To answer questions about
1984,
please sign up.
Rogerio
The book was written in 1949, way before the events described became reality. If you are reading it with hindsight alone, yeah, than you missing the point big time. The author was brilliant and the clarity and capacity of projecting himself to the future of comunism is just amazing.
L
It describes the reality of many authoritarian states in this world.
If you don't feel for it, you are living in a free world and I envy you.
I live in Hong Kong. With influence from China grows day by day, we begin to see censorship, changing of historical records, disappearing citizens. Every incident described in the book I can relate to events happening around me. Attitudes of Winston and Julia, and the proles, accurately describe various mentalities for surviving under such regime. It is horrible. It is reality. It is so hard for me to finish reading this book, with every page heavier than the last.
If you don't feel for it, you are living in a free world and I envy you.
I live in Hong Kong. With influence from China grows day by day, we begin to see censorship, changing of historical records, disappearing citizens. Every incident described in the book I can relate to events happening around me. Attitudes of Winston and Julia, and the proles, accurately describe various mentalities for surviving under such regime. It is horrible. It is reality. It is so hard for me to finish reading this book, with every page heavier than the last.
Bigsoph
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Niels Bugge
I felt it was boring, simplistic and heavy-handed, so I guess people are just giving it high ratings because they are nostalgic about its historical impact.
Heck I even gave it two stars, so I'm also guilty of inflating ratings beyond the actual intertainment value ;)
I feel the same way about Asimovs Foundation series: The central premise of each book can be formulated in a few sentences, and the rest is just page upon page of boredom and unengaging characters.
Heck I even gave it two stars, so I'm also guilty of inflating ratings beyond the actual intertainment value ;)
I feel the same way about Asimovs Foundation series: The central premise of each book can be formulated in a few sentences, and the rest is just page upon page of boredom and unengaging characters.
A
simply because “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.” ― George Orwell, 1984
Ivan
This book is important because it portrays totalitarianism, and the lack of democracy, liberty, justice, and our freedom of speech in a way we mere mortals couldn't even imagine!
Those of us who have jobs and have the chance to make money can spend it on what we need, and then what we want. In a totalitarian society you couldn't do that! We get to buy whatever kind of food we want with the money we've earned. We can buy all kinds of drinks, from water to juice to coffee to alcohol. We have a huge list of coffees and tobacco and magazines and house items and technology, literally anything you might need. It's out there.
Whatever item you might need, there are many like it of many qualities and prices on the market, and it's up to you to decide what you want. Speaking of what you want, you can VOTE for whoever you want, join whatever party you want, and you can even choose to be apolitical, and just not take any interest in politics if you don't want to! And you have the right to say what you want about anything in politics too, guaranteed by the universal declaration of human rights.
The people of Oceania wouldn't have the luxury we do! What Orwell is portraying (and trying to say) is that WE could end up like the people of Oceania some day, and that we must be careful not to let it happen.
It's why people these days have a problem with their government invading an individual's privacy, even if the individual has nothing to hide! People must be aware of the never-ending threat of dictatorship so that we could HAVE our rights and our freedom, these luxuries we take for granted.
Just look at North Korea.
This book must be cherished. It is a warning sign, not to mention a fantastic book as well, in my opinion.
My opinion isn't important though, this book is. I hope we don't lose it as the generations go by, for we mustn't forget the relatively recent crimes against humanity committed in the name of a better world, by the hands of vicious dictators, full of lies and empty promises.
I suggest you take a look at the animal farm by Orwell if you haven't already, or have decided you don't want to. It's much shorter and is very direct. I see it as a metaphorical blueprint for achieving totalitarianism, and wouldn't waste your time.
Sorry I got carried away I tried to keep it brief. ^_^
Those of us who have jobs and have the chance to make money can spend it on what we need, and then what we want. In a totalitarian society you couldn't do that! We get to buy whatever kind of food we want with the money we've earned. We can buy all kinds of drinks, from water to juice to coffee to alcohol. We have a huge list of coffees and tobacco and magazines and house items and technology, literally anything you might need. It's out there.
Whatever item you might need, there are many like it of many qualities and prices on the market, and it's up to you to decide what you want. Speaking of what you want, you can VOTE for whoever you want, join whatever party you want, and you can even choose to be apolitical, and just not take any interest in politics if you don't want to! And you have the right to say what you want about anything in politics too, guaranteed by the universal declaration of human rights.
The people of Oceania wouldn't have the luxury we do! What Orwell is portraying (and trying to say) is that WE could end up like the people of Oceania some day, and that we must be careful not to let it happen.
It's why people these days have a problem with their government invading an individual's privacy, even if the individual has nothing to hide! People must be aware of the never-ending threat of dictatorship so that we could HAVE our rights and our freedom, these luxuries we take for granted.
Just look at North Korea.
