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About

Nineteen Eighty-Four, otherwise called 1984, is a science-fiction novel written by Eric Arthur Blair under the pseudonym George Orwell in 1948. As a detailed description of a speculative dystopian government, it has become one of the most influental books in the last few decades, spawning several memes in- and outside the Internet.

Premise

1984 takes place in the totalitarian superstate of Oceania, ruled by the political party called Ingsoc (English Socialism), which is divided into three social classes: the Proles, who perform manual labor, the Outer Party, which handles the menial political work, and the Inner Party, which is the privileged ruling class. The leader of Oceania and the Inner Party is Big Brother, who enjoys an intense cult of personality. Both the Outer Party and the Proles live in perpetual poverty and misery, but the Outer Party is far more closely supervised via telescreens and thought police, while being constantly bombed with state propaganda. The Party members' capacity for independent thinking is limited even more by doublethink, which imbues them to genuinely believe the Party's propaganda, and Newspeak, a simplified version of the English language which limits their intellectual capacity.

The main character of the novel is Winston Smith, an Outer Party member who works in the Ministry of Truth, which constantly forges history to fit the Party's current interests. Winston eventually gets in a Party-forbidden relationship with another Outer Party member named Julia, and comes in contact with O'Brien, an Inner Party member who he suspects to be against Big Brother's dictatorship.

History

George Orwell wrote 1984 during 1944-1948 and it was published June 8 1949 by Secker & Warburg. Since then it has been adapted to two theather-release films: one in 1956 and other in 1984.

Related Memes

Big Brother Is Watching You

"Big Brother is Watching You" is one of the most iconic quotes from the book. It comes from a widepread poster reminding Outer Party members that they're under constant surveillance by the thought police. It's often used to mock real life governments who keep close survelliance on their subjects.

War Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength

"War Is Peace…" is another famous quote, which in the book appears on the outer wall of the Ministry of Truth. Likewise, it's used to mock governments, politicans or other parties perceived as totalitarian in methods.

Search Interest