1984

1984 by George Orwell was published in 1949. Set in London thirty-five years in the future, the world has greatly changed. It is now dominated by only three powers – Eastasia, composed of China, Japan, and Southeast Asia; Eurasia, composed of continental Europe and Northern Africa; and Oceania, composed of North and South America and the British Isles. The latter no longer exists as a political entity – they are known as Airstrip Seven. But London is still London, the capital of Airstrip Seven. The novel recounts the life of Winston Smith, a midlevel bureaucrat in a society totally controlled by the Party. At the top are members of the Inner Party, who have luxurious living accommodations and all they want to eat or drink. At Winston’s level – the Outer Party – there is only surveillance and scarcity. Every flat has a telescreen in it which cannot be turned off. The telescreen is a twoway system, which brings into the home the Party’s propaganda, but also enables watchers at some unknown headquarters to view whatever is going on in the home. Members of the Outer Party have to settle for tasteless food and foul-tasting synthetic gin.