1984

1984 is a dystopian social science fiction novel and is written by English novelist George Orwell. The story takes place in an imagined future (the year 1984) when much of the world has fallen victim to totalitarianism, mass surveillance, manipulation of the past and propaganda.

The superstate is called Oceania and is ruled by the Party who employ Thought Police, whose job it is to persecute individuality and independent thinking. Winston Smith is the protagonist of the novel and although he is a responsible and reliable worker in the system, he dreams of rebellion. When his colleague, Julia, and him begin a forbidden relationship, he begins to remember what life was like before the Party came to power.

The novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated. Many of the terms and concepts found throughout the book - such as Big Brother, doublethink, thoughtcrime, Newspeak, and Memory hole, have become contemporary vernacular.