Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Social Issues on 1984

This blog is based on the question of "Who's perspective is this book in, and why is it not in another persons view." I find this an interesting question to think about because at first glance you think, "what does this have anything to do with the relationship to the reader and other aspects of the story." But when you start to understand more, this makes more sense. Depending on who is narrating the story really does make a huge difference in your experience of reading the book. Maybe the author wants you to realize what the main character went through; which you would not be able to understand with out being in that specific persons shoes. Or maybe the author wants you to have the younger or possibly older perspective on the conflict/issue in the story. Anyway, here is what I gathered from the perspective of the book, 1984.
George Orwell wrote this story in a third person narrative form. But the book mostly touches down on the thoughts, ideas, and perspectives of Winston, the main character and protagonist of 1984. It's clear from this information that the author wants the reader, you, to understand the views of someone opposing the ideas and government structure of the party, this would be Winston. (The party, is the ruling totalitarian group of sympathizers, to the over lord and ruler of all, Big Brother.) Perhaps George Orwell wanted to tell us (the readers) something about the undemocratic views of a totalitarian government system. For if the reader were to be in the perspective of a pro-party believer, they would be getting the opposite side of the argument on how great Big Brother is and the views of the party. In Winston's view we appreciate how great the individuality of man is. We take for granted the wonders of freedom of speech and love/hate for others. This is what I think George Orwell wanted us to consider while reading 1984, to realize how great it is to be an individual and to not just be a puppet of some hierarchy. And this could only be achieved in the view of someone opposed to the party and undemocratic/dictatorship forms of government.

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