Part 5/9:
The Dystopian Vision of 1984
Orwell's last major work, 1984, published in 1949, presents a grim vision of a future dominated by totalitarianism. In Oceania, the protagonist, Winston Smith, lives under the constant surveillance of the oppressive Party, led by the ominous figure of Big Brother. The government in Oceania manipulates language and information, employing tools such as Newspeak to curtail critical thought and maintain power.
The slogans pervasive in 1984—“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength”—encapsulate the contradictions inherent in a totalitarian regime. Orwell's portrayal of the pervasive surveillance and state propaganda serves as a chilling reflection of modern societal concerns about privacy and truth.