This book must be cherished. It is a warning sign, not to mention a fantastic book as well, in my opinion.
My opinion isn't important though, this book is. I hope we don't lose it as the generations go by, for we mustn't forget the relatively recent crimes against humanity committed in the name of a better world, by the hands of vicious dictators, full of lies and empty promises.
I suggest you take a look at the animal farm by Orwell if you haven't already, or have decided you don't want to. It's much shorter and is very direct. I see it as a metaphorical blueprint for achieving totalitarianism, and wouldn't waste your time.
Sorry I got carried away I tried to keep it brief. ^_^
The Usual
If you think this book is a brilliant literary masterpiece then you haven't read it (and there are various surveys about that suggest that lots of people who, sincerely or otherwise, claim to have read it, actually haven't).
Important? Yes.
Influential? Certainly.
Just not very good.
Important? Yes.
Influential? Certainly.
Just not very good.
Maria Hatherall
Because it is a fantastic book.
Suman Roy
Because you were probably expecting a story with deep characterizations of both the world and the people all wrapped in a sharp plot.
While the world-building is very detailed and intricate, the plot and writing style is incredibly dull and dreary. the blandness of the characters might be problematic to some, but that part worked for me as it makes sense that everyone looses their self-identity and personality in a world that is so sterile and controlled.
The reason people are so fond of this book, is the same reason that Ayn Rand's books are famous: they aren't stories, they are political manifestos. And in that sense it is brilliant.
The ideas and themes in this novel are not subtext but just text. Bringing those ideas to the front makes for dull story-telling but exceptional point-making.
A point, I should point out, which is even more relevant today.
While the world-building is very detailed and intricate, the plot and writing style is incredibly dull and dreary. the blandness of the characters might be problematic to some, but that part worked for me as it makes sense that everyone looses their self-identity and personality in a world that is so sterile and controlled.
The reason people are so fond of this book, is the same reason that Ayn Rand's books are famous: they aren't stories, they are political manifestos. And in that sense it is brilliant.
The ideas and themes in this novel are not subtext but just text. Bringing those ideas to the front makes for dull story-telling but exceptional point-making.
A point, I should point out, which is even more relevant today.
Marcel
it depends what you are reading it as
a) it's a dystopia and not pleasant to read b) following from 'a)' even the main character isn't really a nice character or a hero type. so if you are after a book with a positive outlook, surely not your thing. BUT I think it portrays human being very well (unfortunately :) )
b) it's ab book about fascism (it's less SciFi than political / social commentary I think) and as such it is excellent (not only regarding when it was written (1948) but also today)
c) I think its strength lies in its worldbuilding (again politically, socially and economically but also to a certain degree technically)
d ) finally, the most amazing aspect for me is the New Speak Appendix. I could just read Orwell's thought about how language can be used to influence human thinking. Which again is so relevant today...
a) it's a dystopia and not pleasant to read b) following from 'a)' even the main character isn't really a nice character or a hero type. so if you are after a book with a positive outlook, surely not your thing. BUT I think it portrays human being very well (unfortunately :) )
b) it's ab book about fascism (it's less SciFi than political / social commentary I think) and as such it is excellent (not only regarding when it was written (1948) but also today)
c) I think its strength lies in its worldbuilding (again politically, socially and economically but also to a certain degree technically)
d ) finally, the most amazing aspect for me is the New Speak Appendix. I could just read Orwell's thought about how language can be used to influence human thinking. Which again is so relevant today...
Jeremy
nope.
Listened to this book on a recommendation of a coworker that loved it so much she had a quote from it tattooed on her side.
Well, she owes me 12 hours of my life, and I hope she knows a good laser tech to remove her ink.
Horrible book, the only interesting part of it is that the term Big Brother
is originated here (I assume).
The worst part is that this book seems to be some sort of "Emperor's New Clothes" for the elitist. If you didn't like the book it must be because it was too deep for you or only intelligent people grasp the concept.
Hogwash , I say!! The guy’s naked!! And boring.
Listened to this book on a recommendation of a coworker that loved it so much she had a quote from it tattooed on her side.
Well, she owes me 12 hours of my life, and I hope she knows a good laser tech to remove her ink.
Horrible book, the only interesting part of it is that the term Big Brother
is originated here (I assume).
The worst part is that this book seems to be some sort of "Emperor's New Clothes" for the elitist. If you didn't like the book it must be because it was too deep for you or only intelligent people grasp the concept.
Hogwash , I say!! The guy’s naked!! And boring.
Bigwickerventriloquist
For me: it is concise, deals with media theory and politics (i.e. "double-speak" and the control of language), great narrative, character development, is itself an example of Orwell's concerns with literary theory, but most of all... it ends the way an insurrectionist narrative would end in Oceania ("There are no martyrs in Oceania...") - i.e. it has a "happy" ending. Though it is "dense", it is eminently readable without ever digging deeply into the text. I read it once every couple years and keep gleaning more.
