LibGuides: Summer Reading 2017: 1984

Why Choose This Book?

1984,

by George Orwell (1949)

The year is 1984. Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia. Under the ever watchful gaze of Big Brother, Winston Smith rewrites history for the Ministry of Truth in London, capital of Airstrip One. What happens when he starts to question the system...?

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is Strength.

2 + 2 = 5 ....

What to Know About the Book Before You Read It.

If you are unsure of what book to choose, 1984 is the book that most centrally relates to our theme.

The ideas of "Newspeak", "Big Brother", the "Thought Police" and "Doublethink" all originate in this heavily influential book.

Manipulation of language, and technological and human surveillance are major tools of the "Party," the totalitarian regime of Oceania.

Truthiness?: Newspeak, Thoughtcrime, Doublethink, the Ministry of Truth
Technology!: the ubiquitous telescreens
Totalitarians?: The Party exemplifies totalitarianism

SEE BELOW for more background, relevance, etc.

More About the Book

What Today’s Teens Have To Say About George Orwell’s ‘1984’ - SLJ

The Author - George Orwell

1984: The Masterpiece that Killed George Orwell
background on the origins of '1984'
1984: George Orwell's Road to Dystopia -- BBC

Newspeak attempts to eliminate personal thought by restricting the expressiveness of the English language. All nouns are also verbs.

How 'Newspeak' Works
A Newspeak Dictionary
and other terms from the novel '1984'
List of Newspeak Words - Wikipedia
(remember, Wikipedia is fine for background reading, but not so great for deep research)

Why '1984' Resonates Now - PBS Newshour
Why Orwell's '1984' Matters So Much Right Now -- Washington Post
We're Living in '1984' today - CNN Opinion (2013)
This 2013 editorial discusses license plate tracking and other technological surveillance.
Let’s Stop Flattering Ourselves by Insisting It’s 1984 - National Review
A counterpoint to the idea that American society resembles 1984.
Churcill, Orwell, and the Fight Against Totalitarianism -- NPR
Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Tom Ricks says the writings of Winston Churchill and George Orwell still resonate today

**We are being watched...**

By governments, corporations, devices, hackers, each other...

Microsoft's XBox One. Always On, Always Watching. - The Guardian.com
NSA Spying - EFF.org
Domestic Surveilance Directive - NSA
What we know about PRISM - Washington Post PRISM is a code name for a program under which the United States National Security Agency (NSA) collects internet communications from at least nine major US internet companies
Modern Surveillance Society - Australian Broadcast Corporation

Language is being manipulated...

The Autocrat's Language - Marsha Gessen
Adapted from the Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture delivered on May 7, 2017.

Political Cartoon about 1984

What to Read and Watch after "1984"
A list of additional titles compiled by the editors of School Library Journal
more...less...
With its themes on governmental lying (the ironically named Ministry of Truth), the manipulation of language and media (“doublespeak”), the oppressive use of technology in service of totalitarianism (“telescreens”), and the ever-present threat of state-sanctioned violence against citizens (“Big Brother Is Watching”), many readers are turning to this classic dystopia, first published in 1949, to gain perspective or reflect upon the current social and political climate.
The following list features books—including other classic (and chilling) visions of a dystopic future, contemporary fiction, nonfiction works on political philosophy, history, and media criticism, and titles for kids and teens—as well as films and TV shows ideal for the readers who have finished Orwell’s work and are looking for more on similar themes.
Dystopian Language and Thought: The SapirWhorf Hypothesis Applied to Created Forms of English -- Kristen Fairchild
A student paper from DePauw University discussing ideas of how language controls thought, with numerous references to "1984"

In the future, I’m right: Letter from Aldous Huxley to George Orwell over 1984 novel sheds light on their different ideas - Daily Mail UK
Huxley and Orwell had differing visions on what a future regime would need to do in order to subjugate the populace.

During the 1984 Super Bowl, Apple Computers introduced the revolutionary new "Macintosh" computer with this commercial based on the movie version of 1984.

Elmo was never the same after Room 101

Things to Think About While You Read

[Here can go any book specific questions or "things to think aboutwatch out for while you read this book"]

Theme-based Guided Questions for all Books

Consider these questions as you are reading your book. Having answers to them, with quotations from the book (cite page number) as supporting evidence will be very helpful when it is time to discuss and assess your reading.

1. When was your book written? When does it take place? How does that compare to 2017?

2. Who holds power or authority in your book?

What role does technology play in creating or maintaining that authority?
What role does communication or language play in creating or maintaining that authority?

3. How does technology affect the daily lives of the characters in your book?

What role does technology play in communication between characters?
Who has access to technology?
How does the technology compare to today's technology?

4. What kinds of information or media is communicated in your book? -- News? Advertising? Entertainment? Education? Propaganda? etc?

Who creates it, and for what purpose?
Who controls it, and for what purpose?
Who consumes it, and for what purpose?

Gale - Opposing Viewpoints

**Links to topics in GALE Opposing Viewpoints in Context, including essays, periodicals, and more**

Reminder: Passwords for Library Databases are on Canvas > RamsCentral > Library

Summer Reading 2017