George Orwell –Outsider During Youth Earned a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school as a youth Never fit in because he was a poor child among rich peers Famously described his family as “lower upper- middle class” Drew inspiration from his experience with snobbishness and social elitism while in school

George Orwell –Political Writer Became so disenchanted with the rise of totalitarian leaders, such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin Dedicated his writing to political satires that often tore down and poked fun at the weaknesses of government Similar themes explored in both 1984 and his other most famous work, Animal Farm 1984 brought “Big Brother” to the world

1984 Background Information –Message –Dystopia 1984 is a warning against the dangers of a totalitarian society –A society where government has complete authority over the people –A society where technology abused by authority The vision of a dystopia is presented in the novel A dictatorship where every individual has every movement monitored and analyzed

Literary Focus –Date of Publication –Genre –Setting (TIME) –Setting (PLACE) 1949 Dystopia; Futuristic 1984 –1984’s original title was 1948 –The title was changed to represent the future, but still relatively close to the present to make its themes more ominous. Oceania; part of the novel’s alternate reality –Oceania is one of three world superpowers –It is continually at war

Literary Focus, Con't: –Point of View –Protagonist –Antagonist Third-Person Limited –Because readers are in Winston’s head, they make the same mistakes he makes in judging people, which include his sometimes misplaced perceptions of who is a loyal to the Party and who is not. Winston Smith Big Brother; Party Members

Literary Focus –Satire and Language Newspeak, the official language of Oceania Newspeak is different than “Oldspeak” in the following ways: –inventing new words –eliminating old words –stripping existing words of their finer shades of meaning. The satirical purpose of the novel as the reader sees key words from out vocabulary eliminated, such as: –honor –justice –democracy –religion

Literary Focus, Con’t: –Irony –Oxymoron Big Brother is ironically named—it suggest The Party Slogan: WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

Literary Focus, Con’t –Symbols Big Brother Telescreens Symbolized the power and control of the Party No matter where anybody goes Big Brother is watching Symbolic of the dangers of technology and abuse of technology

Literary Focus, Con’t: –Themes and Conflicts Corruption of Absolute Power The Evils of Totalitarian Government The Sometimes Cruel and Oppressive Nature of Man Psychological Weakness of Man Physical Weakness of Man The Dangers of Technology The Power of History The Power of Language and the Written Word

OverviewWinston Smith is a low-ranking member of the ruling Party, which completely controls the flow of information in the imaginary city of Oceania The leader of the party is an omniscient presence known as Big Brother

Overview, Con’t: Big brother regulates free thought, sex and individuality –Thought crime is the worst crime anybody can commit (even thinking about rebellion or going against the party) Winston secretly hates the Party and Big Brother and begins to quietly rebel against its authority whether it is through writing in a diary or starting a relationship with a woman

Overview, Con’t: His rebellious actions are squelched when he is betrayed and forced to go through extensive brainwashing Through physical pain and psychological torture Big Brother is able bend Winston’s will to meet their expectations

Big Brother Ruler of Oceania Never appears in the novel Big Brother’s face is plastered everywhere with the message: “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” Everywhere any citizen of Oceania turns he or she will see Big Brother staring back CHARACTERS

Winston Smith Thin and frail Introspective and smart Questions the methods of the Party, including altering historical records and monitoring all activity and thought Hopes to join the Brotherhood to rebel against Big Brother and the Party CHARACTERS

JuliaWinston’s lover Pragmatic and Optimistic Enjoys the excitement of being rebellious and sneaking around doing things the party condemns CHARACTERS

Mr. CharringtonRuns a store in the proletarians district, where the poor live and where there is seemingly little Party monitoring Helps Winston on numerous occasions, including helping him procure a diary and set up a private meeting place for his girlfriend, Julia The Working Masses of the Prol District CHARACTERS

O’BrienMysterious, powerful and sophisticated Winston becomes fascinated with him and believes he is a member of the Brotherhood—a rebellious group looking to overthrow the Party Who can anyone trust when everybody is being watched? CHARACTERS

Emmanuel Goldstein Leader of the rebellious Brotherhood Perhaps a mythical figure since he never actually surfaces in the novel Described by the Party as being highly dangerous and vicious Does Goldstein Really Exist? CHARACTERS