I am currently reading this book... I know a lot of you have probably read it and I was wondering what you all thought of it.

 

One of my favourite book... Absolutely brilliant. Someone should definitely make a crossover with HP.

 

I think I read Brave New World in the place of 1984 or maybe Animal Farm was the replacement. Well, I read thm both and would love to read 1984 if I can ever remember to read it.

 

1984 is about appocalyptic future where some sort of ultra-fascism is in power all over the world. Everyone is monitored every minute of their lives and constantly brainwashed by huge two-way TV's all over the place, including in people's rooms. Big brother is watching, constant war to fire up the patriotism, public executions, ban on love, kids reporting their parent's crimes (like doubting the great leader) to the secret police who then takes them to brainwashing...etc... a lot of memorable moments that were later used a hundred times in other fictions (ex: Matrix).

The best thing about this book is totaly realistic and beleiveable way this world is described. This is as much a book on polithics and psychology of great masses as a futuristic novel.

Anyway, I'd read this on my own (outside of school projects) and I found it ingenious. You should all definitely read it regardles of what school says.

 

lol, I've read it already, but I get 3 credit hours to read it again.

 

I tried reading it about 2 years ago, my little mind couldn't handle it. Sci-fi books make my brain shut down. I'll read it someday...maybe.

 

I read the book when I was in the seventh grade. Have been reading it every year since. Many people were bent on understanding every thing about it. The reason it was so popluer among the readers of its day was, Could it happen here?

 

The way Orwell's society is controlled and manipulated is well explained and painfully logical. I really don't see any reason why it couldn't work, which is well explained in the end.

The only problem is how to reach that stage of control. I just don't see the whole world turning a blind eye at any country trying to pull a stunt like that. For such society to work, every contry must either be in it, or be too weak to stop it.

But I guess that in 1948, when communism was at it's height, a scenario like that seemed like a real possibility. If there weren't for America, who was at the time completely untouched by WWII (unlike Russia), something like that could have very well happened.

Still, some of the techniques mentioned by Orwell are widely used today.

Example: Constant struggle against common enemy to unite the country and help pass some restrictions of personal freedoms that otherwise would not have been accepted by the masses (America and it's fight against terrorism, Soviets and fight for spreading communism, etc.).

 

I think it's a fantastic book.
It was written in 1948, which is before quite a lot of the most major recent developments in technology etc... and therefore it shows remarkable foresight.
if you like it other books to consider would be
Brave New World: Aldous Huxley
Fahrenheit 451: Ray Bradbury
Animal Farm: George Orwell
Utopia: Thomas Moore
If you want a copy of my A-Level English essay on it, let me know and i can send it to you if you like

 

I can actually see a society getting to that level of control... After all, it didn't happen immediately, it took approximately 40 years for the society to reach that level.