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Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
#1
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
When I was younger I had an obsessive lust for knowledge. This was quickly starved and buried by the second rate high school I went to.
Four to five years later I find it reawakened and so have taken to obsessively buying and reading various books. Recently I have been lead to George Orwell and two of his novels. Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four.

It is the latter I find to be particularly tragic yet gripping all the same.
The main character is Winston Smith living in London, part of Oceania ruled by a totalitarian body calling themselves "The Party" who use "Big Brother" as their supposed figured head. The book follows his journey as he comes to full awareness of how utterly trapped he is in a society where no thought is free and no action unwatched.

George Orwells genius shines through in this absorbing novel in which he creates frightening concepts such as "doublethink" and "newspeak".
Doublethink being a method of thought that will allow you to acknowledge a fact and then dismiss it just as quickly if that is what is stated by an authority figure to be the truth. The obvious result is unrealized, unrestrained hypocrisy and contradiction that basically allows The Party to dictate "the truth" as they see fit. It is a very potent form of brainwashing.

Newspeak is an entire language thats sole purpose it is to abbreviate and limit the English language. The theory being that this in turn will limit human thought. In the novel the language is constantly updated by The Party, presumably to make the English language even more limited.
The people are under a constant barrage as Oceania is at war with Eurasia and East Asia. Alternating between the two it ensures the people have an outlet to vent their anger towards and are panicked into a state of compliance.
Theres more and I cannot possibly reveal it without ruining the whole plot or taking up many more paragraphs but suffice to say it was an astounding work of fiction that takes on the political, the sociological, the sexual, the absurd and the tragic.
This is one novel that certainly deserves its place as a literary classic.

Thoughts? Also I'd like recommendations on my next read.
I've got Ulysses on standby but thats some seriously heavy reading which I'd like to leave till later when theres nothing else of interest.
"That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange aeons even death may die." 
- Abdul Alhazred.
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#2
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
A true classic. I need to get another copy of it, I haven't read it since just after high school.

Until then, I'm doing my seventh annual reading of House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. Probably the best horror novel ever written. I recommend it to everybody.
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#3
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
I feel as if the relationship between Winston and Julia was shallow. It was the best they could do, but I don't think they were in love with each other so much as the rebellion of it all.
[Image: SigBarSping_zpscd7e35e1.png]
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#4
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
(August 18, 2012 at 12:14 am)Annik Wrote: I feel as if the relationship between Winston and Julia was shallow. It was the best they could do, but I don't think they were in love with each other so much as the rebellion of it all.

Maybe, still it was what he clinged to when all else was taken. I found it heartbreaking when they broke Winston. The last drops of love, of sentience, of humanity... drained completely.
I wanted him to show a flicker of anything but it was all gone. He was dead and everything he ever was or ever would be had been utterly destroyed along with whatever form of love he had ever felt for Julia and Julia for him.
There is nothing more terrible than that. A fate worse than death, if you'll excuse the cliche.
"That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange aeons even death may die." 
- Abdul Alhazred.
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#5
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
(August 17, 2012 at 10:23 pm)RaphielDrake Wrote: Thoughts?
Orwell is retarded....

"I worked out an anarchistic theory that all government is evil, that the punishment always does more harm than the crime and the people can be trusted to behave decently if you will only let them alone."
-George Orwell

Quote:Also I'd like recommendations on my next read.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/Goldman/toc.html (free version)
http://www.amazon.com/Anarchism-Essays-B...B000FC1F7K

Anarchism and Other Essays
by Emma Goldman (1910)
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#6
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
(August 17, 2012 at 10:28 pm)Ryantology Wrote: A true classic. I need to get another copy of it, I haven't read it since just after high school.

Until then, I'm doing my seventh annual reading of House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. Probably the best horror novel ever written. I recommend it to everybody.



Here.

http://www.planetebook.com/ebooks/1984-2.pdf
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#7
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
1984 was exponentially better than Animal Farm. It should be listed under horror, though. *shudders*

If heavy reading is what you are doing, I would suggest Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. It's like wading through molasses, but it is damn good in a creepy, depressing Russian way.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding, if you haven't read it yet. Light reading, heavy content.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. It's the best of all of them, if you ask me. Heavy reading. You could kill someone with that book, I think.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut Not difficult to read.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury -- Holy shit this is a good book. Very light reading. It is not long at all, but damn is it creepy. Very Orwellian.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- another easy one with some damn good content. This is an absolute must read.

