George OrwellEssays · Non-Fiction·1903–1950
1984
Synopsis
A simplified retelling of George Orwell's dystopian classic, adapted by Michael Dean for the Penguin Readers / Pearson English graded-reader series at Level 4 for learners of English.
Winston Smith lives in Oceania, a state where the Party controls every fact, every image, and every thought, and where the face of Big Brother watches from every wall. Winston's job is to rewrite old newspapers so the past always agrees with the present, but in secret he hates the Party and longs for the truth.
When he falls in love with Julia, the two try to hold on to something real in a world built on lies, and their quiet rebellion pulls them toward a confrontation with the Party's terrifying power.
The graded text keeps the shape and force of Orwell's story while using controlled vocabulary and shorter sentences, making one of the twentieth century's most important novels accessible to intermediate readers.
How it reads
- Writing5.0
- Impact5.0
- Characters5.0
- Plot5.0
- Atmosphere5.0
Prose complexity 4/10
Readers say (1)Moderate · Dense · Dark · Tense · Thought-Provoking
Readers flagged (2)
AbuseTrauma
- One cannot simply review 1984. But heck, take it as it comes. Brain dump: Big Brother. Telescreens. INGSOC. WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. Doublethink. Newspeak. Thoughtcrime. Facecrime. YOU ARE THE DEAD. YOU DO NOT EXIST. Winston Smith is by all means what you can call: average. He lives under the totalitarian reign of the Big Brother Party in the land of Oceania. A place where individualism is a crime, where pleasure is forbidden and where the tought police watches your every move 24/7. Any hint of unusual behaviour makes you a traitor of the party. Four ministries are at work: The ministry of Truth (dealing with CENSORSHIP) - The ministry of Love (where the BRAINWASHING happens) - The ministry of Peace (handling WAR against either Eurasia or Eastasia (depends)) - The ministry of Plenty (overlooking the economical welfare (decline is the word)). Ironic? Ha. Yet the philosophy behind each title is laid bare to us throughout the pages thus introducing the notion of DOUBLETHINK. The root of all evil or the solution to all our troubles? You tell me! The year 1984, or is it 1982? Who knows! Who cares? Time is an illusion. The past is alterable. The present is unquestionable. TWO PLUS TWO MAKES FIVE. Believing this while knowing all the counter arguments to it. Doublethink. Big Brother is the Truth. Don't pretend, believe. Worship the party. Loathe the enemy. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Scary s•••, isn't it? I can't help but shudder at the thought that this was/is a prophetic book. My mind is fried. We are the prolls. We are the ones carrying out our lives invariably. We are inextricably bound to our narrowminded view of the world. We're living under a tacit dictatorship and creeping towards this haunting future. These thought strinking pages shake both the human consciousness and unconsciousness فمّاش ما الواحد يفيق شويّة! All along, I was encompassed in Winston's sphere of existence. At times, I, the reader, felt as if I were part of the Thought Police, prying on his innermost reflections. Then I soon shifted to his side. I was watching and being watched alltogether. I shared his stolen moments with Julia and took part of his long sessions with O'Brien.. This book is doubleplusgood. It's the kind of book that tortures you, lacerates you, shoves your face in a pool of water and leaves gasping for air, ties you to a chair and sends out electrical shocks down your spine. 1984 is Goldstein's "the book". To handle with care. Keep in mind: BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.
- The best books, he perceived, are those that tell you what you know already. It's been a few years since I read Animal Farm, but it would be a lie to say I have forgotten how great George Orwell is at condensing and depicting the horrors of totalitarian, communist states. Still, 1984 managed to surprise me anyway. It's so freaking impressive how accurate he is. If I didn't know better, I would say he must have lived under such a state. He captures all the nuisances and silent terrors, the petty laws, and brainwashed fanatics with chilling accuracy. Of course, 1984 takes all this to the extreme, making it even more terrifying. It's a testament to its genius and status as a classic that even now, perhaps even more so, Big Brother's dystopian world rings with terrifying familiarity.
- 2.3 stars. Tuve demasiadas expectativas con el libro, pues amé Rebelión en la granja. No obstante, me decepcionó en el sentido de que la lectura era tediosa, aburrida y eran pocos los momentos atrapantes que me hacían querer no soltar el libro. Además, el final daña todo lo que se esperaba del libro. Claro está que no todos los finales deben ser perfectos y/o agradables pero ¿cuál es el sentido de que los personajes tengan objetivos si no se va a lograr el 1% de estos?
- My absolute favourite dystopian novel of all time. There is really nothing more to say about it that hasn’t already been said. George Orwell‘s worldbuilding is truly unmatched. How many writers have we seen who invented an entirely new language as a supplement to their work?
- Ainda estou tentando digerir essa história maravilhosa .... isso sim é distopia .... !!!! Queria muito que o final fosse diferente, mas provavelmente se essa sociedade fosse real esse seria o desfecho !!!! Recomendo a todos que gostam do gênero !!!!!
- Simply BRILLIANT 🥲