1984

Author: George Orwell

Genre: Dystopian fiction

Publication Date: 1950

Overview

George Orwell’s 1984 is a timeless classic about a dystopian future set in London, in the totalitarian socialist state of Oceania. Considered one of the finest critiques of tyrannical socialism and oppressive surveillance states, 1984 has found its relevance in a variety of contexts, especially in contemporary times.

Outlined during the Second World War, 1984 was published in the year 1949. It is written in the third-person and is usually regarded as an example of late Modernism. Much of Orwell’s writing seems to have been inspired by the oppressive fascist and communist regimes of Germany and the Soviet Union. The high hopes of the liberal, left-leaning thinkers following Lenin’s revolution were crushed by the tyranny of Stalinism. Orwell writes about these themes of oppression not only in 1984 but in his other works, too, especially Animal Farm—which may be read as a caricature of the many political leaders of the Soviet Union.

1984 Biography

1984 Background

1984 Characters

1984 Summary and Analysis

1984 Themes

1984 Quotes

1984 Discussion Questions