1984 by George Orwell

 What a troubling book.  In 1948, Orwell created a fictional world where there is no freedom.  History is revised to make the ruling party shine, and Big Brother resides in every home via an intrusive TV screen.  Everyone is watched all the time and everywhere.  Thought police lurk, befriending those suspected of being non-supporters. 

Winston Smith is one of the non-supporters.  He desperately wants to find another sympathizer or two, hoping to seek out and join a marginal group - which may simply be a BB hoax -  called The Brotherhood.  The harder Winston tries, the more paranoid I became for him. Orwell masterfully created tension through this dense, mainly narrative novel.

I got to wondering about Orwell himself.  Did he really offer this book as a warning about impending political and social upheaval,  or was he simply writing a dystopian novel? Did he envision revisionist history becoming a reality?  Who knows, but he did leave us with new vocabulary: doublespeak, Big Brother, and it is believed he may have been the first person to use the term "cold war."  We can't forget "Orwellian" - an attitude and a policy of control by propaganda, and surveillances, misinformation, denial of truth and manipulation of the past.  That concept... that one right there...gets way too close to 2020.

On a side note,  my college professors tried valiantly to enforce six nicely concise writing rules. They were George Orwell's rules.  I neve knew that.

   

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

I did not like this book.  It challenged me. It frustrated me. It was scary.  Still, I encourage you to read it and think about the warnings you find.  Decide if they have relevance today and please be sure to vote. 

I have a happy little book for us to look forward to next week.  Until then...

Thanks for stopping by. 

Stay safe, healthy and happy.