Cristian Miron
This book has endless ramifications to our daily life. Even more, it's a scarry idea shown in the book, that "Power is not a means, it is an end".
Quote:
‘And now let us get back to the question of “how” and “why”. You understand well enough HOW the Party maintains itself in power. Now tell me WHY we cling to power. What is our motive? Why should we want power?
[…]
‘Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?’
Quote:
‘And now let us get back to the question of “how” and “why”. You understand well enough HOW the Party maintains itself in power. Now tell me WHY we cling to power. What is our motive? Why should we want power?
[…]
‘Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?’
Jess
This book is so good because not only does it have such strong historical connections, but it incredibly relevant to today's society.
It provides a terrifying view of what the future could look like if we allow ourselves to become completely controlled by the media, and how humanity has the capacity to lose all original thought and uniquity.
It shows the darker side of humanity - the cold, loveless, conformist society which Orwell hypothesizes that we have the capacity to become.
Even now, unorthodoxy is frowned upon, people are encouraged to be 'normal.' The media so influential upon our own lives that we are beginning to have trouble deciphering whether what we are told is real or not.
1984 preaches the dangerous path humanity could be going down, and how we have no hope for the future if we follow this path.
It provides a terrifying view of what the future could look like if we allow ourselves to become completely controlled by the media, and how humanity has the capacity to lose all original thought and uniquity.
It shows the darker side of humanity - the cold, loveless, conformist society which Orwell hypothesizes that we have the capacity to become.
Even now, unorthodoxy is frowned upon, people are encouraged to be 'normal.' The media so influential upon our own lives that we are beginning to have trouble deciphering whether what we are told is real or not.
1984 preaches the dangerous path humanity could be going down, and how we have no hope for the future if we follow this path.
Karen
I had to read this in high school. I felt it was inappropriate for my age group at that time. Mind you, that was back in the 60's. I hated it then, and would not recommend it even now. Though perhaps if I tried to read it again at this age, I'd get more out of it. Na...., I wouldn't bother.
Lu Beltrame
Maybe you're missing the factt that this book isn't supposed to be an escape from real life, bursting in Hollywood productions, but rather, a deeper view into the life we live now. The purpose of it is to make the readers open up their minds and start seeing the current society for what it really is. The fact that we might be missing something is the main thing Orwell wanted us to start noticing.
It's not meant to tell a story after all, it's supposed to make us start really realizing the stories that happen all around us. How can we be sure we're not living in 1984, and how can we be sure not seeing the brilliance in it is not an act of orthodoxy? I'm not saying it is, because I really can't judge anyone when I don't know them. All I'm saying is that you might want to please start making an effort to see how 1984 ties with your own life, because that's the genius aspect of it. We can be blind to everything around us like the characters in the book itself, and not recognize the link exists, and that makes the book in fact kinda futile.
It's not meant to tell a story after all, it's supposed to make us start really realizing the stories that happen all around us. How can we be sure we're not living in 1984, and how can we be sure not seeing the brilliance in it is not an act of orthodoxy? I'm not saying it is, because I really can't judge anyone when I don't know them. All I'm saying is that you might want to please start making an effort to see how 1984 ties with your own life, because that's the genius aspect of it. We can be blind to everything around us like the characters in the book itself, and not recognize the link exists, and that makes the book in fact kinda futile.
Sarah
it's an ~important~ book with a shitty mc and poor pacing
Zoomorph
Because they haven't read enough books, or enough better books, to put it in it's proper perspective.
Avidreader86
P. 258: "You suffer from a defective memory. You are unable to remember real events and you persuade yourself that you remember other events which never happened."
This novel is a brilliant light shining in the darkest tunnel. The novel is thought provoking and teaches you that there are those who abuse their power to the extent of mind control and brainwashing the masses. It teaches you how valuable independent thought truly is. Be thankful there aren't any real thought police attempting to control each and every direction your mind wanders.
This novel is a brilliant light shining in the darkest tunnel. The novel is thought provoking and teaches you that there are those who abuse their power to the extent of mind control and brainwashing the masses. It teaches you how valuable independent thought truly is. Be thankful there aren't any real thought police attempting to control each and every direction your mind wanders.
Vibhore Gupta
It is not the the plot or the characters or the perception of the future as such. What I loved about the book is the net of thoughts that the author continues to weave throughout the book. Fairly easy read but when you apply it on what has happened throughout the history and what is currently happening in the world, you cannot help but appreciate the author for the genius that he is. Simple things like "It is easy to love a person than a party", "doublethink", etc. when thought about individually makes this book a masterpiece.
