I had first heard of Orwell when I had seen the movie based on "1984". I did not find the movie much but I was told that the book is better than the movie. Did not think of it back then but after reading Orwell's "Animal Farm", I had "1984" in my list for long. One fine day, I ordered it.
The anti-imperialist feelings of Orwell is something that I have not yet seen. But he certainly is anti-communist. Possibly not against the theory but at least the way this theory manifests itself in reality. He frowns upon the gullibility of man and highlights the psychological effect of various things that we do or have done to ourselves. Orwell gives a brief description of what the existing social systems try to do and creates an unrealistic dystopia in which the systems reach an equilibrium which in fact benefits no one.
Winston Smith is the protagonist of the story. He lives at a time of totalitarian rule throughout the world, when personal opinions of "Party members" are discounted and undesired, when thinking and questioning is a threat for the system, when everyone is watched and anyone who seems a threat is removed from the preset as well the past, when the past is controlled, when the mind is controlled, when the emotions are controlled. In such a time, Winston tries to think, write and rebel. He is approached by Julia, a young girl, with whom he starts a secret affair. In a time where desires and emotions are considered the biggest crimes, he feels like a rebel against the system. They is eventually caught and Winston at long last see's how two and two make five.
George Orwell writes in a manner that makes you think of the possibilities. He makes you question accepted systems. There were many parts of the novel where I felt unconvinced by Orwell's logic and arguments, some I found plain unrealistic, but clearly, reality is not something that Orwell was aiming at. He strove to distort reality to such an unrealistic gruesome extent that the reader can appreciate the questions he has put up. And he succeeded magnificently. I am sure I will read more of him.
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