1984: a mirror to society

3.5/5

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George Orwell's story 1984 was a whirlwind to read. This book was one that I wasn't super certain I was going to finish... I am 100% glad that I did. This book is one that I genuinely believe everyone should read. Located within these pages is a story that at face value may not seem important or even that interesting, but one that is very very important. The book is a 3.5 just as I wasn't rushing to finish the story nor did I feel too connected to Winston until the end...then the book took flight and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

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For this review I want to focus more on what this book made me think of and reflect more than me analyzing Orwell's writing (for the most part). In terms of Orwell's writing it is done well and is time stamped of his time with how literature was written. I genuinely liked the story but it lagged at parts for me and I couldn't see a strand of plot connecting the events that Winston was going through. That being said the last quarter of the book was one that quite frankly rocked my world. I did NOT see it coming what so ever. Like at all. I shut the book and then re opened it to re read what I just thought I saw. The betrayal and continual torture of Winston Smith was brutal and eye opening. This is what redeemed the book for me. This sudden yanking the reader out of the mundane or mull of the book and being thrust into the events that were occurring. It was a perfect twist.

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This book really stumped me. It's all I can think about. The implications that the Party goes through to just break Winston is terrifying. The betrayal of O'Brien and the eventual falling out of love with Julia was honestly heart breaking for me. This book really made me reflect ALOT on what occurred in the ending pages. A scene that stuck out to me profoundly to me was when Winston is in the chair and him and O'Brien are discussing the matter of 2 + 2 equalling 4. The urgency in which Winston holds on the fact of life that 2 + 2 equals 4 and continues to scream and shout this in a way that he is lost on what else O'Brien wanted from him. This scene just hit me. The way that a person will stand by their beliefs so adamantly is so inspiring to me. It is what my Church believes (our saints and Jesus himself) our selfless war heroes we adorate and those who are strong enough to stand up for what they believe. Though in the end even the strongest fall...or so it seems.

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The ending line of this book shattered my heart. I have hope in some ways as Winston can still remember that he once hated Big Brother but he has surrendered. My mom and I had the conversation (hi mom miss and love you !!) on the topic of what is that one thing that makes a person surrender. We all want to say that we would stand up strong for what we believe in but when it comes time for it, will we really? "Because Winston sure thought he did" (mom 2022).

It made me sit and reflect on that topic and question for a while. And I'm not sure if the answer I have come up with is scary or not. The book dives deep into what it means to be human and what a totalitarian government can do. The conversion into an all encompassing society where history can be rewritten at any whim is such a horror to me. The constant surveillance and the hatred of truth. It solidified my desire for freedom. Of speech, of religion, of life. Not one person deserves to be put through what Winston Smith was, all over something as simple as denying the fact that 2 + 2 doesn't equal 5 or the bigger implications this thematic way of thinking pursues.

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Orwell really says "HEY GET YALLS STUFF TOGETHER". He is telling and showing us, in my opinion, how easy we just let things go. Sure, I'll accept this news source, or what this person in power says. We just accept everything so easily these days and to me that is terrifying. I have always been a digger, a finder. I need several different sources, I have to research my OWN opinion. I have to know. And in some ways I think that Orwells world is getting ever closer to becoming a reality and that is also terrifying. A world with censored information, a world where "Big Brother" is always watching. Where history is simply re-written. This story was a call to arms for me.

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To remember that knowledge is power. That written word and thought is provocative and powerful. This book to me was powerful and again, I think every member of society should read this story and reflect on what it means to be free and what it means to be human.

Remember friends, the power of reading and enjoy it !!

xoxo,

paige :)

booksta!!