This is, without a doubt, the most bleak and terrifying book I have ever read. I suppose my biggest fear is that George Orwell's vision for the future will some day come true, and I can't help but think that every day that passes brings us closer to living in a society much like this one. I found this book very hard to get through, not because it was hard to understand or because I didn't like it or anything like that, but because it was so bleak and disheartening that it caused me to lose an... (show more)

This is, without a doubt, the most bleak and terrifying book I have ever read. I suppose my biggest fear is that George Orwell's vision for the future will some day come true, and I can't help but think that every day that passes brings us closer to living in a society much like this one. I found this book very hard to get through, not because it was hard to understand or because I didn't like it or anything like that, but because it was so bleak and disheartening that it caused me to lose any hope I had for humanity. I have to say my only "problem" with this book is the 30+ page section where Winston was reading from THE BOOK. Even though I found it to be quite interesting, I think it could be condensed just a little bit. Other than that, this book is perfect. Even though I like Animal Farm better, this book is still incredible and brilliant. (show less)

I am more then halfway through the book and I felt compelled to write what I thought of it thus far.

The book reminds me of Anthem in many ways. It's almost like a pre-Anthem society that tells a very similar tale. Controlled society, man rebels, man meets girl, girl adores man and also rebels, etc. This story is a bit more involved though, especially regarding the Brotherhood and how there is not just one man against many, but an entire group rebelling (underground). Anthem's message skimm... (show more)

I am more then halfway through the book and I felt compelled to write what I thought of it thus far.

The book reminds me of Anthem in many ways. It's almost like a pre-Anthem society that tells a very similar tale. Controlled society, man rebels, man meets girl, girl adores man and also rebels, etc. This story is a bit more involved though, especially regarding the Brotherhood and how there is not just one man against many, but an entire group rebelling (underground). Anthem's message skimmed the surface but so far 1984 has broken it down and analyzed it more, which I am really enjoying. This also makes me feel more connected to the story.

One of the thoughts that came to my head was: To fight against control, one must be controlled. The brotherhood controls the ones fighting against the Ministry (Big Brother), therefor using control to gain freedom from control. Dying for freedom is a scary thought but a big theme in the book which has awakened me to an understanding of survival of self vs. survival of the human race. So far the story is extremely entertaining, thought provoking and slightly scary.

After finishing the book, one word describes how I felt: Hopeless(ness). I cried a bit at the end but not from a loss of a character or from any tragic event but from a feeling of absolute hopelessness. My friend had said how he hated the ending, and I disagreed... I loved it because it created the strongest emotions from the message the author was trying to convey. If the ending had been victorious the feeling wouldn't have been as strong and the tone would have been completely wrong (in my opinion). (show less)

Nineteen Eighty-Four is the best book I've ever read. Hands down. George Orwell was a pure genius, and of the two books of his that I've read (This and Animal Farm), I personally prefer this one.

His vision of what the future could be like was quite interesting. A bit far fetched, but still within plausible. Even though 1984 was many years ago, it could happen. Scary thought hm? Just remember society: It's not an instruction manual.

The characters were great, though a bit odd (considering... (show more)

Nineteen Eighty-Four is the best book I've ever read. Hands down. George Orwell was a pure genius, and of the two books of his that I've read (This and Animal Farm), I personally prefer this one.

His vision of what the future could be like was quite interesting. A bit far fetched, but still within plausible. Even though 1984 was many years ago, it could happen. Scary thought hm? Just remember society: It's not an instruction manual.

The characters were great, though a bit odd (considering the setting, it's perfectly understandable...). Some might be annoyed at how gullible and easily manipulated the citizens are, but they may be forgetting that while it may be exaggerated, most people really are like that. Another scary thought.

And I must say, the ending was perfect. It's exactly how it works, and in a world where seemingly everything ends happily, this is a welcome wake up call.

It's a classic, and with damn good reason. 1984 is something that should be read by everyone at some point. This is one of the few books in the school curriculum that I completely agree with its placement. (show less)

If Orwell knew how true things would have been when he wrote this book he would have probably had a stroke. This novel creates suspense and will have you thinking about it a good time after.

I read this is High School, but never truly appreciated it till I read it again. The political statements and social statements that are made in this book are innumerable.

It asks many things, but the largest things that stick out to me are the questions it asks about peace, and freedom of speech. ... (show more)

If Orwell knew how true things would have been when he wrote this book he would have probably had a stroke. This novel creates suspense and will have you thinking about it a good time after.

I read this is High School, but never truly appreciated it till I read it again. The political statements and social statements that are made in this book are innumerable.

It asks many things, but the largest things that stick out to me are the questions it asks about peace, and freedom of speech. Is the war we support even worth the cost, or is it just a war to have a war so the government can keep us under wraps.

And free speech. If we aren't free to think or speak for ourselves then when are we able to do this. This is one of the many things 1984 hits on.

