1984: George Orwell

Part 1, Chapter 1
Part 1, Chapter 2
Part 1, Chapter 3
Part 1, Chapter 4
Part 1, Chapter 5
Part 1, Chapter 6
Part 1, Chapter 7
Part 1, Chapter 8
Part 2, Chapter 1
Part 2, Chapter 2
Part 2, Chapter 3
Part 2, Chapter 4
Part 2, Chapter 5
Part 2, Chapter 6
Part 2, Chapter 7
Part 2, Chapter 8
Part 2, Chapter 9
Part 3, Chapter 1
Part 3, Chapter 2
Part 3, Chapter 3
Part 3, Chapter 4
Part 3, Chapter 5
Part 3, Chapter 6

About 1984 by George Orwell

1984, also spelled as Nineteen Eighty Four, is one of the greatest works in the history of literature. Written by George Orwell in the year 1949, the novel 1984 sets focus on a totalitarian regime that has reached the pinnacle at one end of the extremes. The year 1984 is a mere symbol; the novel bears George Orwell's view on the social and personal lives of human beings under complete totalitarianism. And he has successfully illustrated a society that has lost independence of individual persons.

In the novel, all the power is split into three powerful groups, namely Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia. The novel is as seen from Oceania. The people of Oceania are divided into three political classes - the Inner Party, the Outer Party and the Proles. The Party, in the name of the Government, controls the Ministry of Truth and Thought Police. And Thought Police controls, regulates and monitors the country and its intelligence.

In summary, the main character, Winston Smith, is an unhealthy middle aged person (around 39 years old) and he falls in love with Julia, "ten to fifteen years" younger than him. The novel 1984 by George Owell has three phases. In the first phase comes Winston Smith's envision of 1984 (Orwell's viewpoints). Then in the second phase he and Julia get involved into an illicit relationship. But, as Orwell would put it in his inimitable style of journalism, "Big Brother is watching you". The Thought Police, who had been spying on Winston Smith and Julia, catch them. Smith is tortured (with rats, since Winston Smith is scared of rats) and re-educated and finally released. He and Julia meet in a park and then they acknowledge their betrayal towards each other. Finally, Winston Smith accepts the omnipotent Big Brother and his party, and expresses his love for them - and the third phase comes to an end. "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely". The reader of 1984 will recognize the theme, motifs and even events as components that have become a part and parcel of our daily lives.

Finally, who controls? Orwell has an answer in 1984: "He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past."

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