Transcript of Context for 1984 – George Orwell George Orwell was born Eric Blair in India in 1903. Educated as a...
Slide 1
Context for 1984 George Orwell George Orwell was born Eric
Blair in India in 1903. Educated as a scholarship student at
prestigious boarding schools Described his life as
lower-upper-middle class he was frustrated by the oppression he
felt by the dictatorial control the schools exercised over their
students lives Did not attend college Worked as a British Imperial
Policeman in Burma, and hated it He, of course, was required to
enforce the strict laws of a political regime he despised. Became a
writer
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People of the Abyss Inspired by Jack Londons People of the
Abyss : Jack London lived for a time within the grim and grimy
world of the East End of London, where half a million people
scraped together hardly enough on which to survive. Even if they
were able to work, they were paid only enough to allow them a
pitiful existence. He grew to know and empathize with these
forgotten (or ignored) people as he spoke with them and tasted the
workhouse, life on the streets,... and the food, which was cheap,
barely nutritious, and foul. He writes about his experiences in a
fluid and narrative style, making it very clear what he thinks of
the social structures which created the Abyss, and of the
millionaires who live high on the labours of a people forced to
live in squalor. "... The food this managing class eats, the wine
it drinks,... the fine clothes it wears, are challenged by eight
million mouths which have never had enough to fill them, and by
twice eight million bodies which have never been sufficiently
clothed and housed."
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Down and Out in Paris and London Purposely bought ragged
clothes from a second-hand store and lived among the very poor in
London and Paris Published a book about this reemergence Down and
Out in Paris and London It had two parts about the poverty in the
two cities First part: Breadline in Paris and the experience of
casual labor in restaurant kitchens Second part: Travelogue of life
on the road in and around London from the tramps perspective
(traveling from place to place on foot no real home)
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Witnessing HATE In 1936, he was reporting on the Spanish Civil
War Witnessed firsthand the nightmarish atrocities committed by
fascist political regimes. The rise of Hitler and Stalin inspired
his hatred of totalitarianism and political authority
Totalitarianism State holds total authority over the society, and
seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever
possible When Orwell witnessed the danger of absolute political
authority in an age of advanced technology, he responded by
writing: Animal Farm in 1945 1984 in 1949.
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1984 Negative utopian novel Aims to show the worst human
society imaginable, in an effort to convince readers to avoid any
path that might lead toward such societal degradation 1984 tells
the story of Winston Smith a low-ranking member of the ruling Party
in London, in the nation of Oceania. Everywhere Winston goes, even
his own home, the Party watches him through telescreens Everywhere
he looks shows the face of the Partys leader, Big Brother At the
time, Orwells vision of a post-atomic dictatorship in which every
individual would be monitored ceaselessly by means of the
telescreen seemed terrifyingly possible Televisions had not become
a fixture in the family home It was the dawn of the nuclear age
Dictatorships were a force around the world
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1984 Fictional 3 superstates made after a nuclear warfare or
civil dissolution Oceania Eurasia Eastasia The Party controls
everything in Oceania, including the peoples history & language
The novel takes place in a transition time between old speak (our
current English) and Newspeak a language created by the Party to
prevent political rebellion by eliminating all words related to it.
THINKING rebellious thoughts is punishable by death (maintained by
The Thought Police) Leader of Oceania is Big Brother a seemingly
omniscient leader of the Party Ruling/Upper Class Inner Party
Middle Class Outer Party Lower Class Proles 1984 highlights Winston
Smiths journey to find individuality among the totalitarian world
in which he lives.
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WINSTON SMITH 39 years old Low-ranking member of the ruling
Party Frustrated by the oppression and rigid control of the Party
Works in the Ministry of Truth, where he alters historical records
to fit the needs of the Party.
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BIG BROTHER Omnipresent image, appearing on the telescreen and
everywhere else in daily life Never seen in person Oceanias slogan:
WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
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EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN The Partys scapegoat and arch enemy The
target of the public hatred generated by the Party Fought for:
Peace with Eurasia Ending the Party Freedom of speech Freedom of
the press Freedom of assembly Freedom of thought Revolution
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Themes from 1984 1.Alienation and Isolation 2.Appearance vs.
Reality 3.Destruction of Human Values 4.Individuality vs. Tyranny
5.Danger of Permanent Totalitarianism