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1984

Nineteen Eighty-Four, commonly known as 1984, is a dystopian novel by George Orwell, first published in 1949. It presents a totalitarian future in which the superstate Oceania, divided into regional blocs, exercises absolute power. The story centers on Airstrip One, a province of Oceania, where the Party, led by Big Brother, maintains control through pervasive surveillance, censorship, and a language engineered to erase dissent. The protagonist, Winston Smith, works at the Ministry of Truth, where history is constantly rewritten to fit Party doctrine. He becomes increasingly disillusioned with the regime and pursues private rebellion, beginning a forbidden relationship with Julia and seeking personal autonomy in a world where individual thought is criminal.

Key concepts in the novel include Newspeak, Thought Police, telescreens, and the idea of doublethink, which

enable
the
regime
to
control
reality.
After
being
arrested,
Winston
endures
torture
and
reeducation
in
the
Ministry
of
Love
and
is
ultimately
broken,
coming
to
accept
the
Party
and
Big
Brother.
The
work
explores
themes
of
totalitarianism,
the
fragility
of
truth
and
memory,
and
the
coercive
power
of
language.
Since
publication,
it
has
had
a
lasting
impact
on
literature
and
political
discourse,
introducing
terms
such
as
Orwellian,
Big
Brother,
Newspeak,
and
doublethink
into
common
usage.
It
has
been
adapted
for
film,
radio,
and
stage,
and
remains
a
touchstone
in
discussions
of
surveillance,
censorship,
and
state
power.