George Orwell?

Question

Any thoughts on George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984? Any comment would do

Answer 1

That's a big question.

At the time Animal Farm was written, it was considered to be a commentary on life in a communist state.

In the last chapter, practically the last paragraph, the pigs were celebrating with some humans from a neighbouring farm and somebody looked from pig to man and man to pig and couldn't tell the difference. This has ben considered to be an example of power corrupting those who have total (or at least too much ) power.

Some choose to make an analogy with Stalin, who might be said to have abused his power.

1984

An example of politicians' weasel words is the time when Winston was a child and there was an announcement that the chocolate ration had been INCREASED to a smaller weekly weight than it had been earlier. (We're going to give them less chocolate, but if we tell them it's mre, the people won't complain.)

1984 had as it's base plot that the only part of his life that Winston could keep secret was the few cubic inches inside his head. When the book was published, it was inconceivable that cameras could record people's movements at street corners. In terms of surveillance, we are closer to 1984 than when the book was published

By th way, Winston Smith was the "hero" of the book.

Answer 2

Two great books from a ferociously intelligent man.
Orwell went to a remote Scottish island to write 1984. He knew he was very ill at the time, but still went.
There was no electricity on the island, never mind computers.
That's bravery for you.
Of the two books, Animal Farm is my favourite, because of the very clever way Orwell disguises the characters, and the brilliant one liners he penned that other posters have already highlighted.
Here's another one: "Two legs bad, four legs good." This is when the animals are discussing humans.
Very funny and yet very true.
As for 1984, and the general theme that government is watching everybody, just look at all the CCTV cameras on the roads and in our town centres.
Orwell was way ahead of his time, and in many ways, a prophet.

Answer 3

According to some biographies on Orwell, the novel '1984' was to be published around 1948, the year he finished writing and he wasn't satisfied with any title. One day he got an idea, he simply shifted the last two digits of the year, that is, from 48 to 84. Its effect then was fantastic since the year (1984) seemed remote, mysterious and unthinkable which was perfect for the theme of such a regime under the BIG BROTHER who was watching his subjects everywhere. In a sense, it has predicted something like the inhuman ways of governing people with scientific advancements and dictatorship, in other words, the more we achieve such advancements in a dictatorial state, the less we are humane.

Answer 4

Animal Farm is actually a dishonest book, in a peculiarly British socialist way.
It's said to be an allegory of the Soviet Union, but there is no Lenin figure - only figures for Stalin (Napoleon) and Trotsky (Snowball). So Lenin excapes criticism.
At the end the pigs become indistinguishable from humans (capitalists, pre-revolution types), but in fact Stalin was much worse than Nicholas II.

1984 - again, the proles owe little to Russia and Marxism, which actually idealised the proletariat and rooted the Communist party there, and far more to the British class system.

Answer 5

I love both of them!
Animal Farm is a great modern political allegory, it tells of innocence, that being the farm animals and the 'necessary' revolution of the animals, turning into a dictatorship and the ultimate betrayal. It represents the issue of communism off course.
1984 is likeminded. Issues of power play, of that ultimate big brother scenario controlling people. It is near reminiscent of the film "The Island" I think it's called, it has Scarlett Johanssen in it.
It also reminds me of Plato's allegory of the cave, the fact that some of the characters in 1984 aren't aware of the reality outside, until one of the flock, (being Winston) questions the environment he lives in.

Answer 6

Did you know the novel "1984" is based upon the reality under communist leading in Romania? And that the reality show "Big Brother" is inspired from that book? Big Brother, the eye which sees everything, is Ceausescu?

Answer 7

First, i'd desire to splendid one among your responders who claimed the Quote "All intercourse is rape" to Ayn Rand. That quote has in no way been linked with Ayn Rand yet somewhat with Feminist Andrea Dworkin. Ayn Rand in no way reported this form of element. surely, Ayn Rand became into somewhat sexually Liberal in her very own very own existence and this became into pondered interior the habit of the female protagonists in her many novels. in basic terms attempt to maintain score of the numerous sexual encounters and companions Dagny Taggart had in Atlas Shrugged. i might would desire to declare as authors, I choose Ayn Rand. *

Answer 8

"all animals are equal but some are more equal". this is the key statement in that book .actually it is applicable to today's mankind

Answer 9

not very catching........historical, long but worth a read . deserv the places they hav on "the best books of all times"

Answer 10

yes and it is an interesting allegory and it shows what is happening in our world.