Nine Yardsticks: 1984 Novel
The novel, 1984, by George Orwell, has a variety of judgements made by different critics. This novel has some positive aspects and some negative drawbacks. However, every reader perceives a novel in a different manner. 1984 had a strong and weak impact in three specific yardsticks of evaluation: reflection of real life, escape, and significant insight.
This novel did not depict a reflection of real life in the United States. In today’s world, a government does exist where they want their inhabitants to feel safe. Therefore, they have systems in which they can navigate people’s surroundings. However, 1984 was a depiction of a government in which was in complete control of all the emotions, actions, and perspectives of its people. It was a totalitarian government that wanted others to believe in a “being” named Big Brother. Their so called “telescreens” to check on what people were doing caused many to feel insecure and controlled since these could see and feel what was going on in their surroundings. At any moment of the day, the government can easily check up on a certain person or location and could know what was going on. The negative side to this was that the person or location being checked would not know when that moment could be. This can be an intimidating factor of everyday life in Oceania. On the other hand, the people also did not seem to act upon their emotions and desires for their families, friends, and their own lives. The necessary life-changing decisions today’s world has to face are not made in Oceania. These are tried to be avoided. Therefore, this demonstrates the use of technology a government utilizes in order to make sure there is no danger causing the so called “world” they live in.
Escape is a factor in which a reader can lose themselves in another world, in this case, the world with Winston. In certain areas in the story, the reader can imagine scenes that occur. An example can be when Julie is “stalking” Winston when he walks over
This novel did not depict a reflection of real life in the United States. In today’s world, a government does exist where they want their inhabitants to feel safe. Therefore, they have systems in which they can navigate people’s surroundings. However, 1984 was a depiction of a government in which was in complete control of all the emotions, actions, and perspectives of its people. It was a totalitarian government that wanted others to believe in a “being” named Big Brother. Their so called “telescreens” to check on what people were doing caused many to feel insecure and controlled since these could see and feel what was going on in their surroundings. At any moment of the day, the government can easily check up on a certain person or location and could know what was going on. The negative side to this was that the person or location being checked would not know when that moment could be. This can be an intimidating factor of everyday life in Oceania. On the other hand, the people also did not seem to act upon their emotions and desires for their families, friends, and their own lives. The necessary life-changing decisions today’s world has to face are not made in Oceania. These are tried to be avoided. Therefore, this demonstrates the use of technology a government utilizes in order to make sure there is no danger causing the so called “world” they live in.
Escape is a factor in which a reader can lose themselves in another world, in this case, the world with Winston. In certain areas in the story, the reader can imagine scenes that occur. An example can be when Julie is “stalking” Winston when he walks over