Caitlin "Sparkie"
Wilma, its ok your are not alone. I that the book is soo deep that sometimes it can be hard for the readers to connect. I recommend reading the book and if you don't see all of the hidden metaphors and symbols re-read and look for them which might help you spot them and then understand the "message" of the book.
Birdie Duplessis
I don't know. I thought this would've been a better short story. There was a lot of nothing happening for me. Constant repetition of ideas, ruminating in fact. The ending was very predictable, I'd even say inevitable. Again as a short story, it would've been far better.
Haii
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Tia
Because it gives us a sense of reality and the thought that this book could happening. Heck it's already happening! Big Brother! Being traced by the government. That's all real, it's just not public knowledge. This book was written in 1949 and knowing that George Orwell had the thought process and the idea to write a book of this depth has got be revealing in the truth that this idea in 1984 is a hidden agenda that is to be because of Big Brother, and the Elitists... There is so much truth hidden behind this book... all you have to do is dig
Ricardo Figueira
If you cannot see the simililarities with nowadays you are rather privileged or well entertained.
tiancaipipi110
Because you are missing the age and background when this book was published: 1949 and communism at the time.
Ronan Hannan
It manages to both a very deep and also very entertaining book - very difficult to do both. The deep books are often dry and the entertaining books are often empty.
Mark Lavin
If nothing else, this book describes what could happen. And as you read it, you recognize that we may be headed down this path.
Eightwaysanta
Because Orwell's prose is amazing, he writes with a smooth fluidity that other writers dream of. Try reading a book after reading 1984 you'll see the difference in the writing. Kurt Vonnegut also has the same effect on me, I sometimes find it hard to read other authors because I'm always comparing them to Orwell. Also don't worry about being an expert in political theory and philosophy, just take the story for what it is, the story of a man living in a state run by a party who's goal it is to control the very fabric of your mind and reality.
Victoria
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
ปัณณวิชญ์ นรากุลพิพัฒน์
you'll may try to live in a country that your government try to say "you must happy, you must love them, the neibours are evil, and they promise you with any sweets speech and propaganda.
oh i know somewhere like this. but i can't tell you.
oh i know somewhere like this. but i can't tell you.
Amani Ahmed
Exactly!!!!
Now I'm on page 240/351 and I swear that 1 star is even too much!!!
Now I'm on page 240/351 and I swear that 1 star is even too much!!!
Elijah
You would have to think deeper than, why does people rate this book so high. It is one of the great classics of the world. Surely there is more meaning into the book then you think.
Geoff
I think it's all about relevancy. Orwell was a supporter of Democratic Socialism as seen in countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Germany, Canada, Zealand, etc. He was a relentless enemy of the Totalitarianism of Communist regimes and the Dictatorships that spring from fascism.
l would suggest reading the book while looking for similarities seen in today's governmental systems. Russia and China, remain as the prime examples of Communist Totalitarianism, while the United States is slowly moving towards the dictatorships found in fascist oligarchies. In Russia, Pravda is MinTru (Ministry of Truth), while in the US the Major Media companies such as Fox News and MSNBC fulfill that role is the United States. The infamous KGB (currently being re-implemented under another name) and the NSA are reasonably accurate examples of of MinLuv (Ministry of Love). How about we call Putin's Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and Wall Street's plethora of lobbying groups MinPlenty (Ministry of Plenty). And while some would insist there is no comparison between "The American Military Industrial Complex" and the Russian Defense Ministry, I would argue that the Pentagon is just another front for MinPax (Ministry of Peace).
At the very least, measuring the actions of today's societies as compared to those of Orwell's 1984, can be quite entertaining. In my opinion this book is a well deserved 5 star cautionary tale that should heighten our vigilance. But I have to deduct one star for the stark, grayness that he uses (perhaps out of necessity) to deliver it.
William Devinney
You know what? I was thinking the same thing. It's kinda a bust at the end
Maansi Suri
It shows the future in an accurate way
Virtuella
Don't know. It is an uncompromising thought experiment, I suppose. But I found it pretty lame.
Vr Gimena
The rate is a PERSONAL POV... for my is a Masterpiece.
Melanie
I haven't read it but George Orwell is a really powerful, deep author and most of his books are really amazing.
Alex Lloyd
Personally, I had mixed feelings about the book for its storytelling, but it does a pretty good job of portraying a convincingly horrifying dystopia. This is basically what Orwell feared would happen if communism and other authoritarian states were able to spread to an unprecedented degree. If it would actually happen is questionable, but this is (to a lesser extent) what is happening in countries like North Korea around the world. It served as a pretty effective warning against adopting these kinds of societies when it was published.
Sophie Smith
It was boring, it may have been a cutting edge story at its publication date. But now it falls flat
Forest
The message of this book is extremely important but it was just boring.
