In 1984, George Orwell imagines a highly developed society in which people do not share the political orthodoxy. These are subject to manipulation and control. Orwell creates a dystopia, a fictional setting in which life is incredibly difficult due to scarcity, oppression, and terror. In Orwell’s dystopia, people have no control over their lives; almost all good emotions are suppressed. Today, we will give insight into the 10 meaningful 1984 quotes of George Orwell.
Who is George Orwell?
Eric Arthur Blair, well-known by his pen name George Orwell, was born on June 25, 1903. He is a renowned novelist, essayist, and critic. Furthermore, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four are among his great works. He was a man with strong beliefs who spoke out against some of his era’s most important political movements, such as communism, fascism, and imperialism. See more details provided on the map above.
Most Insightful Orwell’s 1984 Quotes
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four book contains remarkable passages that might change your perception of life. Here, we have handpicked and reviewed some of the 1984 quotes that gave sense to the book itself.
1. “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen”
Written in 1948 and published the following year, Nineteen Eighty-Four contains Orwell’s most well-known opening sentence. Clocks “striking thirteen” is Orwell’s way of immediately defamiliarizing the world he is presenting to us. Thirteen hundred hours is, of course, one in the afternoon on a 24-hour clock. However, church bells do not operate on that basis which makes it even more intriguing and catches readers’ attention.
2. “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.”
This is one of the most important 1984 book quotes. The Party that Big Brother, the nation’s leader in Oceania, has been using this slogan to alert the public. It reminds them that Big Brother is keeping an eye on them all. Therefore, everyone must adhere to the Party’s guidelines or else suffer the penalties. To emphasize how vital this instruction is, the slogan is presented in all capital letters.
3. “Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your own nervous system.”
The main character of the book, Winston Smith, is thinking things over. He is keeping a diary, which could be seen as a sign of disobedience. Further, he implies in this 1984 quote that he might experience health problems with his nervous system. He is conscious of the possibility that his internal strain will show, and he may be taken into custody. The Party’s control over its people’s thought processes is demonstrated in this quotation.
4. “At the sight of the words I love you the desire to stay alive had welled up in him, and taking of minor risks suddenly seemed stupid”
This passage can be found in the second section’s first chapter. It is among the crucial George Orwell 1984 quotes when Winston read “I love you” from Julia’s note. After that, they felt intimate and cannot stop falling in love with each other. Even if Winston thought that is pointless to take small risks, he still do for his love for Julia. He also feels that she makes him feel alive every single day.
5. “If you kept the small rules, you could break the big ones.”
Winston and Julia continue to meet in private and engage in their secret affair in book 2, chapter 3. Due to the continual threat of the Thought Police and ongoing government surveillance, Winston and Julia struggle to find time to engage in their relationship. However, they are able to meet in an abandoned church in the country. This 1984 quote is also Julia’s philosophy that provides a good cover for her illegal acts as she had a reputation for being a good Party member.
6. “The past was dead, the future was unimaginable”
This brief passage appears in the book’s second chapter. It is significant because it demonstrates how the past is changed. So that it is equal to zero, or almost dead, for the people. When working at the party office, Winston Smith is experiencing some strange feelings. He believes that the past is more in front of him than the future. And he finds it difficult to imagine what might occur. Thus, in this 1984 book quote, he is unaware of the time because of his work with the Ministry of Truth.
7. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”
The novel’s first chapter contains several quotes of this style. These catchphrases are used by Oceania’s Ministry of Truth. Moreover, they were created by the dominant political group, “The Party,”. In order to influence and rule people’s thoughts and to express beliefs from the Party. It is about what is and is not significant to them. In other words, these maxims suggest that people embrace these truths.
8. “In the face of pain there are no heroes.”
This is another significant George Orwell 1984 quotes that highlight the complexity of the book and the world it imagined. Winston Smith, who plays the character, muses about this sentence while being tortured. He acknowledges to himself that he is weaker than he had hoped. He claims that experiencing physical agony is the worst thing in the universe. When it comes to suffering, there are “no heroes.”
9. “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
One of the most well-known lines from George Orwell’s 1984 is this. The statement is one of several Party catchphrases that describes Oceania in some detail. It provides information to the reader regarding the goals and intents of the Inner Party. They try to alter the past in order to alter the future. Through concepts like “memory holes” and brainwashing, these two phenomena are closely related and are illustrated for the reader.
10. “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”
This 1984 book quote is taken from Chapter 3 of Part III. O’Brien, who recently acknowledged that he is in charge of the Ministry of Love, is the one who says it. He is in the process of trying to re-brainwash Winston Smith back into the Party. In addition to this, it is to blame for all that has occurred to him. But only so that they might later murder him.
Conclusion
Above, Orwell attempts to teach the reader about the outcome of particular political ideologies and the flaws in human nature. With his 1984 quotes, he has touches lives and changes many people’s way of living. Some of these significant passages were discussed in this blog. We hope you have learned something from it and please follow GitMind.
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