Meaning+And+Interpretation


 * There have always been debates about what the correct interpretation of George Orwell’s 1984 is, and what the true meaning of it’s themes and message are. One of the debates about 1984 is whether or not it is a literal and pessimistic prophecy of our political future, or whether it is a dark political and social satire, or a mixture of both. There are many elements of the totalitarian regime in 1984 that have turned out to be prophetic, like modern day increase of government surveillance and an increasingly misinformed citizenry, and these things lend credence to the interpretation of 1984 as a serious warning about the dangers of totalitarianism. Other aspects like the idea of a successful world-domination by dictatorial governments and the absurdities of life in Oceania point to a more satirical style of writing as a method of criticizing the totalitarian regimes of the day and their ideologies.  **
 * There has been speculation about whether or not Orwell’s main target was Stalin’s Communism, Hitler’s Nazism, or simply all totalitarian regimes regardless of there unique politics. The Big Brother government shares similarities with both Stalinism and Hitlerism, and it is likely that the novel was meant as an attack on both ideologies. Many critics interpret 1984 as primarily an attack against the direction that Stalin and other Communist leaders took the ideals of socialism, and how they had corrupted the ideology into a fascist regime. Most critics agree that 1984 is meant as a warning against the evils that result from blindly following leaders and ideologies, regardless of their political nature and their apparent principles. **
 * The novel’s ending alone has led to many different interpretations and explanations about Orwell’s fundamental view of humanity and how man should act. Most critics have viewed 1984’s depressing ending as Orwell’s way of saying that life is meaningless, and that the novel is a representation of defeatism, fatalism and despair. But others have argued that Orwell has faith in humanity and believes in fighting the various evils of totalitarianism. Near the end of the novel the protagonist, Winston Smith, says to O’Brian “I //know// that you will fail. There is something in the universe – I don’t know, some spirit, some principle – that you will never overcome.” “Do you believe in God, Winston?” “No.” “Then what is it, this principle that will defeat us?” “I don’t know. The spirit of Man.” As with most of the book, this statement of defiance can be interpreted in more than one way. Winston’s viewpoint could be seen to be vague and idealistic, a parody of hope for the human race. Or he could be seen as a vocal defender of human integrity and a supporter of it’s fight against totalitarianism and evil.  **