1:00am: Big Brother Is Watching
George Orwell
Born: June 25, 1903, Motihari, India
Died: January 21, 1950, London
George Orwell was the pen name of the English author, Eric Arthur Blair. His chilling masterpiece 1984 was published on this date in 1949.
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"1984 was a bitter protest against the nightmarish direction in which the author believed the modern world was moving. In the story, Britania has become Airstrip One in the superstate Oceania, which is ruled by the head of the Party, Big Brother. The Party's agents constantly rewrite history. The official language is Newspeak, and the society is dominated by such slogans as "War is Peace", "Freedom is Slavery", "Ignorance is Strength." Orwell shows that the destruction of language is part of all other destrucive social aims. The hero, Winston Smith, a minor Party operative, keeps a secret diary and has a brief love affair with a girl named Julia. He is arrested by the Thought Police, tortured and brainwashed. His spirit broken, Winston finally learns to love Big Brother. Some critics have related Smith's sufferings to those the author underwent at preparatory school. Orwel has said that the book was written "to alter other people's idea of the kind of society they should strive after." (from The Literature Network)
Posted by cronish at June 06, 2002 01:29 AM