Judy Lindow
It's a jarring and shockingly prophetic read (it was published over 70 years ago). It's sad, bleak, and mean and it should be mandated reading for everyone on the planet right now. The author's dystopian world captures the gruesome reality of surveillance and propaganda in a totalitarian state. It's pretty rare to find a solid 5-star novel with such a coincidental and relevant narrative. Ironically, I read this in 1984, almost 40 years ago. My supervisor had given it to me on my first day of work as recommended reading. It meant very little to me at the time. I was glad I'd read it - but at the time it sat squarely on the table of classics that are required reading. It's revelatory now, proving again that making meaning is why we read.
Kostadin Andonov
The dood predicted the future. The only thing over the top was the torture. At least the powers that be dont torture most people.
Nola Bailey
Based on when it was written, this book is ahead of it's time in a phenomenal way. It is a warning to the scary future that becomes a possibility when a totalitarianism government is introduced. It is a warning to total control. It's super impressive that in 1949 Orwell predicted the potential future of effects of technology, government being overpowered, and the power (and pain) of political parties.
Andrew
Because along with Animal Farm - these two are so close to the real thing.
With the exception of many Russian-language books, rather, memoirs.
When you've lived through a few years of communism - it's a trauma that seeps into your bones.
With the exception of many Russian-language books, rather, memoirs.
When you've lived through a few years of communism - it's a trauma that seeps into your bones.
Sanjana Mandal
I also felt like that after finishing this book. The world felt so hopeless. I felt so numb. I guess this is why this book is rated so high. I could feel the main character's emotions. Which is not an easy task. I will rate the book high.
Sarah
I suppose it's one of those books (like "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank) that transcends Goodreads' scale of "I did not like it" through to "it was amazing". Some books might not be a pleasant experience to read, yet we can appreciate the mastery of the author and/or the circumstances in which the book was written and/or the influence it has had on our collective understanding of the human condition.
Nathaniel Winston
Because it's a beautifully written story of one man's battle against an authoritarian world with a lot of neat political philosophy along the way.
What is not to like about this book?
What is not to like about this book?
Megan Sullivan
I have to admit, when I was reading it I found the story boring the first 80 pages. However, I am so happy I read it and I want to try reading it again in the near future. Once I read the last page I realized that it is very similar to the world today... crazy thing is it was written years before. It is a classic that everyone should read to see the dangerous parallels between the world in the book and our world today.
Reese
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Zitlali Valdez
I believe the book is rated so high simply because some of the things that are mentioned in the book is in our near future.
Douglas Beagley
This book is rated high because of its cultural impact and the power of its ideas, not because it is a well-written novel. It's not. Orwell thinks long lectures stuck inside prose can still be a good novel. He's wrong. Everyone has to read 1984, and fortunately there are some beautiful scenes and poetry wedged in among the philosophy.
Bluebell
It's a book that you don't forget because it is so chilling and seems so unreal yet the scary part is that elements of it are actually very reflective of the world today. It draws scary parallels with reality and doesn't seem to age, that's why I think it is rated so highly.
Mirelavx
Maybe your country has never been through a communist/totalitarian regime :/ I personally haven't been born yet when my own was going through such a period, but everything I've heard about this period in our history I can see in this book, therefore I can feel a greater connection to this book. I think that those who do not like this book just cannot relate to it and therefore do not understand it well enough to appreciate it :/
Zhuzilin
I guess because people could regard it as history rather than fiction.
Michelle
I read this book for school 25+ years ago and again last year. I remembered the plot of the book, but wanted to re-read to gain more perspective. I just about fell out of my chair multiple times when I read about rewriting history, thought control, and not knowing who to trust for fear of being turned in. This is going on today in the LDS church (the mormons).
Even their religion's founding father is depicted as being more beautiful than he actually was. If a member learns something new about the religion he/she has never heard of, another member will say, "Oh, I've always known about that. You didn't know about that?" This keeps members unsure about their own knowledge and teaches them not to trust themselves, but to only trust Big Brother.
I left mormonism 15 years ago and reading 1984 after leaving gives me the heebie-jeebies (but I acknowledge that it is an important work of literature!). I've heard that that the 1984-ish culture of mormonism is similar to other high-demand groups like Jehova's Witnesses and Scientology. If so, that's a shame. Hopefully, members of those sorts of groups will read 1984, wake themselves up, and escape.
Even their religion's founding father is depicted as being more beautiful than he actually was. If a member learns something new about the religion he/she has never heard of, another member will say, "Oh, I've always known about that. You didn't know about that?" This keeps members unsure about their own knowledge and teaches them not to trust themselves, but to only trust Big Brother.
I left mormonism 15 years ago and reading 1984 after leaving gives me the heebie-jeebies (but I acknowledge that it is an important work of literature!). I've heard that that the 1984-ish culture of mormonism is similar to other high-demand groups like Jehova's Witnesses and Scientology. If so, that's a shame. Hopefully, members of those sorts of groups will read 1984, wake themselves up, and escape.
