1984

Alright fellow literary travelers, I know I have failed you and posted this a day late.  Anyway, amongst all the craziness of job searching, I managed to read 1984 by George Orwell.  Surprisingly enough, not once in my literary career thus far was I asked to read this book.  Upon completing it, I find this to be a tragedy because it is definitely a book that EVERYBODY should read, not just those with a passion for the written word. 

1984 is about Winston Smith, a man serving a low position in the government of a place called Oceania. This dystopian society is run by the entity known as Big Brother. The rules are strict and not many people question them. But this all changes one day for Winston when he meets Julia, who causes him to begin questioning the omniscience of Big Brother and all the things they tell the people. The book follows their story and truly delves into the mental changes Winston Smith undergoes as he questions what he has been told all his life. And, like most dystopian novels, the ending is tragic and not what you want. But I promise not to spoil that for you.

Now, I feel I have read many similar novels to this one which is why it took me awhile to get into it.  However, for all of you skeptics out there, don’t discredit this as just another novel about life in a dystopian society.  While many other similar books present the society for the evil that is it, Orwell truly gets people to look at both sides of the issue and demonstrates the plausibility of how people could easily accept a world like this without question. Unlike a lot of the other novels I have read, this one really delved into the mental side of the issue.  It questioned things such as if history can actually be created and who creates truth.  Although it took me awhile, I eventually got to the point in the book where I could not put it down.  This is one book that will make your head hurt if you really take time to think about the questions that it poses.  Honestly, after reading it, I am ashamed that it took me this long…especially after five years as an English major.  

For all of my readers out there, this is one book you will want to read again and again.  And each time you read it, you are sure to make a new discovery or happen upon a new point of view that you never considered.  Trust me, make this book the next one on your reading list.  You won’t be disappointed. Also, for those of you who have read this before, this book raises excellent discussion topics and would be perfect for a book club if you are looking to share the experience with someone. And please, I would love to hear what you think about it and whether or not you loved it as much as I did.