Revenge on Mitch ;-)

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Country Families : One Thread

Why did George Orwell name his book Nineteen Eight-Four? I just read it and found it fascinating.

-- Randal (randal@rhyme.cjb.net), November 22, 2001

Answers

Because He could not count!-Just kidding, I have no idea. Happy Thanksgiving.-God Bless

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), November 22, 2001.

Published in London, 1949, the novel was about futuristic life as seen in a totalalistic government situtation where thought was reserved for a few "insiders". The authur antisipated this happening in 1984, as world regions were at war with each other.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), November 22, 2001.

Yep, that's right Mitch, but doesn't explain the reasoning behind the title. Orwell always spelled out the date, by the way.

-- Randal (randal@rhyme.cjb.net), November 22, 2001.

Well Georgy boy , was satirizing reality. Exaggerating the truth. Like that Freedom is war, Slavery is Freedom, all that fun stuff. And the way they made people forget something that happened. LIke redoing the history books. Maybe i'm cinical. But schools are dumbing down school work , kids get praise for knowing a moderate amount of things (not saying they shoudn't get praise), and then we're taught to love ourselves, man is strong...We're a bunch of cave people, survival of the fittest....OK enough JILL! I read the book last year, i hated it the whole way through, then when i was finished , I though either he's brilliant or that was the most annoying piece of boring literature ever!

ok i'm finished

-- jillian (daffodil_skunk83@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.


Jillian, have you read anything of Ayn Rand's? I get the same feeling you just described, for both Orwell and Rand. Just the same, I feel they're...how can I put this...well, plainly...important political and social observances. I also usually have a generally "disturbed" feeling after reading them. Sort of like "please don't tell me the world is something other than it is". Make sense?

-- Rheba (rhebabeall@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.


Must proof read, must proof read, must...

Observances??= observations.

Please don't tell me that the world isn't the way *I think* it is.

I must be too busy thinking of all the turkey (yum) being devoured by you Americans tonight! : )

-- Rheba (rhebabeall@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.


Ann Rand's books are sloggers. Horribly overwritten, but, as you say, important social literature.

I hated The Great Gatsby the first time I read it, too, but got to where I could tolerate it. I never could figure out why it is considered a great piece of fiction.

Randal, have you read Brave New World? The Handmaid's Tale? There are a couple of other titles that fortell a dismal future for society. Personally, I prefer Native Tongue, by Suzette Haden Elgin. Futuristic, but focuses on language and the battle of the sexes.

Going to sleep off some turkey. Huggs to all.

Rose

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.


Rose, I've been out of the picture as far as fiction is concerned. I guess living in Brazil does that to you. All I see in the used bookstore are Tom Lancey and friends.

Okay, everybody decided to talk around our revenge question. Here's the answer, according to Richard Lederer's The Miracle of Language:

Orwell (penname by the way) wrote most of the book in 1948. He merely reversed the last two digits, by which he wanted to show "that within a single generation democracy and freedom could vanish from history to be replaced by an all-controlling tyranny."

Any lessons for our present struggle against terrorism?

Happy post-Thanksgiving to all. I kept my veg style with a special Shepherd's Pie, sweet and sour carrots, and slaw for a candle-light family dinner (supper for us Arkansawyers). November 28 is Brazil's Day of Thanksgiving.

Blessings to all!

-- Randal (randal@rhyme.cjb.net), November 23, 2001.


Well i must say that i have not read any of her work.. I usually stick to pretty homey/camp fire/warm fuzzy reading. Except the Left Behind series, and the "I kissed Dating goodbye " , BUT my absolute favorite book is THE BLUE CASTLE. has anyone read it??? Its by L.M Montgomery . If you have teenagers, they'll love it. If they don't. well...they dont'. BUT IT'S GOOD!

-- jillian (daffodil_skunk83@hotmail.com), November 24, 2001.

My favorite "get lost in fantasy and kill the bad guys books" are the Dune series by Frank Herbert. I hated it when it was first suggested but after I got into it Whooo boy. Could not stand the movie.

-- Tom (Calfarm@msn.com), November 26, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