Can A Single Book Change Someone Forever?

Question

I read "Nineteen Eighty Four" by George Orwell.
It is very scary and reads like freaking current events.
I haven't looked at the world the same way since.
I would say it definitely took some of my innocence away.
Really a downer.
Do you think it could be the root of my current nihilistic leanings?
Do you think I can unlearn these unbecoming effects?

Answer 1

Yes, a single book changes someone forever, yet I tend to believe that every single experience in our lifetime contributes to the formation of our identity. some experiences carry more weight than others, of course, either because they reinforce who we currently are, or shake us up to our very foundations. books definitely influence people, and I think its really good if they make you think, though I normally hesitate in putting too much stock in a single work, as their purpose is more often than not to present a perspective on a conflict. In order to be credible, authors must ultimately commit to one side of a conflict, because a game in which players don't choose sides is either boring, runs in circles, or never ends. in the end, the writer's goal is to find truth out of either the resolution or the process of arriving at the resolution, and in a good story that truth will transcend time. the good guys don't always win, and when this happens, the message is that there is a voice either for or in opposition of the conflict that needs to be heard, regardless of the story's outcome. the key is that this voice always has a counterpart, that there are at least two or more stances to a particular platform, and a single author will probably not choose to address more than one simply because of the nature of his/her work. That's why I think it is a healthy practice to look at every detail of both sides before you committ to one, to read many authors, listen to many voices, shape yourself with a little of everything. too much knowledge in only one area can be harmful.

Answer 2

Yes, a book can change a person forever.

Just be careful when reading as my friend used to say, "Keep one foot out of the door and one foot in." Meaning, do not get sucked into the story where you lose your identity/reality.

Fiction is all well and good. They help us see life and all its different colors. After reading a book, sit down and analyze it. Break it down into pieces. Books are not meant to be the holy grail: be all, end all. They are there to help us see the TRUTH in life.

I almost got engulfed by Ayn Rand and her philosophy after reading "The Fountainhead". But after thinking about the book (like a month), journaling about it, and discussing it till ad nauseum with friends/teachers I have come to realize her philosophy ain't just stickin' it with me.

Authors are also biased. Just because they get published and are in the top 100 list of banned books/List of The Greatest Works of All Time do not mean we all have to get on our knees and see their words as the truth and start erecting temples for them. If we did that not only would we lose our humanity, but we fail to recognize their message.

We read books. We pick and choose what we like/dislike from them. We move on and carry those with us that will shed light to life and all its mysteries.

Answer 3

Yeah! Current events are remarkably similar to 1984, but now you've got to ask yourself...after having opened your eyes, why would you want to close them again? Knowledge should be used, not forgotten.

Answer 4

yes,
you should read
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek,
by pulitzer prize winner Annie Dillard
why unlearn nihilism?
some people think this way.
you have the choice to become one of them.
or not.

Answer 5

Yes. The Catcher in the Rye did that for me.

Answer 6

You will find many who contend that the Bible has done just that.

Answer 7

I don't know