Rick
Apr 8, 2013 - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange formally unveiled on Monday the ... "He who controls the past controls the future, and he who controls the present controls the past,” Assange chimed in using his webcam in London
Тодор Пашов
Because it is a programme book for bilding the NWO. And the project is in progress. May be you will find the awnswer in the "Comittee of 300" by John Coleman
Witold
YOu must be missing something! Have you read it? You couldn't have read it and not find it a great book!
Wilma
If I may, I would like to add a link I stumbled across. I am sure many of you have already seen this, but for those who have not.....
I never said I did not like the concept of the book, I just did not like the execution of the story. Mr. Orwell admits here that he himself did not like the execution of the book because he had TB when he wrote it.
http://www.trueactivist.com/dont-let-...
I never said I did not like the concept of the book, I just did not like the execution of the story. Mr. Orwell admits here that he himself did not like the execution of the book because he had TB when he wrote it.
http://www.trueactivist.com/dont-let-...
Frgtrgrf
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Lenka
it's not what i would call an aesthetically pleasing novel. you won't find there much breathtaking metaphors or magnificent images. i kinda understand why some people think that 1984 is boring. but it's not about it. it's about the message. you don't even have to know, that Orwell wrote this in (i believe around) 1948, the whole value of the book doesn't lie in the fact that it overtook it's age. the reason why it is so disturbing and wholesome is simply that it has been and even now is a reality of many countries. every single thing mentioned in the novel has happened (also in country where i come from). and as someone here has already mentioned, this is/was a warning. so don't look at it as a dystopian novel. it's a realistic one.
F R
Its Simple really, every single element in the book is hauntingly relatable. The lack of privacy, eyes and ears everywhere, technology being used as weapons against the users, killing of diverse vocabularies because if you cant name a feeling that feeling never becomes a thought and without thoughts and ideologies there will be no rebels and fighters , brainwashing,
being provided with wrong information and so much more. we can all relate to the above given on some level, we have all been through this one time or the other so when George Orwell put it all together so bluntly without any beating around the bush, the book became terrifying, haunting, and infinitely relatable at same time. I have seen reviews saying that the characters lack depth but what they dont realise is that it is not such a book that pulls at your hearts strings and make you fall in love with the characters, 1984 is a book that give you nightmares and make you see this messed up world clearly and in a way you never have before at the same time. Disclaimer: This book is not for people who see the world in black and white.
being provided with wrong information and so much more. we can all relate to the above given on some level, we have all been through this one time or the other so when George Orwell put it all together so bluntly without any beating around the bush, the book became terrifying, haunting, and infinitely relatable at same time. I have seen reviews saying that the characters lack depth but what they dont realise is that it is not such a book that pulls at your hearts strings and make you fall in love with the characters, 1984 is a book that give you nightmares and make you see this messed up world clearly and in a way you never have before at the same time. Disclaimer: This book is not for people who see the world in black and white.
Bernard Watts
If you haven't changed your mind in the last two years you are missing something.
Travelgear
One of the best books I've ever read
Paolo
You should read it with the right perspective. A great influential book that today we can see as a contemporary story.
Andrea
Because it's famous
Sakulin
Beware, there are trolls here too who will insult you for not liking what they like. 1984 is considered a classic, a critique of the world in which we live, a gloomy prediction of the future. I found it tedious and obliged to skip over the relentless torture described in the second half of the book. There are no likeable characters in the book and everybody is described as ugly.
I read to escape and for entertainment and 1984 is not intended to entertain. I can see the parallels between Orwell's society and our own but they are not as dire as Orwell predicts. He wrote this book in 1949, I believe, but the actual year 1984 was nothing like he envisioned not even in Russia and China. Now, in 2021, seventeen years after 1984, Orwell is way off the mark. 1984 is nothing like 2021. Predictions of the future either in books or film are almost always false and rarely optimistic.
If you enjoy gloom read this book. I found it a little like roadkill.
I read to escape and for entertainment and 1984 is not intended to entertain. I can see the parallels between Orwell's society and our own but they are not as dire as Orwell predicts. He wrote this book in 1949, I believe, but the actual year 1984 was nothing like he envisioned not even in Russia and China. Now, in 2021, seventeen years after 1984, Orwell is way off the mark. 1984 is nothing like 2021. Predictions of the future either in books or film are almost always false and rarely optimistic.
If you enjoy gloom read this book. I found it a little like roadkill.
Pere Turambar
Tell me another book published in 1949.
Berns03
It is the sophisticated way George Orwell transmitts his brilliant ideas to the readers which apparently some people cannot grasp.
Sebastian Canale
Yes you are. Go read Harry Potter, let good literature for adults.
