1984 by George Orwell- Book review

1984 by George Orwell is rated among one of the best all-time dystopian novels. I started the book after Animal Farm. You can connect the writer's thought process and what he must be thinking about. Published in 1945, Animal Farm, is an allegory to the Russian revolution. The situation must have been scary enough for him to think of a such a terrorizing totalitarian rule. Usually fiction becomes outdated over time, but this book even after more than six decades can be still looked upon as a frightening future reality that we maybe heading to.

The idea that he talks about in this book is what could happen when there are only two or three powerful states all together in the world. And all the three states, equally  powerful are perpetually at war and not any of them can win. What happens when war becomes an essential act of destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of products of human labor. When civilizations are founded upon hatred. 

Big Brother (We do not know whether he exists or is merely symbolic for the Party) is portrayed as the authoritarian  ruler that controls Oceania, one of the three states that exist in the world. Forget about the Freedom of Speech, what happens you are not even allowed to think freely. And there exists a thought Police (it exactly means what you are thinking), someone watching over you (i.e your thoughts) day and night. Party over parents, that is how loyal children are in Oceania.

The transformation of thinking apes to living puppets is pure horror . What happens when history is constantly updated to suit the Party's need. In spite of the protagonist (Winston) being among-st the ones who bring about these so-called changes in the history, he lives in constant doubts about his own memories. Winston tries to stand up against the Party and writes a diary, yes that's his crime, or lets say, thoughcrime . As if this was not enough, he happens to fall for Julia (love is forbidden in Oceania), another rebel. He manages to the join the revolutionaries and considers O'Brien his guide.

What happens next?  Whether Winston and Julia, with the help of  O'Brien are able to salvage themselves? Or redemption turns out to be a mirage? 

There was a particular idea presented in the book, that I could not get out of mind. Sheer terror for someone who suffers from glossophilia or logophilia. What if languages with all the synonyms, antonyms and inclusion of new words is considered wasteful? 

After all, what justification is there for a word which is simply the opposite of some other world. A word contains its opposite in itself. Take 'good' for instance. If you have a word like 'good'? what needs is there for a word like 'bad'? 'Ungood' will do just as well- better, because its an exact opposite, which the other is not. Or again, if you want a stronger version of 'good', what sense is there in having a whole string of vague useless words like 'excellent' and 'splendid' and all the rest of them?

'Plusgood' covers the meaning, or 'doubleplusgood' if you want something stronger still.

In the end, the whole notion of goodness and badness will be covered only in six words- in reality,  only one word.

Favorite excerpt from the book:

"How does one man assert his power over another, Winston?"

Winston thought. "By making him suffer," he said.

"Exactly. By making him suffer. Obedience is not enough. Unless he is suffering, how can you be sure that he obeying your will and not his on. Power is in inflicting pain and humiliation.

Favorite quote:

"Some kinds of failure are better than other kinds, that's all."

Summary: Very well written, terrorizing. Remember this is not what we want for our future and do whatever it takes so that this book remains a mere piece of fiction.