Sorry to suggest so many. I could never have suggested one.
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#8
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
(August 18, 2012 at 12:52 am)cratehorus Wrote:
(August 17, 2012 at 10:23 pm)RaphielDrake Wrote: Thoughts?
Orwell is retarded....

"I worked out an anarchistic theory that all government is evil, that the punishment always does more harm than the crime and the people can be trusted to behave decently if you will only let them alone."
-George Orwell

Quote:Also I'd like recommendations on my next read.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/Goldman/toc.html (free version)
http://www.amazon.com/Anarchism-Essays-B...B000FC1F7K

Anarchism and Other Essays
by Emma Goldman (1910)

Why do I get the feeling you quickly googled George Orwell, found that quote then made the assumption based on that quote he was an anarchist because he called his theory anarchistic then quickly used google to find someone against anarchism?
He wasn't an anarchist by the way, he was a socialist.

Have you even read any book of his or are you just being an argumentative ass for the sake of it?

(August 18, 2012 at 1:17 am)Shell B Wrote: 1984 was exponentially better than Animal Farm. It should be listed under horror, though. *shudders*

If heavy reading is what you are doing, I would suggest Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. It's like wading through molasses, but it is damn good in a creepy, depressing Russian way.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding, if you haven't read it yet. Light reading, heavy content.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. It's the best of all of them, if you ask me. Heavy reading. You could kill someone with that book, I think.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut Not difficult to read.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury -- Holy shit this is a good book. Very light reading. It is not long at all, but damn is it creepy. Very Orwellian.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- another easy one with some damn good content. This is an absolute must read.

Sorry to suggest so many. I could never have suggested one.

I read To Kill A Mockingbird and I must agree. I haven't got a copy anymore, I should definitely reacquire it. The rest I've heard of and will definitely look into. I think I'll start with Lord of the Flies first. Alot of people have read it and I feel alittle left out. Tongue

(August 17, 2012 at 10:28 pm)Ryantology Wrote: A true classic. I need to get another copy of it, I haven't read it since just after high school.

Until then, I'm doing my seventh annual reading of House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. Probably the best horror novel ever written. I recommend it to everybody.

Can't say I've heard of it but I'll definitely give it ago. Could you give me a hint as to what its about?
"That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange aeons even death may die." 
- Abdul Alhazred.
Reply
#9
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
(August 18, 2012 at 1:22 am)RaphielDrake Wrote: Why do I get the feeling you quickly googled George Orwell, found that quote then made the assumption based on that quote he was an anarchist because he called his theory anarchistic then quickly used google to find someone against anarchism?
He wasn't an anarchist by the way, he was a socialist.

Have you even read any book of his or are you just being an argumentative ass for the sake of it?

I tried reading 1984, but it was boring as all living shit, I did however read animal farm and I've seen the movie and I have alot more negative things, I could say about him then that. Yes you are right he joined some socialist group at one point, but he was really just an asshole is all I can say...... I did google him to find another quote, specifically, but just said "fuck it" this quote works.......

I do recommend you read the book I posted the link to, though
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#10
RE: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
(August 18, 2012 at 1:30 am)cratehorus Wrote:
(August 18, 2012 at 1:22 am)RaphielDrake Wrote: Why do I get the feeling you quickly googled George Orwell, found that quote then made the assumption based on that quote he was an anarchist because he called his theory anarchistic then quickly used google to find someone against anarchism?
He wasn't an anarchist by the way, he was a socialist.

Have you even read any book of his or are you just being an argumentative ass for the sake of it?

I tried reading 1984, but it was was boring as all living shit, I did however read animal farm and I've seen the movie and I have alot more negative things, I could say about him then that. Yes you are right he joined some socialist group at one point, but he was really just an asshole is all I can say...... I did google him to find another quote, specifically, but just said fuck it this quote works.......

I do recommend you read the book I posted the link to

I admit the book is slow to start with but it definitely picks up.
I have to disagree with that statement, George Orwell was definitely a man of intense intellect.
I will however add your recommendation to my list, it does look interesting I must admit.
"That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange aeons even death may die." 
- Abdul Alhazred.
Reply



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