1984

What is there to say about 1984 that hasn’t already been said a million times before? It is a classic in every sense of the world, with an incredible ability to remain relevant despite being written 75 years ago. It is breathtaking it is depiction of hope and hopelessness, the level of detail that is written in to the concepts of the world that Orwell creates is beyond compare.

What struck me from this rereading was just how modern the book still feels. It is written in a way that makes it seem contemporary while at the same time being a classic that we all know so well. So much of 1984 has found its way into our culture, from Big Brother, to doublethink and room 101, all of these concepts are introduced through this book.

The idea of constant surveillance, even in our own homes, is almost too close for comfort when we think of our own modern technology, phones that track us, smart speakers that listed to what we say and “tele screens” on our walls that track what we watch and pacify us with the constant stream of content.

Winston Smith is a character that no one would want to relate to, he is downtrodden and driven half crazy by his belief that there must be something more to life than the crushing control of The Party and the constant scrutiny of Big Brother. He yearns to find others who share his views and we join him on a journey  that he himself knows is doomed, yet we still hope. 

If you haven’t read this book I implore you to do so. It’s surprisingly accessible and pretty short.

And yes, I have given this 6 stars out of 5, as Winston finds out, sometime 2+2+1=6