1984, written by George Orwell in 1948, is a novel telling readers a fiction about future society in 1984.
Winston Smith, the main character, is a normal worker who lives in London. Like any other people，he is monitored by electric screens throughout his life. All the citizens have to mind their words and deeds all the time because once they made any mistake, they would be arrested by Thought Police right away. Fortunately, there are always spiritual minds existing, Winston Smith is one of them with self-awareness. And he fortunately meets a girl, Julia, who perceives the same life value with Winston, and they struggle together for a free life. However, destiny always makes fools of people. They are tricked into poison, and become strangers eventually. In the end, Winston is shot to death, which also symbolizes that the hope to rebel this society is fading away.
Now, my dear friends. Think about this question. If you lived in a society that you must submit to leaders’ orders, and if you say no, you will be killed, would you like it? This is the society of 1984.
In l984, all over the London city are Big Brother’s magnifying pictures which are so contrived and it seems that his eyes are following you whenever you go. The caption beneath every pictures runs: ‘Big Brother Is Watching You’. In this society, people are under monitor all the time, and they lose the ability to think, to perceive even to response. Nothing is more lamentable than an insensible heart. They never rebel for the fear of forces. And once they show their dissatisfactions about their lives, Thought Police would make them vanished like steam. No one dares to revolt. No one dares to remember.
In 1984, the department organizes Two Minutes Hate which introduces the existence of renegade Goldstein. Leaders make up an illusion for people in which they are living in a wealthy, peaceful and the strongest nation. But can a fake bubble represent a beatific life? The answer is no, definitely not.
It makes me think about Literary Inquisition in Qing dynasty. Once one’s poem or essay includes any slanderous words of royal family, he or she as well as people who are related to him or her will be arrested right away. Because of this, many innocently ordinary people or even powerful officials are killed at that time. People always keep quiet out of fear, and the whole country comes to a standstill.
Thanks to the allowance of free speech in my country, I can demonstrate the examples related to the mind lockness. But in 1984, it’s a myth. Winston met Julia, and they began to fight against Big Brother who was standing highly above the masses. Unfortunately, they were cheated to take part in Brotherhood by a Thought Police, and betrayed each other under heavy penalty. It was a pitiful ending when intimate partners stepped up the pace of strangers, but what made the story a tragedy was the end of this novel: ‘He loved Big Brother’. If we regard Winston as a hope because he had his own awareness before, we can come to the conclusion that the hope is extinct now.
I hope that they shall meet again in the place where there is no darkness.
words by 童瑜
editing by 李玥
pictures from the internet
