Novel Summary: 1984 by George Orwell

The novel “1984”, written by George Orwell is a fiction novel that takes place in the year 1984 in London, in the nation of Oceania. In the novel the ruling Party watches the citizens through telescreens, around the city there are posters with a face known as Big Brother with the text, “Big Brother is Watching you” posted on it. The Party controls everything in the nation. They begin to put a language called Newspeak into action. Newspeak is supposed to stop rebellion through discarding words that are related to it. Rebellious thoughts which are known as thoughtcrimes is even illegal, these are the worst crimes of all.

The main character of the story, Winston Smith is a member of the outer party. As the book continues Winston expresses his dislike for the party through buying a diary and writing down his thoughts, these are very illegal things to do. Winston also begins to focus on a man named O'Brien, an Inner party member. He believes that O'Brien is a member of the Brotherhood, a group that works to crime. She later gives him a note which reads she loves him and she informs him that her name is Julia, this leads to their surreptitious relationship. Due to it being illegal, they always have to make sure that the party is not monitoring.

Winston and Julia decide to rent a room in the prole district, which is not as heavily monitored. Julia attempts to be optimistic about the situation. But Winston knows that it will eventually come to an end when the Party becomes aware of it.

Winston finally receives the message from O’Brien to meet that he anticipated. Winston and Julia travel together to O’Brien’s ostentatious apartment. O’Brien confesses to them that he hates the Party too and reveals that he is a member of the Brotherhood. He teaches them the beliefs and ways of the Brotherhood, then gives Winston a copy of the book Manifesto of the Brotherhood by Emmanuel Goldstein. As Winston reads the book to Julia in the room that they were renting they get barged in on by soldiers.

They are separated and get taken to the Ministry of love. Winston realizes that O'Brien fooled him and he brainwashes Winston for months. Then sends him to the feared Room 101, where Winston will have to face his worst fear. Winston’s has had routine nightmares about rats throughout the novel. So, O’Brien attaches a cage full of rats onto Winston’s head, which allows the rats to eat his face. Winston begs O'Brien to do it in Julia, not him, which is exactly what O'Brien wanted all along. Winston is released from custody and meets Julia again. He now does not have any feelings for her. Winston is a changed man and he loves the Big Brother.

George Orwell's 1984 depicts the suffering that could be inflicted internally by a strict totalitarian government which suppresses human emotion, individuality and expression, therefore hindering and shaping the human experience. Storytelling plays a significant role throughout time as Orwell foreshadows a possible future expressing the lives of humans and sociocultural aspects which may be the outcome of present actions. Upon finishing 1984, Orwell wrote that the ‘Moral to be drawn from this dangerous nightmare is a simple one. Don’t let it happen - it depends on you.’