1984

Story

In Oceania in 1984, Winston Smith must make a decision regarding his fate. Will he continue to rewrite Times editorials for the Ministry of Truth and comply with the nefarious demands of Big Brother? Or will he risk extinction or imprisonment in the Ministry of Love in order to think freely? His decision launches him on a journey of rebellion, love affair, and ultimately betrayal.

Why we chose it

Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the most significant and influential novels of the 20^th century. Enjoyed by older teenagers, it is often studied for A’ level.

Where it came from

British author, Eric Arthur Blair, aka George Orwell (1903-1950), worked as a police officer in Burma, a journalist, and a propagandist at the BBC. These experiences influenced his character, Winston Smith, and many of the events described in the novel. He wrote the book after his experience in the Second World War and the Spanish Civil War encouraged him to write about political strategies he felt no longer worked.

Where it went next

In its first year of publication, 50,000 copies were sold in Britain alone. It has been translated into over 65 languages and phrases such as “doublespeak” and “Big Brother,” have passed into every day usage. There have been a number of films, one of which was released in 1984. It has been adapted for radio, television and theatre – and there has been both an opera (Covent Garden, 2005) and a ballet (Northern Ballet, 2015).

Associated stories

Other books with dystopian themes for older teenagers include We by Yevgeny Zamyatin , Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Giver by Lois Lowry, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Attwood.

This Story was dedicated in our 1001 Stories Quest appeal in 2018 to raise funds for the capital redevelopment of The Story Museum
To Dennis from Clare
When we first met, you gifted me 1984, a book which I know means a lot to you. I would like to dedicate this copy to you.