Orwell, George: 1984

AUTHOR: George Orwell

SETTING: The story takes place in London. London belongs to Oceania in 1984.

PART ONE: Winston is very dissatisfied with his life because there is not enough to eat and the flats are small and dirty. He tries to remain the past even though the police has changed the past to hold up their power. First he tries to rebell against the situation and so he keeps a diary and writes everything what he feels. He writes: “Down with Big Brother“ although it is not allowed. To write such slogans is very dangerous because even in his flat telescreen control him. So he becomes a thoughtcrime. He hates the Party because nobody is not allowed to do what he want to do.

At work Winston notices that O´Brian does not like the Party and so Winston wants to know more about the life before the Revolution. He speaks with an old man but the old man can not remember much about the past. Then he rents a room above a small shop, in which he bought his diary, among the proles.

PART TWO: Winston meets a young woman, who is 26 years old, and they starts an affair. They often stay together at the room Winston rented, because they think that this is the only place where they can feel free and do what they want. They eat real chocolate and Julia wears beautiful clothes, which she bought on an illegal way. But their affair is only a silent protest against the party.

Winston notices now that O´Brian really hates the party and so he thinks that he is a member of the brotherhood. Winston and Julia visit together O´Brian, who is an inner party member, who even can turn off his telescreen, at home, where he allows Winston to read Goldstein´s book, in which the methods of the Party are described.

When Julia and Winston once meet each other in their rented room they are arrested.

PART THREE: Winston and Julia are imprisoned separately in the Ministry of Love. Winston is given over to O´Brian, who should help him with his rehabiliation. He get physical and psychological torture and so the party is able to tell Winston what they want even that “2+2=5“. O´Brian puts Winston through the first stages of his rehabilitation. After a long time Winston loves Big Brother.

After that Winston is released and get a new job. He doesn´t think about the past. Once he meets Julia but the don´t have to tell each other very much. In the end Winston dreams that he gets shoot and at this moment he still loves Big Brother.