1983 #LessAmbitiousNovels

Well, actually, the book is 1984. I just saw "1983 #LessAmbitiousNovels" on Twitter a couple nights ago, and for some reason, I found it hilarious.

...But 1984, I do not find hilarious. No offense to anyone who actually enjoys 1984 and George Orwell, I just can never actually get into it. This is my 3rd or 4th time reading it for a class and I still think it's just as messed up as the time before. Sure, there's a ton of symbolism and underlying themes to think about.

I mean, Big Brother himself is a symbol of an oppression and the oppressed. At least I think he is. He is the control, and the Party (let's not forget about them), definitely controlling as well. "Big Brother is Watching You" is a poster that is hanging everywhere, letting the citizens know that all your actions are being watched, much like our government does today, only more strict. They don't have absolute freedom and the ability to think for themselves; only for what Big Brother and the Party believe. Doublethink is a form of rebellion in itself. It allows the participant to have thoughts without revealing their true thoughts.

Not to mention Winston's journal; it's a clear sign of rebellion. When he writes "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" over and over again. The journal is Winston's way of being rebellious, and it's the metaphorical beginning of a rolling snowball (does that even make sense?).

I'm not a big George Orwell fan, specifically 1984, I actually kind of enjoyed Animal Farm. But that's beside the point. I must admit though, George Orwell does a good job of keeping to underlying themes like Rebellion and Lust vs Love and so on. 1984 really is a good tale of political corruption and outright rebellion by its citizens. It shows us how a government could be so oppressive and reminds us that we are lucky to live in this democractic society.