A Study on George Orwell's 1984: Totalitarianism and Language Manipulation
Table of Contents
George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, completed in 1948 and published the following year, has become one of the most influential and thought-provoking novels of the 20th century. This study aims to delve into some of the most iconic quotes from the novel and explore their significance in shaping the themes of totalitarianism and language manipulation. Through an analysis of these quotes, we will gain insights into Orwell's portrayal of a dystopian future and its eerie parallels with aspects of the real world.
The Defamiliarising World: 'Clocks Striking Thirteen'
In the opening line of the novel, Orwell sets a peculiar scene: "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." The phrase "striking thirteen" serves as a literary device to defamiliarize the reader with the world he presents. In the 24-hour clock system, thirteen-hundred hours corresponds to one in the afternoon, yet conventional clocks do not chime thirteen t…