Rachel Hartline
The political theory in this book is actually wonderfully written, and it can be related to many (not only communist) regimes in our modern world.
However, the rape culture and the blatant misogyny is disgusting.
However, the rape culture and the blatant misogyny is disgusting.
Todd Zuccolo
Orwell was intimately connected to people with political influence. He had a very clear understanding of global politics and where they were heading. In the book there is a global totalitarian government.
Political analysts have been warning us about the dangers of globalization for years. I could never really appreciate what hey were saying. Now with this pandemic we can see how global organizations, such as the world bank, tri-lateral commission, world bank, Club of Rome, etc., form a web of non-democratic control with the international corporations who lobby them. They are in essence a totalitarian world government. We also see double-think being used to invent a new reality that is driven down to us on a global scale. The global network controls what we perceive to be real and it's dictates are leveraged with moral one-upmanship (spying through the keyhole). This book is visionary. Reading it is not optional if you want to think critically about the current world situation.
Political analysts have been warning us about the dangers of globalization for years. I could never really appreciate what hey were saying. Now with this pandemic we can see how global organizations, such as the world bank, tri-lateral commission, world bank, Club of Rome, etc., form a web of non-democratic control with the international corporations who lobby them. They are in essence a totalitarian world government. We also see double-think being used to invent a new reality that is driven down to us on a global scale. The global network controls what we perceive to be real and it's dictates are leveraged with moral one-upmanship (spying through the keyhole). This book is visionary. Reading it is not optional if you want to think critically about the current world situation.
Lydia Salmons
It's useful for the narrative public schools teach about history and socioeconomics. I find the book to be lacking in understanding of the human psyche and condition at a baseline level, possessing a boring caricature of the myths surrounding the USSR by foreigners masquerading poorly as worldbuilding, and starring a boring and unlikable protagonist.
Lisa
It is an awfully, boring, book with a lot of insight into the world today. A cautionary tale of the dangers of fascism. I read it and appreciate it for the similarity I see in society today. It is a drain to read but well worth it.
Triple A
The purpose of the book is to stretch your mind, not to entertain. It's not for everyone
allmeta4
Yes, you are.
Soham Acharya
A brain maybe??
Lewis
You are missing something - thankfully for you, you're missing the impotent rage at the Soviet Union which is the only reason this book was ever liked by anyone. It was a Cold War weapon; 1984 was supposed to teach us all the the USSR was evil. That's why people act like it's an "important" or "noble" book that we should all absorb its "message". Notice nobody ever says it's actually a good or enjoyable book. Because it isn't, it's dire. It wouldn't pass a first draft stage on a creative writing course; there's no feeling in it. But it shouts at Stalin, and that's important to some people.
Bryan
--oo---o--o-----ooo---o---o-
Ionel Mihai
Yes, maybe you were missing a specific mindset when started reading it. Maybe you saw it as a must read, because others said so. Maybe we are all different, and have different taste in books.
Stop reading books just because they are high rated by others. Do some research first, and decide if you should dive into reading it or not. And after that go write a review. It's not fair to rate a milk bottle 1 star, when you have lactose intolerance.
Stop reading books just because they are high rated by others. Do some research first, and decide if you should dive into reading it or not. And after that go write a review. It's not fair to rate a milk bottle 1 star, when you have lactose intolerance.
William Redmond
While 1984 may take a darker route than what many of us are used to, it is the realism, real world accuracy, and abnormal ending that makes this fictional rendition of Earth so interesting.
Alana
It is hard mentally to read. Ugly and boring on the surface with no likable characters. The awful but necessary ending. But the lesson underneath is so important. Nasty and ugly throughout. The main character is hard to like. It helps if you have known a liitle about political systems in which "Big Brother," lies, spies, abuses and tricks and kills its civilians for free thought. We have a little of it in the U.S.A, but could not even dream what some people went through in the U.S.S.R. in the civil war.
Levia
There are some books which are not made for pure entertainment. Also, if you see it in a different way, both Julia and Winston survived. It is not the kind of happy ending you would expect, but it is still a very deep and political book.
Lily Harlin
There is better incite to a world that we have become so wrapped up in that the edges are impossible to find. An outside look into our own existence.
Johan Viliebert
Maybe you are missing your brain, not every story should have happy ending
MsheArt2
They rate it so high because they can't see they're living it.
Alejandro Brown
I believe this book was rated so high due to the amount of plot twist in the book. I was on the edge of my seat, with every move Winston took, knowing that Big Brother is watching. Plus, the ending is unpredictable.
Alexander Holbreich
People from former socialistic countries like it, i think. For example, I see a lot of parallels to that systems, also to some existing. This is what makes this book so interesting.
