Book Review: 1984
I love books but I take terrible care of them. My library fines are exhorbitant. So I have taken a great liking to online book publishers that make classic texts available on the internet. In this case, I just finished re-reading George Orwell’s classic dystopian book 1984. I can’t recall if I read this book while still a young high-schooler or as a single mom. I can’t quite remember. However, I really loved this book the first time I read it and I loved it even more on this lovely Easter long weekend. When I read it the first time I remember being horrified by all the ways that the government can and does manipulate the media. The use of torture, the constant surveillance of your thoughts and deeds by the Thoughtpolice, the use of Newspeak, the manipulation of language, all stuck out in my mind. But you know what? I completely missed Winston’s relationship with Julia. How does that even happen? Winston, the middle-aged chain-smoking alcoholic, is the main character. His devoping relationship with Julia is a primary feature of the plot in this book and I forgot all about her! I’m horrified. Julia is the one that finally gets Winston to openly defy the State and Big Brother by sneaking off for sexy afternoon trysts in the Golden Meadow. Her casual use of sex as a way to undermine the State was quite beautiful. I even forgot about the puritanical Anti-Sex League. How can one forget the Anti-Sex League, being reborn in modern times as the “Sarah Palin’s daughter does the shame-faced chastity pageant walk”? The only thing Orwell missed out on were the D.A.R.E or Anti-Drug League. That would have been sweet. The only thing that terrifies people more than teenage sexuality is teenage drug use. It’s a great way to stir up parental rage.
Oh and that was a spoiler. There is an Anti-Sex League in the book. However, those spoilers are just enough to pique your curiosity and no excuse not to read this classic. It really is quite good in a “staring at a train wreck” sort of way.
April 14th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I just read Down and Out in Paris and London – a chronicle of Orwell’s misspent youth among the tramps in England and the poor of Paris. What a great writer.
So when will you write your 1984?
April 14th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Oh you flatter me! I’m too busy with my pot activism for that right now.