It is such a great commentary on things as they are now, and what things may come. (show less)

Like so many of my generation I read 1984 for the first time in 1984 when I was in high school. I enjoyed it(if enjoy is a word one can use to describe so dark and disturbing a work) but it really didn't have a profound effect on my at the time. You see for me and my classmates as teenagers in the Reagan 80's in just didn't seem possible that America could ever suffer the totalitarian fate the Orwell was warning about. The book to us was very well written fantasy. Tyrants were men like Hitler... (show more)

Like so many of my generation I read 1984 for the first time in 1984 when I was in high school. I enjoyed it(if enjoy is a word one can use to describe so dark and disturbing a work) but it really didn't have a profound effect on my at the time. You see for me and my classmates as teenagers in the Reagan 80's in just didn't seem possible that America could ever suffer the totalitarian fate the Orwell was warning about. The book to us was very well written fantasy. Tyrants were men like Hitler,Stalin,and Castro. We were confident that evil,murdering thugs like that could never come to power in America. I still think we were right. What we couldn't understand at the time was that when tyranny did come it would come with a smiling face and pleasant voice,wanting only to do good for us all. The best of intentions,to save us from ourselves. That is how tyranny comes to America. This great book is far more relevant in 2009 than it ever was in it's namesake year. (show less)

When I first read this novel back about 20 years or so ago, I thought it was science fiction. I felt that totalitarianism was something formed inside of someone's imagination. Little did I know that as each year passed me by, the future of our world became more inept to a big brother run society. Anyone who reads this novel should fear and in turn make personal changes, but fear the right thing. Currently, people are afraid of their government, with given right however to be afraid of the... (show more)

When I first read this novel back about 20 years or so ago, I thought it was science fiction. I felt that totalitarianism was something formed inside of someone's imagination. Little did I know that as each year passed me by, the future of our world became more inept to a big brother run society. Anyone who reads this novel should fear and in turn make personal changes, but fear the right thing. Currently, people are afraid of their government, with given right however to be afraid of the end of the world or to be over-ruled by the government is something we shouldn't fear in America because it has already happened. It happened the moment we paid for expanded cable, it happened the moment we splurged thousands of $$$ on a big screen television. We are our own worst enemy...we are in this hole because of our own mistakes...sad, isn't it? Orwell is a true genius, a visonary and his words convey a reality that proves tyranny as we speak. His satire seems vague during this day in age because the harshness and shock has coasted from fiction...to non-fiction. However, during his years it's depressingly thoughtful satire that shows that yes...Orwell's mind is revolutionary. (show less)

Awww, this book has such a disappointing ending!! Anyway, this is another of those "What if someone managed to take over the world" books that for some reason I've been reading a lot lately (both for school and for Book Club). The idea was an unsettling one, and, as seems to be a theme with these post-apocalyptic writers and stuff, Orwell presents a lot of good points. Also, I think he gave any would-be dictators a lot of helpful tips on taking over the world, and I am loathe to ... (show more)

Awww, this book has such a disappointing ending!! Anyway, this is another of those "What if someone managed to take over the world" books that for some reason I've been reading a lot lately (both for school and for Book Club). The idea was an unsettling one, and, as seems to be a theme with these post-apocalyptic writers and stuff, Orwell presents a lot of good points. Also, I think he gave any would-be dictators a lot of helpful tips on taking over the world, and I am loathe to witness the first person who attempts this - because if they go about it pretty much the same way Big Brother goes about it, we'll find it EXTREMELY difficult to dig ourselves back out. Nonetheless, it was a good, thought-provoking work of fiction, and I'm always tickled and intrigued to see what the writers of the past think of the present (or... the 80s...) so I guess I liked this book. (show less)

In George Orwell's 1984, Winston Smith is an open source developer who writes his code offline because his ISP has installed packet sniffers that are regulated by the government under the Patriot Act. It's really for his own protection, though. From, like, terrorists and DVD pirates and stuff. Like every good American, he drinks Coca-Cola and his processed food has desensitized his palate to all but four flavors: (sweet, salty-so-that-you-will-drink-more-coca-cola, sweet, and Cooler Ranch!(tm... (show more)

In George Orwell's 1984, Winston Smith is an open source developer who writes his code offline because his ISP has installed packet sniffers that are regulated by the government under the Patriot Act. It's really for his own protection, though. From, like, terrorists and DVD pirates and stuff. Like every good American, he drinks Coca-Cola and his processed food has desensitized his palate to all but four flavors: (sweet, salty-so-that-you-will-drink-more-coca-cola, sweet, and Cooler Ranch!(tm)). His benevolent overlords have provided him with some war happening somewhere for some reason so that he, and the rest of the population, can be sure that the government is really in his best interests. In fact, the news always has some story about Paris Hilton or yet another white girl who has been abducted by some evil bastard who is biologically wired by 200,000 years of human evolution to fuck 12-year-olds, but is socially conditioned to be obsessed with sex, yet also to feel guilty about it. This culminates into a distorted view of sexuality, and results in rape in murder, which both make for very good news topics. This, too, is in Winston's best interests because, while fear is healthy, thinking *too* much about his own mortality is strictly taboo, as it may lead to something dangerously insightful, and he might lose his taste for Coca Cola and breast implants. The television also plays on his fears of the unknown by exaggerating stereotypes of minorities and homosexuals, under the guise of celebrating "diversity", but even these images of being ghetto-fabulous and a lisping interior designer actually exist solely to promote racism and homophobia, which also prove to be efficient distractions.

For some reason, Winston gets tired of eating recycled Pop Tarts and eating happy pills and pretending to be interested in sports and manufactured news items. But, in the end, they fix him and he's happy again. Or something (show less)