1. Background Information
1984
Background Information

2. George Orwell Born Eric Blair in 1903 in Bengal, India
Returned to England to study at Eton
Studied at Eton under Aldous Huxley, who later wrote the anti-utopian classic Brave New World
Worked as a member of the Indian Imperial police in Burma and hated how the job coarsened his attitude and behavior towards people

3. George Orwell Part 2
Felt the need to escape “every form of man’s dominion over man”
Became a socialist because he hated the social injustice inherent in class-based societies
Fought in the Spanish Civil War with socialist and communist workers in Madrid, but became disillusioned when bitter internal dissension occurred
Died in 1950 at age forty-six of a tubercular hemorrhage

4. Historical and Literary Context
First half of twentieth century was a time of great tension and uncertainty:
WWI
WWII
Revolutions in Russia and China
Spanish Civil War
Rise of totalitarian governments in Germany, USSR, and Italy
Worldwide economic depression

5. Historical and Literary Context Part 2
Communism:
Based on the writings of Karl Marx (Communist Manifesto)
theory about government and economics that supports the elimination of private property; system in which all goods are owned commonly and are available to all as needed

6. Historical and Literary Context Part 3
Socialism:
category of economic and political theories advocating collective governmental ownership and administration of the production and distribution of goods
Stage of society in Marxist theory between capitalism (economic system characterized by private or cooperate ownership) and communism

7. Historical and Literary Context Part 4
Totalitarianism:
Form of government with a strong central rule where citizens are subject to absolute state authority
Theoretically no individual freedoms are allowed and people who are disloyal are arrested, tried, sent to labor camps, deported, and/or executed
Fascist Italy under Mussolini, Nazi Germany under Hitler, and Soviet Union under Stalin

8. 1984
First published in 1949 to critical acclaim in the United Kingdom and United States
Reflects Orwell’s past as well as his vision of the future where the horrors of totalitarianism are totally realized
Influenced by the turmoil of the first half of the twentieth century

9. 1984 Part 2
Satire that exaggerates problems in society to suggest reform
Influenced by Swift’s famous satire Gulliver’s Travels (1726), but lacks the same level of comedy found in Swift
Portrays a dystopia: a negative utopia; a place where individuals live dehumanized and frightening lives

10. 1984 Part 3
Big Brother’s appearance is influenced by Stalin: “heavy black mustached and ruggedly handsome features”

11. 1984 Part 4
The Party’s Three-Year Plans allude to Stalin’s Five-Year Plans
Stalin also conducted purge trials to exile or execute potential enemies
Anyone with a higher education was suspected
The novel critiques power-worship: “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power.” (Part Three of 1984)

12. 1984 Part 5 Themes: Individual vs. State Nature of Truth and History
Dangers of Totalitarianism
Machiavellian power for power’s sake
Mind Control: psychological manipulation and the power of language
(and the role of technology in all of the above)

13. 1984 Part 6
“Orwellian”
Subordination of an individual’s interests to those of the state
Setting: 1984 in London, chief city of Airstrip One, one of the largest provinces of Oceania
POV: 3rd Person Limited (Winston)

14. 1984 Totalitarian Mechanisms:
“2 minutes hate
minispeak
telescreens
Big Brother (the persona)
Youth League
Emmanuel Goldstein
In groups develop an explanation for each mechanism’s effectiveness and come up with one contemporary analogue.