1984; Animal Farm, each by George Orwell I'll never forget how I felt the first time I read Animal Farm. I understood exactly what this story was a representation of, yet felt incomplete. It was not until later that I developed the theory that perhaps Orwell was illustrating how easily propaganda can be disguised and how easily historical criticism can be rendered for absorption by the reader. Whether or not this is an original thought or even a correct assumption is unknown to me. Regardless, I feel that it definitely remains a good illustration of that theory (which is a self-fulfilling statement, I realize) As far as 1984 is concerned, I think this book formed some of my earliest ideas about what freedom and liberty are when confronted with stark authority. I don't care what the economic model supported by a totalitarian state happens to be--I just don't like the idea of freedom and liberty being absent in that state. This book is probably the best of the dystopias in the sense of gloom it presents (Orwell is a great descriptor) and it also has one of my favorite essays of all time as an afterword. "On the Language of Newspeak" (I believe that is the title...I will revise this later if it is not) awakened a great cynicism within me towards the use of language by humanity. All my earlier suspicions about the manipulation of thought and faith through language found violent cohesion upon reading this essay. Return to Books Return to Media Influences Return to main page |
| 1984 and Animal Farm: George Orwell |