1984 by George Orwell

Another interesting dystopian novel. I enjoyed Orwell’s exploration of truth and the consequences of allowing it to become malleable. The role of torture in his fictional world, not merely as a way to scare people into submission but rather as a method of completely changing who people are, is both intriguing and alarming.

Mostly, having just read Brave New World a few weeks ago, I can’t help but compare the two. Although the draconian world of 1984 is disturbing, I find Huxley’s world of perpetual pleasure more interesting, more plausible, and more threatening. At least under Orwell’s regime, life is rough and people therefore might want to overthrow the Party; by contrast, Brave New World presents a life that is so comfortable as to prevent opposition from even arising. I also think Huxley’s depiction is much closer to the state of our modern world. They’re both very thought-provoking reads.

(See my write-up about Brave New World if you’re interested.)