1984

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PaulR
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Re: 1984

Post by PaulR »

Misuse of technology by Big Brother might happen anywhere but the main point is that in any totalitarian regime the misuse will happen for sure. I guess only the readers who suffered a totalitarian tyranny, especially the one based on the communist ideology, can fully appreciate Orwell's insights.

-- 14 Nov 2015, 23:15 --
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Katy_Moose
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Post by Katy_Moose »

I think the main reason why I personally loved 1984 when I read it in high school was that I hated how it ended. That sounds a little funny, but I absolutely loved how even though the story line didn't go how I wanted it to George Orwell got a rise out of me. I think it was the first time an author actually caused me extreme emotion. I disliked the ending but I loved it too, it made the reader FEEL something. Even though that feeling was unpleasant it was still such a cool experience.
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Post by Raven1128 »

Katy_Moose wrote:I think the main reason why I personally loved 1984 when I read it in high school was that I hated how it ended. That sounds a little funny, but I absolutely loved how even though the story line didn't go how I wanted it to George Orwell got a rise out of me. I think it was the first time an author actually caused me extreme emotion. I disliked the ending but I loved it too, it made the reader FEEL something. Even though that feeling was unpleasant it was still such a cool experience.
I completely understand what you mean. Orwell's ability to make you realize fears you never knew existed is both awe-inspiring and unsettling. For me the idea of "Big Brother" is becoming more and more of a reality, technology and societal restrictions seems to be increasing as time goes on. Some people like to think that 1984 was just a part of Orwell's imagination, but what if it's not? Can those who have tasted a more liberal world submit to Big Brother as Winston did? These questions sparked my interest in human nature, politics and the laws that we abide by.
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Post by falloutlunartic »

I have been wanting to read this, but I am not sure about what it is...?
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Post by Raven1128 »

I guess you can call it a dystopian novel about how politics and political ideology can effect a society or the human mind/values. A bit like Ayn Rand's Anthem or Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
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Post by kderse »

Here is my review:


Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is the story of one man’s nightmare as he pursues a forbidden love affair in a world ruled by power and structure that controls their information, thought, and memory. 1984 is a haunting tale. This tale exposes the destruction of truth, freedom and individuality.

I recommend this book to adults.

This was a good read, a twisted one, a weird one, and kind of creepy. In a nut shell it is a world where government who says they are right about everything and is in control of everything. If they 2+2=5 that is what it is.

There are many messages that the author is trying to tell us. This book was written in 1949 so some things seem a bit outdated but I still think there are messages that can be pondered on from this book. The first one being the corruptive temptation of power. In the book Russia attempts to seize the world for itself. Today it makes us ponder if the government has too much power. Should they have the right to decide the final verdict on abortion, marriage and religion? Some days it seems even in our own government once someone is put into that kind of power they have a hard time losing it they maneuver into different seats is this really the right thing is really good for us as the people. Another one is control. This book focuses on a lot about what freedoms have been taken away. The government controls what is truth and what is not. They seem to think if they control the truth they control the people. How many of us don’t give the whole truth to the people around us to control them?

It is a scary book because of what our world looks like now. How some days it feels like our country is going down that path. Even scarier is the movie in my opinon. It can even feel a bit depressing at times to think someday our world may look like this. My mom is a person that does not like depressing movies or books and will purposefully skip over them. This is one you should not skip. Read it!

I would love to read a book written from the view of big brother or our government. What goes through their minds. I am sure it would be a lot scarier of a book, but I am curious to understand them more and why they do certain things. How they think.

I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars.
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Post by MatthewAlexander »

I wrote a whole paper on this, and how 1984 is significant to society today. There's a lot of reasons you could say it is; for example, the lack of privacy that American's have. The stance I took on it though is that it's still relevant because Big Brother's rise to power was allowed by the people who he took over; we know this because Winston specifically states that he doesn't remember a violent takeover from Big Brother. What does this mean for us? Look up the amount of American's who are eligible to vote compared to the amount that actually do vote. This political laziness could definitely lead America to be taken over by someone as bad, if not worse, than Big Brother.
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Post by chytach18- »

A few days ago I watched a ballet adaptation of the novel. It was wonderful! So powerful! I had my little doubts at first - would the ballet be as good as novel. It was. I think George Orwell would be pleased.
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Post by Purzum »

1984 was such a huge influence on my life. It changed how I looked at a lot of things. In an effort to stay away from a political conversation, I'll say it defiantly altered my views on how I think the government should work.
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Post by PaulR »

Raven1128 wrote: Some people like to think that 1984 was just a part of Orwell's imagination, but what if it's not?
Orwell published '1984' in 1949. I don't know how much Orwell knew about the development of Soviet regime that was already 31 years old; but I know that Orwell's gloomy picture came drearily close to the real peoples' oppression in a communist tyranny. I guess, only someone who lived under such tyranny, or at least studied it carefully, can fully realise it.
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Post by godreaujea »

I have read this book twice, both in high school, and I knew the work is important and significant at the time, however, I don't think I fully understood its impact. I need to reread.
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Post by Dragonsend »

With the technology age I don't think of this so much as Big Brother I think of this as protection from the criminal element. Yes as with any thing there are sometime abuses on both sides of the law but you have to think of the crimes first. What if someone used your image inappropriately, who would stop them??Personally I never use a picture on any site but people do and those kind of crimes whether we know about them or not are personal. Every country in the world has people that can see these problems from all angles and that is where being a democracy and the Constitution should be remembered we are all able to do our part for balance. We are all able to make a change and when you see an injustice you have to not just say but Do something about it. We also have to think about the cause. I always suggest to get out in your community and suggest a solution . Her in lies the problem our personal information is on the internet that should not so freely be given! I personally would not give up a freedom, but I would protect myself and teach others to do so as well.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 :angelic-grayflying:
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Post by Dragonsend »

With the technology age I don't think of this so much as Big Brother I think of this as protection from the criminal element. Yes as with any thing there are sometime abuses on both sides of the law but you have to think of the crimes first. What if someone used your image inappropriately, who would stop them??Personally I never use a picture on any site but people do and those kind of crimes whether we know about them or not are personal. Every country in the world has people that can see these problems from all angles and that is where being a democracy and the Constitution should be remembered we are all able to do our part for balance. We are all able to make a change and when you see an injustice you have to not just say but Do something about it. We also have to think about the cause. I always suggest to get out in your community and suggest a solution . Her in lies the problem our personal information is on the internet that should not so freely be given! I personally would not give up a freedom, but I would protect myself and teach others to do so as well.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 :angelic-grayflying:
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Post by Dragonsend »

SPOILER:One more note her. I just finished reading 1984 this morning and I don't think America is anything like this. I was absolutely horrified by this book. It hit me so viscerally. I mourn as we speak for what happens to Winston. To have your memories stolen and any thought that you have becomes nonexistent as soon as you think it. A world where facts are maliable to the extent that you aren't only trained to never question but to lie to yourself and believe it even as you speak . The truth inside of you becomes untouchable.!!!??? Yes I am in mourning for that world as we speak. Communism in Russia and the Nazi Germany definitely were worth fighting off!! Well that's it for now I don't even want to think of this now.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 :angelic-grayflying:
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Post by baldgi84 »

I read this book prior to Animal Farm, and just loved it. Although many believe that it's a criticism of communism, I personally believe that it's criticism of capitalism as well. In that sense that every government controls its people.
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