Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Nineteen Eighty-Four - 1984 - Coggle Diagram
Nineteen Eighty-Four
-
1984
PLOT
The novel is set in a dystopian future, where the world is divided into three superstates:
Oceania
,
Eurasia
, and
Eastasia
.
Oceania
is
ruled by a
totalitarian regime
symbolized by the
mysterious figure
Big Brother
. The Party exerts
complete
control
over the citizens
by
*manipulating
truth
and **
rewriting
history through a newly invented language called
Newspeak
**, which aims to
eliminate personal thought and restrict expression*.
The
protagonist
,
Winston Smith
,
works at the
Ministry of Truth
, where
he
falsifies historical records
to fit the Party’s narrative
. Despite the danger,
Winston begins to
secretly rebel
: he
writes in a
diary
,
starts a
love
affair with
Julia
and
*seeks truth
and
freedom*
.
Eventually,
Winston is
arrested
by the
Thought Police
and
taken
to the
Ministry of Love
, where he
is tortured
and
brainwashed
until he
*betrays
Julia
and
completely
loses his identity*
.
In the end,
Winston is broken
: he
no longer resists the regime
and “l
oves Big Brother
.”
Historical background
Nineteen Eighty-Four
was written in
1948
, after World War II,
during a time marked by the rise of
totalitarian regimes
like
Nazi Germany
and
Stalin’s USSR
.
Orwell was
deeply influenced by the way these dictatorships used
propaganda
,
censorship
,
and
surveillance
to control people
.
He was especially concerned about
how
language could be manipulated
to
shape
thought and
eliminate
personal freedom
. The novel reflects these fears through concepts like Newspeak and the Thought Police.
Orwell’s work serves as a
warning
against
political systems that
destroy
truth, identity, and freedom.
Setting
The novel is set in
Airstrip One
, a province of Oceania, one of the three totalitarian superstates.
Society
is strictly
divided
into
three classes
:
the
Inner Party
- the
ruling elite
;
the
Outer Party
-
government workers
(like Winston);
the
Proles
- the
poor majority
,
largely ignored
by the regime.
Daily
life
is
controlled
by the
Party
. Citizens are
constantly monitored
through
telescreens
and even
thoughts
are
policed
by the
Thought Police
.
The
setting
reflects
a
world where
freedom
is an
illusion
, and
control is absolute
.
Four Ministries
manage
all
aspects of life
:
-
the Ministry of
Truth
(propaganda);
- the Ministry of
Peace
(war).
- the Ministry of
Love
(punishment and torture);
- the Ministry of
Plenty
(rationing);
Characters
O’Brien
is a
powerful member of the Inner Party
. At first, he seems to be an ally to Winston, but later
*betrays
and
tortures
him
. He
symbolizes
the Party’s
manipulative
and
intellectual* cruelty .
Big Brother
is
not a real person
but the
symbol of the Party's power
and
the idea of constant surveillance
. Everyone is told to love him, and his image is everywhere.
Julia
is Winston’s lover. She
rebels
against the Party
, but in a
practical
and
personal
way
. She is
less interested in politics
and
more focused on enjoying life in secret
.
Winston Smith
is the
main character
. He represents the
struggle
for
individuality
and
truth
in a world of lies and control
. His rebellion, though sincere, ends in defeat and total submission.
themes
The novel explores several
key themes
:
Totalitarianism
: Orwell shows a world where the
government controls every aspect of life
—
thoughts
,
behavior
,
language
and even
memories
.
The Party demands absolute loyalty and crushes all individuality
.
Surveillance
: Citizens are
*watched
at all times by
telescreens
and the
Thought Police*
, creating
fear
and
self-censorship
.
Privacy no longer exists
.
Manipulation of truth
:
The Party
constantly rewrites history
and facts
.
What is true today may be false tomorrow
. This creates a
world where reality is manipulated by the Party
.
Language and control
: Through
Newspeak
, the
Party limits vocabulary to eliminate rebellious thoughts
. This shows
how
language shapes thought and how its control can destroy freedom
.
Loss of identity and love
: Even
personal
emotions
are
controlled
.
Love is forbidden and eventually destroyed.