Dystopian literature—unlike utopian literature, which depicts a society as it ought to be, the anti-utopian novel presents society as it should not be. Dystopian novels are openly critical of existing societies and contain implicit warnings about where these societies are heading.
e) Attack against totalitarianism—A centralized and dictatorial government system in which a single party, without opposition, rules over political, economic, social, and cultural life.
3. Irony and Satire
a) 1984 is filled with irony—things are opposite of what they seem, sometimes lies can be the truth
b) Examples: Ministry of Truth—information is re-written or erased
Ministry of Peace—military matters
Ministry of Love—law and order are dispensed
Ministry of Plenty—economic matters are managed
c) Satire— Irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or exaggeration is used to expose or denounce the faults of humanity, institution, or society. Satire involves both moral judgment and a desire to improve a belief or tradition
d) Orwell’s satirical messages to the reader…
· People are disinterested in concepts such as integrity, freedom, and individual consciousness.
· Fear and hatred can motivate and unite people far better than love and loyalty.
· The world is drifting towards totalitarianism.
· People do no question justice, morality or the motives of our leaders.
GEORGE ORWELL—
In His Own Words
On the purpose of 1984:
“…I do not believe that the kind of society I describe necessarily will arrive, but I believe (allowing of course for the fact that the book is a satire) that something resembling it could arrive. I believe also that totalitarian ideas have taken root in the minds of intellectuals everywhere, and I have tried to draw these ideas out to their logical consequences. The scene of the book is laid in Britain in order to emphasize that the English-speaking races are not innately better than anyone else and that totalitarianism, if not fought against, could triumph anywhere.”
On modern dictatorships and human nature:
“The terrifying thing about modern dictatorships is that they are something entirely unprecedented. Their end cannot be foreseen. In the past every tyranny was sooner or later overthrown, or at least resisted, because of ‘human nature,’ which as a matter of course desired liberty. Be we cannot be at all certain that ‘human nature’ is constant. It may be just as possible to produce a breed of men who do not wish for liberty as to produce a breed of hornless cows. The Inquisition failed, but then the Inquisition had not the resources of the modern state. The radio, press-censorship, standardized education, and the secret police have altered everything. Mass-suggestion is a science of the last twenty years, and we do not know how successful it will be.”
On writing:
“What I have most wanted throughout the past ten years is to make political writing into an art. My starting point is always a feeling of partisanship, a sense of injustice. When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. But I could not do the work of writing a book, or even a long magazine article, if it were not also an aesthetic experience.”
Key Terms—the following terms that will guide your reading, and help with some of the challenging ideas.
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Big Brother: The mysterious all-seeing, all-knowing leader of the totalitarian society is a god-like icon to the citizens he rules. He is never seen in person, just staring out of posters and telescreens, looking stern as the caption beneath his image warns “Big Brother Is Watching You.”
“The Book”: Titled "Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism" and supposedly written by Goldstein, it contains the story of humankind and the Revolution, arguing that there is hope for a stronger future without the dishonesty and manipulation of the Party.
Airstrip One: Part of Oceania, once known as Britain.
Black Market: Illegal trade resource for all "good quality" materials, such as real coffee, sugar, razors, etc.
Doublethink: Newspeak word with two mutually contradictory meanings. The first is used to refer to an opponent, and can be defined as habitually contradicting plain facts. The second is used to refer to a Party member, and can be defined as a loyal willingness to believe contradictory statements when the Party demands it, which allows for continual alteration of the past.
Floating Fortress: Part of Oceania's offensive/defensive armaments. Literally an unsinkable fortress floating on the ocean.
Hate Week: A week of hate mongering against enemies of war. Supported by massive rallies and organized through the Ministry of Truth, Hate Week rallies Party members around Oceania and Big Brother.
House of the Lords: Part of the British government in the capitalist days. Referred to by an old man Winston meets at a pub, although Winston does not understand the reference or the man's meaning.
Ingsoc: Newspeak for English Socialism. This is the doctrine by which the government of Oceania is operated.
Inner Party: 2% of the population. These members possess absolute power.
Junior Anti-Sex League: A youth organization advocating complete celibacy for both sexes and encouraging artsem. Julia is a member and wears the organization's symbolic scarlet sash.
Ministry of Love (Miniluv): Maintains law and order. Protected with great force. Only those arrested for Thought Crime or who are on official Party business can enter. Referred to within the novel as "the place with no darkness" because the lights are always on. Dissidents are taken here to be tortured, reformed, or killed.
Ministry of Peace (Minipax): Responsible for the Party's management of issues surrounding war.
Ministry of Plenty (Miniplenty): Responsible for the Party's economic affairs.
Ministry of Truth (Minitrue): Responsible for all Party news, entertainment, education and fine arts. The Party’s propaganda machine.
Newspeak: The official language of Oceania and the new language of the Party. The goal of Newspeak is to reduce the English language to the fewest words possible and remove anti-Party feelings and the ability to disagree.
Outer Party: 13% of the population. The middle-class members of society. They are carefully scrutinized and controlled.
The Party: Rules Oceania in a totalitarian matter, controlling every aspect of Inner and outer party members.
Party Slogans: "War is Peace"; "Freedom is Slavery"; "Ignorance is Strength."