George Orwell was born in India in 1903. He was the son of a minor colonial official. As a small child, he was taken to England by his mother and was educated first at a preparatory school. He could not stand the lack of privacy, the humiliating punishments, and the pressure to conform to the values of the English public school tradition and to the prevailing moral code. At Eton, he began to develop an independent-minded personality, indifference to accepted values, and he professed atheism and socialism.
Early Career and Social Experiment
After school, he passed the India Office examinations for the Indian Imperial Police. In 1927, he went on leave and decided not to return; it was not simply that he wished to break away from British imperialism in India: he wished to "escape from every form of man's dominion over man".
Upon his return to London, he started a social experiment, living in poverty, wearing second-hand clothes, and living in common lodging-houses. In this way, he learned how institutions for the poor worked. After a period in Paris, he returned to England, where he devoted himself to writing full time and published his works under the pseudonym of George Orwell.
Notable Works and Influences
Some of his notable works include "Down and Out in Paris and London" (1933), "Burmese Days" (1934), "The Road to Wigan Pier" (1937), and "Homage to Catalonia" (1938). These literary works were based on his experiences and observations during his travels and social experiments.
His experiences abroad helped him see his country from the outside. He was influenced by social themes, realistic language, and the criticism of totalitarianism and the violation of liberty. His rejection of his English background is reflected in his works, but he accepted new ideas and impressions.
Views and Beliefs
Orwell's works are characterized by the conflict between middle-class education and emotional identification with the working class. He believed that the role of the artist was to reveal facts and draw conclusions from them, interpreting reality and serving a useful social function. He was influenced by Dickens and insisted on the criticism of totalitarianism and the violation of liberty.
Plot Summary
"Nineteen Eighty-Four" describes a future world divided into three blocks: Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia. The regimented, oppressive world of Oceania is ruled by the Party, continuously at war with the other two States. The Party controls people's lives through "Newspeak" and the "Thought Police", forbidding free thought, sex, and any expression of individuality. The protagonist, Winston Smith, illegally buys a diary in which he begins to write his thoughts and memories.
Winston meets Julia, and they begin a secret affair. O'Brien, a member of the powerful 'Inner Party', summons them to his luxury flat and reveals that he too works against the Party as a member of the 'Brotherhood' led by Emmanuel Goldstein. O'Brien gives Winston a copy of Goldstein's book, the manifesto of the Brotherhood.
Winston and Julia are arrested and taken to the Ministry of Love, where O'Brien tortures and brainwashes Winston. Finally, he sends him to Room 101, where Winston confronts his fear, breaking his will and leading to his complete submission to the Party.
Historical and Background
The novel is set in a state of perpetual war reminiscent of World War II. The idea for the three countries described in the book came to Orwell in 1943, the same year as the Tehran Conference, where US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin met.
George Orwell's life and works, including "1984", continue to be influential and thought-provoking in the realm of literature and societal commentary. For those interested, "George Orwell: Life and Works PDF" and "1984 Summary PDF" are available for further reading.
