BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

[dark]

Just finished "Brave New World" and just started "1984," and right off I notice something odd. Extreme specifications, almost to the point of absurdity. First page, I see a man going to his flat and while doing so we are told every damn detail, even a brief medical history haha, I am extremely unused to this kind of writing.

Anyhow I am excited about this book, so going to go back and continue reading.

Also, how do you feel about the writing style in "1984?" To me it is just odd as I wrote above, but that is just one perspective.

 

[dark]

Okay I must ask, what type is George Orwell? I have read "Animal Farm" before when I was in high school, and just like here in "1984" I am having extreme trouble understanding what the hell is going on. All the extreme specific detail... I want to enjoy it, but I fear I need to reread the first chapter since all I have gotten so far is "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU." I don't remember anything else haha.

Edit: I think my reason for not understanding what I am reading is the mass amount of distractions I currently have. I am not able to really concentrate enough to read, so ignore my comment on it being odd. I will try to reduce my distractions and give it another try, also maybe wearing my glasses would help.

Second Edit: Okay removed my distractions and started again... and wow. The detail is still odd to me, but wow. The reading process is so different from what I'm used to, I felt more like I was there, I guess the detail does it's job, I smell the world, I feel the world, I taste the air and I start to feel fear and a horrible overwhelming terror comes over me as I delve deeper into this book. It somehow becomes alive, most books do for me, but this is different from how it usually happens, so much that I am unable to explain what I really mean with definitive words.

 

[Hadoblado]

mmmmmmmhaven't read it in 10 years, you have not only inspired me to go find a copy but to read brave new world as well. One of my favourite books of all time, I can't rly remember the writing style but I'll come back to this thread once my quest is complete.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

I loved 1984. The writing style, yeah, is a little strange but that kind of lends to the surrealism of Oceania. i also had fun reading Part 3 and some of the conversations that they had during that part.

 

[snafupants]

Supposedly there are approximately two million more cameras than citizens in London: there are ten million cameras in London. The chief thing I took away from Brave New World, and what seemed so prescient at the time, was how Soma mirrored how we today ubiquitously use anti-depressants and anti-anxiety and pro-erection medications. Getting back to surveillance, although I have heard that half of regular phone calls in the US are tapped by government proxy organizations, there is solace in knowing that the amount of information is overwhelming and your life probably fails to interest anyone but yourself and your coterie, if anyone.

 

[shoeless]

in north korea they have actual telescreens.

yeah, it's pretty fucked up.

 

[dark]

So is it like telescreens in the book? As in, can't be turned off, always listening in, sounds can be turned down a little light can be dimmed and all?

That is fucked up.

 

[shoeless]

when i read 1984 for senior english, we had to write an essay in which we compare orwell's fictional big brother world to a real-life fucked up big brother-esque country today. that was the day after i watched that documentary on north korea. easiest essay i ever wrote.