1984

George Orwell's 1984 (1949) is a frightening depiction of a dystopian future. Although the year has long passed, the novel itself is timeless because it paints a picture of a future some would argue we're still inching towards. It's the kind of novel that sends you into an existential crisis "He who controls the present controls the past." You reevaluate your ideas about what is concrete and what is not. The extent of totalitarianism by the ruling party 'big brother' is so extreme that it messes with people's sense of reality.

 The story is centred around the character Winston Smith. Just your average middle aged work-a-day employee in the ministry of truth. His career involves him falsifying records just as the party pleases. It's quite ironic, he's a cog in the system he despises. Winston is more than what he seems. He's an enemy of the party. A secret adversary who doesn't quite know where to direct his discontent. In a society so controlled; where your every move is watched, you're almost constantly under surveillance, nothing is private. Even the slightest displacement is recorded and could very well be held against you. Anything from murmurs in your sleep to wearing strange shoes, these are the kind of offences that could result in your permanent disappearance.

1984 is quite an interesting novel to breakdown and analyse. It poses some thought provoking ideas not only about society as a whole but about the role of individualism, and what happens when everyone just blurs into the masses.

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking 13". From the very first sentence of the novel alone we dive into a world of incongruousness. The protagonist of the novel Winston Smith, lets face it was no match for the antagonist big brother. But it's not poor Winston's fault; he like all the other characters in Orwell's novel are groomed to be ignorant "Ignorance is strength"- party slogan. This ignorance is primarily what stops people from questioning their leaders, it makes it quite impossible for a revolt.

People are brainwashed right from birth. Children are turned against their parents, wives against husbands, 'comrade' against 'comrade'. One of the parties favourite tactics to accomplish this is propaganda.This is pertinent to our own modern day society. Take for example the media, particularly advertising. Advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry. What people don't always realise is the culture of propaganda that exists within advertising. Now when I say propaganda I'm not necessarily talking about those 1940's wartime posters or Hitler's anti-semitist regime. Advertising is riddled with a kind of propaganda of it's own.  We're being fed all these ideas of what our lives should be and this stretches far beyond products. Yes, advertisements push us in the direction of the 'perfect' cars, the 'perfect' clothes, the 'perfect' restaurants etc.. but it's not just that. It crosses the line from material items to pushing ideals into people. So we see what the 'perfect' women must be, the 'perfect' man, 'perfect' marriage, 'perfect' kids, 'perfect' family this list could go on and on. In 1984 the party uses extreme propaganda, the streets are littered with these posters of big brother. This stern looking man characteristically defined by his thick black moustache. With this image one cannot help but be reminded of Uncle Sam. Since according to legend Uncle Sam originates as far back as 1812 and the first 'I want you' poster 1917 Orwell no doubt must have been using the all too similar big brother posters to make a statement about the dangerousness of ignorance in American society.