Chris’s Comments (group member since Nov 18, 2013)

Chris’s comments from the CSS 8.3 and 8.4 group.

Hello everyone! Currently, I am reading 1984 By George Orwell. A classic to be sure! Like the majority of modern novels, this book takes many forays into many genres.

Dystopian: Of course, dystopian is at the top of the list. 1984 is the father of dystopias (With Weacting as the grandfather). Our main character, Winston Smith, carries out his life in a war-torn Britain from an entirely alternate universe. In this universe, World War 2 did not end victoriously with a success of the Allies, but rather that of the Axis. The whole of Europe has been conquered with the remainder of the world slowly joining it. With the defeat of the allies, Hitler has been memorialized as "Big Brother", the omniscient ruler of Europe. As a citizen of the Nazi-ruled Europe, you are constantly monitored. Any recognized actions of defiance or thought are punished by death. Even an act as simple as opening a journal or book are are highly criminal offenses. Aside from Big Brother, the nation is controlled by the four ministries: the Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Love, the Ministry of Plenty, the Ministry of Peace, concerned with media, law, economic affairs, and war respectively. No wonder it's the father of dystopias, eh?

Science Fiction: This genre definitely isn't as apparent as the previous one, but it is definitely prominent in the novel. My novel, 1984, takes place in (Surprise!) 1984. Contrary to this, the technology in the novel is beyond that of our own. The reason for this being that George Orwell, the author, wrote this book in 1949, therefore his estimations for technology were somewhat naive. It could be argued that the fact that this novel does not take place in the future denies it a place in the Science Fiction community, however I would disagree, as the technology displayed and the overall atmosphere of the novel are clear attributes of the science fiction genre.

Social Issues: The third and final genre I would argue this book falls under is Social Issues. Orwell wrote 1984 during and after the Second World War and this had an undeniable effect on the entire novel. Obviously, the entire society established in 1984 inspired by the ideals of Axis Powers in the war, specifically Nazi Germany. Though it is never directly stated, the "Big Brother" character is meant to be seen as Adolf Hitler or some representation of him. Aside from this, there are deep themes of Censorship. The Ministry of Truth is a governmental department concerned with the control of media, specifically news.
The Ministry tampers and doctors any information, photographs, news stories, in order to maintain their iron grip on the nation. This brings me to another major underlying theme of the novel, control. Through everything, the Axis government has constant control over every citizen. Television screens watch you. Though Police constantly monitor the people, searching for the slightest sign of independent thought. No matter, your ambition, your abilities, your strengths, your weaknesses. You are always under HIS control, for Big Brother is watching.