“Nineteen Eighty Four”, by George Orwell

1. “Nineteen Eighty Four”, by George Orwell An Introduction

2. Contents • George Orwell – Biographical Information • Timeline of Key Historical Events Surrounding “Nineteen Eighty Four” • Political Context • Hitler’s Germany • Stalin’s U.S.S.R. • Cultural Impact • Main themes

3. George Orwell – Biographical Information • 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 Eighty-Four” (1949). • He wrote 1984 “to alter other people’s idea of the kind of society they should strive after.”

4. “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.

5. Hitler’s Germany • 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: • A dictatorship system of government. • Extensive use of propaganda to promote a positive view of the government and a negative view of its enemies. • The use of a secret police force to maintain the obedience of the public. • The persecution of a range of groups of society, particularly the Jewish race. • An aggressive foreign policy, resulting in World War Two.

6. Stalin’s U.S.S.R. • 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: • A dictatorship system of government. • Extensive use of propaganda to promote a positive view of the government and a negative view of its enemies. • The establishment of a personality cult. • The use of a secret police force to maintain the obedience of the public. • 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.

7. Stalin and Hitler – Propaganda Posters

8. Cultural Impact “Big Brother” • A term used to describe any overly-inquisitive or overly-controlling 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”.

9. Major Themes • The Dangers of Totalitarianism • Language as a form of Mind Control • Technology • Control of Information and History • Psychological Manipulation • Physical Control