The Most Interesting Reasons Why Every Student Should Read George Orwell’s Famous Dystopian Novel “1984”

 


Dystopia

George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, an author, and writer who lived between 1903 and 1950. And you might already start wondering why he has a novel with the title 1984. The first thing that might come up in your mind when you hear the title of the book is that it is a description of the year and the events that took place. But it is about more than this.
George Orwell died in 1950, but one of its most well-known and famous novels was originally published in 1949. This means that the novel was published 35 years before 1984, so things get pretty intriguing now. There are already TV series and movies that have been created with this novel in mind and were inspired by it. But why should you read it? Are there any interesting reasons that will convince you to read this dystopian novel? Indeed, there are. Find out below.

It Is a Dystopia

Even though most people usually like to think about a utopia, meaning an ideal world, it is essential to take a look at dystopias too. Some might say that optimists are more attracted by a utopia, while pessimists by a dystopia. Either way, having contact with a dystopia, no matter whether you are an optimist, pessimist, or realist is essential. A dystopia presents the opposite of an ideal world. It presents the worst that could happen and it represents the author’s view on how things could evolve in the future.
And this is exactly what the 1984 novel is about. It comes with food for thought for many college students who are now involved in the study process of getting an education. And considering the latest political events that took place over the last couple of years in the world, it seems that George Orwell nailed it from the beginning. The societies and world we are currently living in present some similarities with the novel of George Orwell. And this might make you think that the world is evolving towards a dystopia. Or not.

1984 Parallels with the Contemporary World

If you want to read more about the 1984 novel, you can find online many free essay examples to choose from. Many professors and teachers recommend this novel to their students and encourage them to read it. Moreover, they also give tasks and assignments related to this novel, which helps students dive deeper into the hidden messages and meaning of this dystopia. You can read essays on Nineteen Eighty-Four and discover some of the parallels that could be drawn with the contemporary world.
George Orwell presents a society where every human is surveilled. There are microphones inside of people’s homes so that the government can listen to them and put an end to everything they are planning to do, like an escape. People are controlled by the government which has adopted the politics of hate and fear. In 1984, there were no positive feelings or events. There are only bad things that happen, including the fact that the truth is decided by the government. So, whatever they say it’s false, it’s false. Whatever they say it’s true, it must be true.
And this is similar to what we are living now. There are eyes and ears inside our homes, only we do not perceive them as being intrusive. Everyone has a smartphone that registers their location. Many people have a personal assistant like Alexa in their homes, which listens to their commands. And it seems that these technological advancements were embraced by the general population. They ease your life tremendously, but at their core, they are surveillance mechanisms.
At the same time, the politics of fear and hate are actually in our societies. Racism and discrimination have touched alarming rates during these times, exactly what George Orwell presents in his novel 1984. Some lies are told, exactly what Trump did on his first day in the office (he said that the inaugural crowd was the largest ever, but later photos have proved that this is not the case).

Concluding Words

The novel 1984 written by the excellent George Orwell has surged in popularity again during the last couple of years. This might be because many parallels could be drawn between the dystopia presented there and the contemporary world. It comes with a lot of food for thought for everyone who decides to read it, especially for students who need to analyze it carefully and understand the hidden clues.

Bio lines: Michael Turner is an exceptional content writer. He works at a local newspaper and writes on topics related to books, movies, and culture. Michael enjoys spending Saturday with a cup of tea and a good book.