Banned books have created a backbone for all literature. The act of being banned means that these titles should remain behind the curtain, but society often puts banned books a pedestal for celebration.
George Orwell’s “1984” is one of these many banned books, and from that classification, it has become even more celebrated.
“1984” explores themes of censorship and government control and gives readers a glance into what society would look like if the autonomy of citizens were reduced to nearly nothing.
The book, set in 1984 (allegedly) follows Winston Smith, a citizen of Airstrip One (formerly the United Kingdom) in Oceania. Oceania is governed by the Party, with the leader known as Big Brother as the figurehead.
The Party has a motto of “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength” which is emphasized throughout the book. From the ministries that control Airstrip One to the mindset of the citizens themselves, the phrase holds weight as an ominous reminder that the world of 1984 is a dark and controlling one, from beginning to end.
Every aspect of Winston’s life is recorded: in his home, a “telescreen” transmits any noise and movement that he makes. He risks writing in a diary even though it may get him in trouble.
If anyone from the Party or the Police Patrol catches him doing something that is not allowed (despite the fact that Winston claims that there are no laws in Oceania), he could be “vaporized,” in which a person is supposedly killed and all records of them are wiped from existence.
Winston works in the Ministry of Truth, where he changes the contents of newspapers to align with whatever new truth the Party or Big Brother has created. This shows the irony in the ministry; in the name of being “true,” they are changing history.
Winston secretly hates Big Brother and soon starts a love affair with another character, Julia, who pretends to conform to the Party’s standards but also secretly hates the government.
The affair is considered illegal, especially when it is believed that desire and attraction is a form of freedom. Despite this, the two are briefly hopeful that a rebellion against Big Brother is possible.
Another character, O’Brien, is a member of the Inner Party who is discovered to be part of a resistance group called the Brotherhood. Winston and Julia are recruited by O’Brien, who gives Winston a book by a resistance leader that explains the workings of the Party and how they control the population. The hopefulness that Winston and Julia felt when they were alone grows just a little more with this new development.
After reading this book, I found myself thinking over its components in my head to try and wrap my mind around the society that Orwell creates. While it seems unrealistic to an extent, the way that it addresses censorship and individuality is intriguing. The inner thoughts of Winston throughout the book are in turmoil as he tries to maintain his individual self while being constantly conditioned to be just another hollow citizen.
Winston’s behavior reminded me of the idea of herd mentality. He claims to be different in that he hates Big Brother, but demonstrates several times that he still finds himself overwhelmed to conform with everyone else.
The warped ideas of truth and peace stood out to me especially, and by the time I set it down I had a whole new perspective and gratefulness for the world around me. This book was a thought-provoking and fun read even with its darker themes!If you haven’t already, I urge you to read “1984” — its insight is worthwhile and nothing is as it seems.
Abdullah Farooqui 
Jacie Schonert