The Sophomore English classes have nearly completed their reading of 1984 by George Orwell. This book covers essential political topics and has created controversy for years, making it a necessary book to be read with peers, growing and learning their way through politics.
Class time consists of heavy conversations and deep analysis. Chapter by chapter, the students converse with each other regarding their interpretations of the book. 1984 is a book read by generations since publication; however, it has more relevance to the current state of the world now than ever before.
The first part of the novel introduces topics of simplification and rectification of the past. Tactics such as the manipulation of citizens by political figures and the diminishment of individual rights directly relate to what people in our life have become unfortunately familiar with. The book brings up the topic of blindly following, this called Duckspeak within the novel. Duckspeak can be seen in our current society by those who refuse to educate themselves on relevant and threatening topics. Those who find themselves following the easy option, repeating patterns when voting for officials, and preaching policies they don’t understand. These are all acts of duckspeak.
As previously stated, manipulation of the past and present is not an uncommon scene within the story. The defensiveness of citizens when controversy emerges, the expeditious change regarding people’s viewpoints once something physically occurs to them, while still privately believing their original claim. This resembles an act in the book called doublethink. Doublethink is the ability to believe in two things at once, similar to how often people support 2nd Amendment Rights until they’re directly affected by it, claiming it’s heinous and should be relinquished, though previously they claimed it to be a basic human right.
Doublethink as a concept is also relevant in our society when an elected official will change their stance on political controversy. In recent years, it has been repeatedly noticed that officials will change their ideals depending on what will earn them the best response from their voters. Because of this, it is extremely difficult to vote for someone who aligns with your ideals because they are constantly lying and have no particularly unshakable stances.
The evident quality of lying to receive votes is a deliberate desperacy for power, also a concept explored in 1984. The lengths people are willing to go to for power is becoming increasingly concerning. As represented in the novel, the point of the Party (the organization that acts as a political party) is simply for the thrill of power, stopping at nothing to achieve it. This is a parallel to our society where officials tend to think personally about their own wants rather than in consideration of the people.
Taking all of this into consideration, it is important to read this book and have discussions over these concepts. It has never been as relevant as it is now, and will likely continue to become more pertinent considering the trends in our society. With many people living in fear, confusion, ignorance, and hopelessness, this novel is all the more crucial to be analyzed. Our society can’t grow and learn without understanding the past, and this book is a key to the growth of young minds.