Ergun Ahunbay
I love its' philosophical nature, smartness, imaginative power, and how well it was written. The prose is nice fluid, but at the same time never empty, and never repetitive. There is always one interesting sentence after another, and always something not typical or expected. It is full of bumps and jolts but still flows beautifully and everything holds together. You feel Orwell had everything fully worked out before he started the first sentence. Although it gives you surprises, twists, and contradictions, the whole thing is very well consistent in a strange way. It keeps challenging you and makes you doubt stuff. It creates a wonderfully interesting world. It is such a horrific world, but so beautifully constructed, you almost want to be there. To me the theme of this book is more than just about oppression, tyranny, political ideologies, etc. It is more about philosophy, and big questions such as the limits of logic, epistemology, reason, consciousness, reality, etc.
Alexandra
Did you even understand the book?
AN Amrstrong
I personally did not like it, so I would've given it a low rating, but I respected it, so I gave a higher one.
Sydney Williams
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Courtney
Because it's an amazing look into a Big Brother future with Orwellian controls over personal freedoms, where history is written and constantly changed by the present in order to keep and maintain control. The 'dull' characters show how in this strictly controlled society individuality was essentially forbidden, a cheerful tone would be very out of place in the book. The linguistic implications- doublespeak, newspeak etc alone are quite chilling. As language is manipulated so are our abilities to formulate coherent and challenging thoughts and ideas. It gives you a pale hope- with the hope lying with the proles, but that's it, a pale and surely unattainable hope. This 'hope' leaves you feeling bereft and deflated. Making it one of the greatest if not thee greatest dystopian novel ever.
Keagan Thomas
People rate this book so high simply because of the accuracy of his predictions to current and past events. He wrote the book as warning for the people of the world after the end of WWII, particularly in response to Stalin and what was going on in the USSR at the time. Frightened by what he saw, he created a dystopian world in his novel where he hoped to frustrate and/or frighten the reader enough, they would prevent such a world from coming to reality. He predicted if the world didn't change what was going on soon, the world would be as described in the novel as early as 1984. Now we see his hellish world coming closer to being true especially after the Snowden NSA whistleblowing articles and of course the whole "fake news" mentality that's been going on lately. All of these events can be tied directly to the novel.
Nelson
I agree, although I did find it really good I prefer 'Brave New World' and I think the endings of both books are just grand, I hate happy endings, there's no such thing in life why I expect it in literature
William Romsek
To me this book is in the vein of the struggle of the human spirit. It's not unlike the novels of Ken Kesey (Sometimes a Great Notion; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest). Randall McMurphy vs. the mental institution ... Winston Smith vs. Big Brother.
Sunil Gollapalli
If we substitute 1984 with 2184, even then the concepts are very true to every word. The world is working with same order even now.
Francesco
1984 is nice book. I read when I was travelling in Ireland and it was exciting discovery. I think so that Orwell wrote brilliant book full of meanings and points of view. The environment is unrealistic and creative but he describes everything for understanding the world that he hates it. The fear dominates the story but he introduces a small chance for living against the tyranny.
Joyous Song
It's one of those books that's actively unpleasant to read at every point therein, but that fact only improves its purpose. Ingsoc's Britain is hideous by design, and even thinking of it is awful, but it's a sublime kind of awful. It's a really well-crafted awfulness that calls up feelings of resistance against allowing Ingsoc or anything like it to pass.
Lorraine
It changed my perspective. The ride starts in the opening sentence. I had to miss school to finish it. I read it before I knew what to expect. Maybe that helped..
Marek Rokam
Probably because they are not aware how world function (politics, media etc.) today and this book is for them a revelation. They are not aware the same or even worse have been a part of their life.
Jimmy Jon
The book takes everythink that was wrong at that time it was written in about the politics and acts about it.
People can identify themselves with the suffering.
For some people, reading that book is like a therapy, where they can rethink about all their suffering.
For other people, it is just complaining and unhappy and they would rather keep their soul clean instead of having to read all this pain.
People can identify themselves with the suffering.
For some people, reading that book is like a therapy, where they can rethink about all their suffering.
For other people, it is just complaining and unhappy and they would rather keep their soul clean instead of having to read all this pain.
Sglyhne
Because it's a societal reflection of historical proportions. Orwell's 1984 goes with the works of Machiavelli, More, Hobbes and so on. It's actual modern philosophy. If you're expecting a science fiction novel, in the modern sense, you may find yourself disappointed.
Sofo Gorini
Probably because this was wrote on 1952 and it still have relation to the social and politic reality.
Rios
I think the book was well written and I can see what people would like about it. Orwell brings up some interesting ideas about government and philosophy. The complexity in relationships between characters was well done particularly between Winston and Julia, but in my personal opinion I didn't like in so much (I rated it 2 stars) it was so dark and heavy... I guess I just like books with a happy ending.
Catherine
I personally did not like it, so I would've given it a low rating, but I respected it, so I gave it a higher one.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more
