1984

"Power is not a means it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish a dictatorship.
The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power."
-George Orwell. 1984

I wonder, if Orwell was alive today would he think we were still going in the same direction he predicted?
Would he think of websites like Facebook that offered to keep track of your whereabouts and activities everywhere you go and at all times as similar to the "telescreen" that watched you and waited for you to slip up?

I wonder how long it will be before the thought police come bearing down on us, condemning us of "thoughtcrime"!

Or has it been happening all along and we've just been too distracted to notice?!

Already, some governments require their faithful voters to practice "Doublethink" in order to support their criminal wars raged for power and resources and not for the overtly stated purposes!!

Already some people have adapted themselves to the reality that war need not be justifiable! it need not be in defense of freedom. It need only be frenzied and constant.

The lessons we are meant to learn from 1984 are as viable and applicable in today's world as they were the day the novel was published!

In fact, this is more than a novel.. this is a warning. This is a prophecy..

Reader reviewed by OIKZ

I was thrilled to read something that was not within the frame of my preference. It was supposed to be enlightening and insightful in terms of society, reality, governemental policies, justice and other motifs that were implemented in the storyline of the novel, but as the novel progressed and conveyed the adversity and hardship of the two major characters, it eventually became really morbid and depressing. George Orwell is supposedly one of the most highly respected and acclaimed novelists of his time, but I would have to disagree on those terms. He is indeed one of the really 'gifted' writers in regards to attaining the subject of dystopia and controlled society. Anyway, it was an awesome read, but towards the ending of the story, it was difficult... you know what i mean.  

Reader reviewed by mearley

1984 is an excellent book about a dystopian society. History is rewritten to suit the government; words are altered; people are constantly monitored by "big brother." When it was first published, it was a warning of what might possibly happen in the future. Today, it's an all too real possibility. Many current references are made to this book, including the current reality tv show "Big Brother."

Reader reviewed by Denisa

Geroge Orwell's 1984 is the definition of a true classic. I had to read it for grade 12 English and was very hectic about reading it because it's not the type of book I usually like. After reading the first chapter I was hooked. The ending is very surprising. The book teaches so much about so many things. Trust, government, family. George Orwell truly managed to shock me with this one.

Reader reviewed by Katya

Yes, it's that old nut - a 'classic'. But this book more than earns the title. You can tell that it was written just after World War II, but when you think about it, the degree of accuracy with which it describes today's world is pretty scary.

The ending isn't the most upbeat one in the world, but it fits the novel - and the novel itself is fantastic, a chillingly bleak view of how Orwell pictured life in 1984. In a society that is growing ever closer to the one depicted in '1984', it's definitely a book that should be on your reading list.

If there's one reason to hate this book, it's that it spawned Big Brother - other than that, you've no excuse really!

Reader reviewed by stellargurl

big brother is watching. big brothers knows and sees everything. big brother is the ruler. this book it very interesting. it's kinda scary and it makes you think about stuff cause it deals with how people thought the futre was/is ganna be and everything. it's pretty cool but it can be hard to understand. i would recommend it to highschoolars and up. its kinda like the giver so if u liked the giver theres a good chace you'll like 1984

Reader reviewed by Nicki

When George Orwell wrote 1984 he didn't intend to frighten his readers, just warn them what evils the future can hold. There's always someone called Big Brother watching. No one knows exactly who or what Big Brother is, only that he exists, and anyone who attempts to defy him will be tortured and annihilated by his enforcers, the Thought Police. Even with this knowledge, Winston Smith and his companion, Julia, strive to resist the Thought Police and rid the world of Big Brother and his dehumanizing power.

Reader reviewed by darkAngel

I think this book was really cool and dark, but kind of frightening at the same time. I don't know how he came up with this stuff, since he was like one of the first ones to do it and now everyone copies him.

If you don't already know, 1984 was like a futuristic novel (at the time) where Big Brother (the government) watches everyone and controls everything and rewrites history every time they start a war with someone else.

There's this guy that falls in love with someone but it is forbidden. They get found out and threatened and give each other up and wind up back where they started more or less.