Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
by proust. on Wed 15 Oct 2008, 2:15 am
wikipedia.org wrote:
Nineteen Eighty-Four (also titled 1984), by George Orwell (the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair), is a 1949 English novel about life under a futuristic totalitarian regime in the year 1984. It tells the story of Winston Smith, a functionary at the Ministry of Truth, whose work consists of editing historical accounts to fit the government's policies. The book has major significance for its vision of an all-knowing government which uses pervasive and constant surveillance of the populace, insidious and blatant propaganda, and brutal control over its citizens. The book had a substantial impact both in literature and on the perception of public surveillance, inspiring such terms as 'Big Brother' and 'Orwellian'.
I've just finished the book after struggling with it for about two weeks.
I think my favorite thing about it was the whole Newspeak concept and how language -especially the mother tongue- affects our way of thinking.
Opinions/thoughts?
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by makoto kino. on Wed 15 Oct 2008, 6:50 pm
We had to study it for school, and I loved the book so much.
The language manipulations and newspeak were my favourite aswell, although I found it difficult to get into the book first go, I found I had to reread alot of parts to understand better.
The language manipulations and newspeak were my favourite aswell, although I found it difficult to get into the book first go, I found I had to reread alot of parts to understand better.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by Kinky: starstruck. on Wed 15 Oct 2008, 9:36 pm
I had nothing to do in my spare class the other day and stole it off Amanda to read.
I read maybe 40 pages but I really want to finish it now.
I really liked it, up to that point anyway.
The part with the little boy and little girl freaked me out a bit. The little boy was so aggressive!
I haven't read much past there though.
I read maybe 40 pages but I really want to finish it now.
I really liked it, up to that point anyway.
The part with the little boy and little girl freaked me out a bit. The little boy was so aggressive!
I haven't read much past there though.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by makoto kino. on Thu 16 Oct 2008, 10:20 am
^ The Junious Spies 
I loveloveLOVE the names of the Ministries.
omg.
I loveloveLOVE the names of the Ministries.
omg.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by street spirit (fade out). on Fri 17 Oct 2008, 4:56 pm
I read this back in February and I liked it. I did re-read some parts to understand it, though, but it's a really good book. Then, I read Brave New World, which reminded me of 1984 so much...
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by proust. on Fri 17 Oct 2008, 8:17 pm
moment in the sun. wrote:I read this back in February and I liked it. I did re-read some parts to understand it, though, but it's a really good book. Then, I read Brave New World, which reminded me of 1984 so much...
I haven't read Brave New World, never really seen it in book stores, but I've heard about it. Is it better/shorter than 1984?
I personally found the book a bit too long, I also read Animal Farm and liked it a lot more because it's more concentrated. In 1984 the author rambles and says the same thing over and over again too much. I would've liked it more if it were 100 pages shorter. It doesn't have an overly complicated plot anyway.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by street spirit (fade out). on Sun 19 Oct 2008, 11:36 am
Well, Brave New Worls is a dystopia as well, I would say it's the same length. In Brave New World there are a lot of historical references though.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by makoto kino. on Tue 04 Nov 2008, 7:35 am
It took me a few reads to understand some bits.
I read the first chapter like 7 times, because a) it was confusing and b) I kept getting distracted
I read the first chapter like 7 times, because a) it was confusing and b) I kept getting distracted
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by femmefatal on Wed 31 Dec 2008, 4:19 am
I think my favorite thing about it was the whole Newspeak concept and how language -especially the mother tongue- affects our way of thinking.
that would raise a lot of questions....almost sounds like thesis paper...but you would have take into account the way in which a lot languages developed, with romance languages and anglosaxon/germanic
it would even be cool to look into the linguistic mysteries like the basque languange (is that what it's called, anyone?, the one in northern spain I think)
oh and on the topic of newspeak, it was scary how limiting words and their nuances could limit the depth and critical thinking of a people
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by makoto kino. on Thu 08 Jan 2009, 5:57 pm
^ I agree, and although ficitonal, the impact that lack of individual thought had on their society was scary.
There were a few repetitions that I found amusing.
At one point (after being question who they were at war with) it states "They were at war with Eurasia. They were always at war with Eurasia" and then not 50 pages on it says "They were at war with East Asia - they were always at war with Eastasia"
Yeah, I got the places wrong. Brain fail.
There were a few repetitions that I found amusing.
At one point (after being question who they were at war with) it states "They were at war with Eurasia. They were always at war with Eurasia" and then not 50 pages on it says "They were at war with East Asia - they were always at war with Eastasia"
Yeah, I got the places wrong. Brain fail.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by trailingbehind on Thu 08 Jan 2009, 10:56 pm
But how good is the first line?
And the clocks struck thirteen! After that you just have to keep reading..!
And the clocks struck thirteen! After that you just have to keep reading..!
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by quinn allman's hair. on Sat 10 Oct 2009, 9:21 pm
It's on my bookshelf. I got a few pages into it and got a little bit bored.
I might have to go back and try again now.
I might have to go back and try again now.
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by LightningRod on Sun 11 Oct 2009, 4:28 am
trailingbehind wrote:But how good is the first line?
And the clocks struck thirteen! After that you just have to keep reading..!
Precisely!
I even used a line similar to this in my story, althuogh I used it to end mine.
IDK, I managed to get into the book very easily and enjoyed it throughout
I even used a line similar to this in my story, althuogh I used it to end mine.
IDK, I managed to get into the book very easily and enjoyed it throughout
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Re: Nineteen Eighty-Four
by more adventurous. on Sun 08 Nov 2009, 11:44 am
Forest. wrote:trailingbehind wrote:But how good is the first line?
And the clocks struck thirteen! After that you just have to keep reading..!Precisely!
I even used a line similar to this in my story, althuogh I used it to end mine.
IDK, I managed to get into the book very easily and enjoyed it throughout
I've read the first chapter. We're reading it for school, but I'm kind of excited because I loved George Orwell's writing with Animal Farm. But yes, that line!
It intrigued me so much. I can't wait to get more into it.
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