Download 1984 - Context

“Nineteen Eighty Four”,
by George Orwell
An Introduction
Contents
1. George Orwell – Biographical
Information
2. Timeline of Key Historical Events
Surrounding “Nineteen Eighty Four”
3. Political Context
a) Hitler’s Germany
b) Stalin’s U.S.S.R.
4. Cultural Impact
5. Main themes
George Orwell –
Biographical Information
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George Orwell (25 June 1903 – 21 January
1950) was an English writer.
He spent most of his time in Great Britain,
although lived and worked in India before
returning to Britain, where he focused on his
writing.
His work is marked by:
– a profound awareness of social
injustice;
– an intense dislike of totalitarianism;
– and a passion for clarity in language.
He wrote works in many different genres
including fiction, journalism, memoir and
critical essays.
His most famous works are two novels:
“Animal Farm” (1945) and “Nineteen EightyFour” (1949).
He wrote 1984 “to alter other people’s idea of
the kind of society they should strive after.”
“Nineteen Eighty Four”
– Timeline of Events
1903 – George Orwell (christened Eric Arthur Blair) is born.
1939-1944 – World War Two
Mid-1940s – The Cold War begins
1948 – Orwell completes writing “Nineteen Eighty Four”
(published in 1949)
1950 – George Orwell dies of tuberculosis, aged 46.
1950s – Television sets became popular in the UK.
1984 – The year in which the events of the novel are set.
1990s – Closed-circuit television surveillance was
popularised in the UK.
Hitler’s Germany
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Adolf Hitler was the leader of Germany
from 1934-1945.
His political party were the National
Socialists, more commonly referred to as
the Nazi party.
Some of the defining characteristics of
Nazi party were:
1. A dictatorship system of government.
2. Extensive use of propaganda to
promote a positive view of the
government and a negative view of its
enemies.
3. The use of a secret police force to
maintain the obedience of the public.
4. The persecution of a range of groups
of society, particularly the Jewish race.
5. An aggressive foreign policy,
resulting in World War Two.
Stalin’s U.S.S.R.
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Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet
Union (consisting of Russia and many other
eastern European countries) from 1929–
1953.
His political regime in the Soviet Union is
now referred to as Stalinism.
Some of the most typical characteristics of
Stalinism were:
1. A dictatorship system of government.
2. Extensive use of propaganda to
promote a positive view of the
government and a negative view of its
enemies.
3. The establishment of a personality cult.
4. The use of a secret police force to
maintain the obedience of the public.
5. A series of purges, whereby millions of people who were seen to be
a threat to Stalin’s government were executed or exiled to labour
camps.
Stalin and Hitler –
Propaganda Posters
Cultural Impact
“Big Brother”
– A term used to describe any overly-inquisitive or overlycontrolling authority figure, or attempts by government to
increase surveillance.
“Room 101”
– A term used to describe a place where unpleasant things are
kept.
“The Thought Police”
– A term used to describe a system of law enforcement where
people are punished before they commit a crime, as it is
assumed that it is their intention to go on to commit the crime
anyway.
“Orwellian”
– A term used to describe a society or system of government that
seems to the reflect the type of society/government evident in
Orwell’s novel “1984”.
Major Themes
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6.
The Dangers of Totalitarianism
Language as a form of Mind Control
Technology
Control of Information and History
Psychological Manipulation
Physical Control