GEORGE ORWELL, 1984 - letteratura inglese, Appunti di Inglese

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GEORGE ORWELL (1903-1950) LIFE: - he studied in England where he began to develop an independent-minded personality, indifference to accept values, and professed atheism and socialism - he worked for the Indian Imperial Police in Burma (he hated this work) - he comes back to England, and he starts writing full time, publishing his works with the pseudonym of George Orwell (his real name is Eric Blair) WORKS: - Animal Farm - 1984 (written in 1949)  his most original novel HIS DEVELOPMENT AS AN ARTIST: - rejection of his English background  he accepted new ideas and impressions - conflict between middle-class education and emotional identification with the working class - the role of the artis  to inform, to reveal facts and draw conclusions from them  social function SOCIAL THEMES: influence of Dickens in the choice of - social themes - realistic language - misery caused by poverty - depravation of society Criticism of totalitarianism, the violation of liberty and tyrant in all its forms ANIMAL FARM: critic against the totalitarian regime of Stalin (against communism) 1984: SUMMARY: It is the year 1984 and the world is at the mercy of a struggle between three main powers: Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia. In Oceania, the ruling political party is the Inner Party, and its leader is Big Brother. Big Brother's rule is totalitarian - the population is kept under control by telescreens in their homes, propaganda and the manipulation of history, language, and relationships. Laws are enforced by a ruthless police force, the Thought Police, and anybody who rebels is brainwashed, killed or both. Winston Smith lives and works in London, a city in one of Oceania's three provinces. He is an employee of the Ministry of Truth. His job is to adjust historical records so that they never contradict the ruling party and so that people's memories of the past are eroded and altered. Winston goes against a number of the laws of Oceania. He keeps a diary in order to help him remember the past and to lessen the effects of the Ministry's manipulation of the truth. In it he has written: "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four." He falls in love and has a relationship with a woman called Julia who shares his rebellious views. He confides in a colleague at work who he believes to be a secret rebel, too. The man, called O'Brien, turns out to be a Party member, spy and informer. Winston is arrested and taken to the Ministry of Love. There O'Brien spends months torturing and were brainwashing Winston, who struggles to resist. At last, O'Brien sends him to the infamous Room 101, which is the final destination for anyone who opposes the Party. Winston is broken and he is released. on of He has accepted the Party entirely and has learned to love Big Brother. SUBJECT: life in a big totalitarian system, Oceania (North America, South Africa, Australia) STRUCTURE: 1: introduction of the protagonist, Winston Smith, in this oppressive world 2: Winston & Julia’s love  happiness 3: Winston’s imprisonment and torture SETTING: London, in the mythical country of Oceania, 1984 (in the future) London: desolated city governed by terror and constant control of BIG BROTHER OCEANIA: is a huge country ruled by The Party - The inner Party (1% of population) controls the country - The Outer Party (18% of population) is controlled by the Inner Party This novel could the considered an ANTI-UTOPIAN NOVEL or a DISTOPIAN NOVEL It gives us a frightening picture of the future: THE PARTY CONTROLS EVERYTHING - Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Love - slogan: “freedom is slavery” - no privacy: telescreen everywhere - the party provides for everything - punishment against the rebels NEWSPEAK: is the official language of Oceania and the goal of the Party is to have Newspeak replace Oldspeak (standard English) - Newspeak eliminates undesirable words and invents new worlds – all force Party conformity - aim: to eliminate literature, thoughts and consciousness DOUBLETHINK: is the manipulation of the mind by making people accept contradictions. It makes people believe that the Party is the only institution that knows right from wrong - The ministry of truth (where Winston works) changes history, facts, and memories to promote doublethink  historical reference to Stalin’s will to change history THE PROGONIST is Winston Smith - “Smith” is the commonest English surname so the hero is a sort of Everyman - “Winston” evokes Churchill’s patriotic appeals during the WW2 His experience: - alienation from society - rebellion against the Party - search for spiritual and oral integrity In the first two parts of the novel Winston expresses Orwell’s point od view BIG BROTHER: is the perceived ruler of Oceania  he looks like a combination of Hitler and Stalin Big Brother’s God-like image is stamped on coins and projected on telescreens  his gaze is unavoidable JULIA: is Winston’s 25-year-old lover - she is beautiful dark-haired woman who enjoy sex and claims she had affairs with many Party members. She is optimistic and her rebellion is small and personal GOLDSTEIN is a dangerous mysterious enemy, his name is inspired by Trotzkij’s surname Brostein.