This article is a plot summary of the science
fiction book Nineteen Eighty Four by
GeorgeOrwell. It is about a dictator called
Big Brother who is all-powerful. The only
personwho is considered capable of
stopping him is Goldstein, and his chances
are slim.
Plot Summary: Nineteen Eighty Four, by
George Orwell
George Orwell's real name was Eric Arthur
Blair. He was born in Montihari, Bengal on
June 25, 1903. He was brought to England
from the then British colony of India by his
mother Ida when he was one year old. He
died on January 21, 1950. Two of his most
important works were Animal Farm and
Nineteen Eighty-Four. Nineteen Eighty-Four
was published in 1949.
NineteenEighty-Four is a science fiction
book about totalitarianism. Big Brother, as
he calls it, is an all-powerful dictator. The
book starts with the main character Winston
Smith,an employee of the Records
Department. He is in a totalitarian
government that has posters all over that
say Big Brother is Watching You. The
government is divided into four
departments, called ministries: the Ministry
of Truth, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry
of Love, and the Ministry of Plenty. The
Ministry of Truth is in charge of news,
education, fine arts, etc. The Ministry of
Peace is in charge of war. The Ministry of
Love maintains law and order. The Ministry
of Plenty handles economic matters.
Thereare no laws in Oceania, the name of
the state Winston Smith lives in. However,
any action not understood could be
punished by death. For example, Winston
Smith can only tell how old he is by guessing
because the state does not allow keeping
records. The Two Minute Hate is a
mandatory meeting that was usually
directed against Emmanuel Goldstein, an
enemy to the state. Goldstein was previously
one of the leaders of the Party. He is thought
to be behind an attempted overthrow of the
state. Winston Smith is one of the few who
realizes Goldstein is not to be hated. He
hates Big Brother, the Party, and the
Thought Police, who put to death anyone
who does not do what The government
wants. During the Two Minute Hate a picture
of Big Brother appears on a big screen. And
after that three slogans of questionable
worth appear: War Is Peace, Freedom Is
Slavery, and Ignorance Is Strength.
TheThought Police do not allow any
thoughts against their Party. They call any
thought against the state a Thoughtcrime.
Anyone guilty of a Thoughtcrime is put to
death without arrest or trial. Records of
them are also discarded. Winston Smith
writes Down with Big Brother several times
in his diary. This is two Thoughtcrimes:
writing against the state and keeping a
diary. Winston Smith is married, but he can
only guess that his wife is alive because the
state does not recognize his marriage. He
has an affair with Julia, but she is not
interested in Newspeak, the language the
Party is slowly changing to.
Ahigh-ranking officer of the Party named
O'Brien gives Winston details of an
organization called the Brotherhood. It is led
by Goldstein and is working on an attempt
to overthrow the state. The Brotherhood are
unknown to each other, making it
impossible for any of them to be reported to
the Thought Police, whether or not force is
used. O'Brien also gives Winston a copy of a
book aimed against the Party that is written
by Goldstein. Winston reads some of the
book to Julia. Suddenly, a voice from a
speaker warns Winston and Julia that they
are caught. Sure enough, it is the Thought
Police.
Atthe start of Part Three, Winston Smith
wakes up in what he thinks is probably the
Ministry of Love. There are Party criminals
and ordinary criminals. Since the Ministry of
Love does not have any windows, he cannot
tell which floor he is on. Amazingly O'Brien is
theperson who reported about the illegal
actions of Winston and Julia to the Thought
Police. O'Brien uses a device that he can use
to inflict pain while he questions Winston.
He asks him who Oceania is at war with,
how many fingers is he holding up, etc. He
tells Winston he was brought to the Ministry
of Love to be cured of his wrongdoings. But
then he seems to contradict what he said
when he tells Winston he will not be capable
of realizing what love or friendship is.
O'Brien claims the ideas of the state will be
imposed upon Winston. Later Winston
worries that Oceania might win the war.