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Winston Smith, a minor functionary for the government, lives in a dystopian society where the ruling Party, led by Big Brother, scrutinizes every aspect of people's lives, even their thoughts, through omnipresent surveillance technology. The Party orchestrates a linguistic purge, introducing Newspeak, a language designed to obliterate any words or ideas that could provoke opposition to its rule. Winston, growing increasingly dissatisfied with the Party's oppressive control, procures a forbidden diary to record his subversive thoughts. He also becomes intrigued by O’Brien, a high-ranking Party official whom he suspects to be part of the legendary Brotherhood, an underground organization bent on toppling the Party.

Working at the Ministry of Truth, Winston manipulates past records to align with the Party's current narrative. His fear of detection intensifies when he notices a female colleague, Julia, observing him closely. Despite the Party's historical revisionism, Winston can vaguely remember a past that contradicts the official narrative. Meanwhile, he explores impoverished areas, where the proletariat, or 'proles', live relatively unmonitored lives. His relationship with Julia evolves from paranoia to romance after receiving a love note from her. They clandestinely meet in a rented room in the prole district, where Winston’s contempt for the Party intensifies, while he also awaits a potential meeting with O'Brien.

Their anticipated meeting with O’Brien takes place in his lavish apartment, where he lives a life of privilege as part of the Inner Party. O’Brien admits his own hatred for the Party and confirms his participation in the Brotherhood, subsequently initiating Winston and Julia. O'Brien provides Winston with a forbidden book containing the Brotherhood's ideology. However, their rebellion comes to a sudden halt as they are arrested by the Thought Police; O'Brien is revealed to be a loyal Party member and their landlord, Mr. Charrington, a Thought Police agent. Imprisoned and tortured in the ironically named Ministry of Love, Winston endures psychological manipulation aimed to eradicate his rebellious thoughts. Ultimately, his resistance crumbles in Room 101, where he is tormented with his greatest fear, rats, and betrays Julia. Broken, Winston is released; he encounters Julia but feels nothing. In the end, Winston has fully succumbed to the Party's indoctrination, even proclaiming love for Big Brother.

1984

Down and Out in Paris and London

Sin blanca en París y Londres

An award-winning pig, Old Major, gathers his fellow farm animals for an assembly where he shares his dream of a world where all animals coexist without human oppression. After his death, three younger pigs - Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer - articulate his ideas into a philosophy named Animalism. Through a successful revolt, they oust the human farmer, Mr. Jones, from the property, now renamed as the Animal Farm. With new found passion for the cause, Boxer, the horse, dedicates his strength for the farm's prosperity, vowing to work harder than before.

The Animal Farm initially thrives under the new leadership. Snowball focuses on teaching the animals to read while Napoleon takes the young pups under his wing to instill in them the principles of Animalism. Despite defeating Mr. Jones again in what would later be referred to as the Battle of the Cowshed, internal disagreements between Napoleon and Snowball escalate. Napoleon ruthlessly drives Snowball away from the farm with his pack of dogs, thus assuming undisputed authority and dismantling the democratic structure of the farm. He now declares that only pigs will make decisions for the collective good.

Napoleon suddenly reverses his stance on the windmill project previously proposed by Snowball, and the animals, particularly Boxer, devote themselves to its completion. When the windmill collapses, Napoleon blames it upon Snowball's sabotage. Any animal questioning Napoleon's leadership meets a swift end by the dogs. Napoleon, with his authority unchallenged and his deeds justified by his propagandist, starts displaying human-like behaviors - sleeping in a bed, drinking alcohol, and trading with other farmers. Betraying his loyal workforce, Napoleon sells the injured and aging Boxer for whiskey money. Over the years, the pigs grow more human-like, and the original principles of Animalism are manipulated to justify their actions. By the end, the animals peering through the farmhouse window can no longer differentiate between the pigs and the humans.

9 Best George Orwell Books of All Time

1984

Down and Out in Paris and London

Animal Farm

Homage to Catalonia

The Road to Wigan Pier

Keep the Aspidistra Flying

Coming Up for Air

A Clergyman's Daughter

Burmese Days

Sources

What To Read Next

9 Best George Orwell Books of All Time

1984

Down and Out in Paris and London

Animal Farm

Homage to Catalonia

The Road to Wigan Pier

Keep the Aspidistra Flying

Coming Up for Air

A Clergyman's Daughter

Burmese Days

Sources

What To Read Next

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