7. 1984

"The whole literature will have been destroyed. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Byron... Orthodoxy is unconsciousness" (53).

George Orwell includes the references of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, and Byron in his novel to emphasize the realization that their lives are even being altered in the history books. Everything that everyone once knew is changed so that the higher power is never wrong. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, and Byron were each positive, or rather, strong minded individuals who made a difference in their worlds, but they must be discredited slightly so that people do not get the idea that they are stronger than they give themselves credit for. Altering facts for the sake of power and manipulation is what is displayed within the pages of 1984.




"Geofrey Chaucer." The Literature Network. 20 April 2010. 2010.
http://www.online-literature.com/chaucer/


Image Source:

http://www.uwsp.edu/english/mbowman/330/

6. 1984

"It struck him as curious that you could create dead men but not living ones... as Charlemagne or Julius Caesar" (48).

This idea of creation and destruction is continuously seen throughout 1984 by George Orwell. Charlemagne and Caesar were both strong figures during their times and for this, they were not destroyed but kept in the history that Winston is aware of. However, Orwell includes the ideas of recreating history and does not believe that this right. Sarcasm is sensed within this quote in the respect that one should not be making up people and that history is history and it should not be changed or falsified. Lies and deceit run this world Orwell has created in 1984 and his character, Winston does not feel comfortable living in this manner. Orwell creates this atmosphere to demonstrate how words can be altered to fit any situation and if one wants to, they can choose to believe any of it without questioning the real facts.

5. 1984

"His mind slid away into the labyrinthine world of doublethink...Even to understand the word 'doublethink' involved the use of doublethink" (35).

This idea resonates through the world today and from seeing it in the pages of 1984, it is evident that George Orwell was very much aware of how the mind works and how mankind is able to think something, but say another contradicting their beliefs. It represents superficial behavior and fake words and actions. By including this concept of "doublethink," the reader is able to comprehend how today, people still think things but say the other, which leads to their demise in the end. Winston tried to think things in his mind but act and say the opposite of his true feelings, but eventually his real desires came to the surface and he was punished. Orwell was delivering a message to his readers that fake words and actions will always be uncovered by the real thoughts inside.

4. 1984

"He was a lonely ghost uttering a truth that nobody would ever hear...It was not by making yourself heard but by staying sane that you carried on the human heritage" (27).

George Orwell included these lines in his novel, 1984, to represent the mood in the book and how things have to be in this civilization. There are people all around all of the time, but each individual is under total scrutiny. No one is allowed to talk to anyone without being overheard, and even thoughts can be interpreted by the overseers. Winston feels like he is all alone because that is how his government wants people to feel. Those who know that the world around them is not right do not have enough nerve to start talking to others about it because there are too many people willing to throw others under the bus to give themselves the advantage. Winston is once again torn between thinking his anti-government thoughts and realizing the truth or living a lie and seeing everything the way "Big Brother" wants him to view it.

3. 1984

"War is Peace

Freedom is Slavery

Ignorance is Strength" (16).

"War is Peace" represents the on going recurrence of wars in the world in 1984, written by George Orwell. There are so many conflicts occurring that eventually they become all that anyone ever knows, therefore they become peaceful. Without them, the world would become more chaotic. Each of the lines in this quote are contradictory but at the same time make perfect sense, much like Orwell's novel. The government within 1984 was in total control and kept everyone isolated from each other. The majority of the population thought that they were living a decent life, but each person could only do certain things even though they believed they had freedom. Freedom is like another law because it is classified as something, therefore it becomes slavery. The last line "ignorance is strength" permeates throughout each page. If people are not aware of what is going on around them, they will not break and become lost in what they should be doing. Winston was not ignorant and it led him to trouble. This was the warning for all the people in the novel. Orwell includes these lines within his novel because they represent the philosophy of communists and the points are true and set the standards for the entire novel.

2. 1984

"For whom...either the future would resemble the present, in which case it would not listen to him, or it would be different from it, and his predicament would be meaningless" (7).

A common reoccurring question within the pages of 1984 by George Orwell, is if anyone will ever heed the warnings or be brave enough to withstand the higher powers of the world. Orwell's character, Winston, has found a diary and starts writing. He would like to write to the future world to help them, but he fears that if the future is like the present time, then no one will be strong enough or wise enough to conquer the form of government in this book. On the other hand, if the future found his story and the future was not like the present, then his story would appear to be pointless. Winston wants to help the people stuck in this life, but sees no outlet in doing so. By George Orwell creating the vibe of being helpless, it represents his own personal experiences of being stuck. Orwell lived when communism was a major part of his world and he witnessed his "friends [being] arrested, shot, and disappearing" and could do nothing but stand there and watch it all happen (The Literature Network). Orwell created this mood to explain his thoughts during his life experiences.




"George Orwell." The Literature Network. 20 April 2010. 2010.
http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/

1. 1984

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen" (1).

Through the centuries the number thirteen has been associated with bad luck. It is especially tied to religious beliefs, such as being a number more than the twelve commandments of God. If people start creating more, then there are now thirteen, which is seen as a rebellion against God. George Orwell may have started his novel, 1984, with the idea of thirteen to symbolize the possible uprising and sense of doom. Right from the first sentence with the descriptive word of "cold" it feels to the reader that there is a gloomy tale about to be told. With the idea of "clocks" and the number "thirteen," George Orwell appears to be going past the normal twelve numbers into the land of thirteen where rules are broken and rewritten to fit the desires of mankind.