Notes for 1984 by George Orwell

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1984

Author- George Orwell

Genre- Fiction

Original Publication Date- 1949

Characters-

Winston Smith- A minor member of the ruling Party in near-future London, thin, frail, contemplative, intellectual, and fatalistic thirty-nine-year-old, hates the totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristic of his government, harbors revolutionary dreams.

Julia- Winston's lover, beautiful dark-haired girl, works in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth, enjoys sex and claims to have had affairs with many Party members, pragmatic and optimistic, her rebellion against the Party is small and personal, for her own enjoyment

O'Brien- mysterious, powerful, and sophisticated member of the Inner Party, Winston believes he is also a member of the Brotherhood, the legendary group of anti-Party rebels

Big Brother- he never appears in the novel and he may not actually exist, the perceived ruler of Oceania, posters are everywhere with Big Brother's face bearing the message "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.", Big Brother's image is stamped on coins and broadcast on the unavoidable telescreens, it haunts Winston's life and fills him with hatred and fascination

Mr. Charrington- old man who runs a secondhand store in the prole district, kindly and encouraging, he seems to support Winston's rebellion against the Party and his relationship with Julia, he rents Winston a room without a telescreen to carry out his affair, he is a member of the Thought Police

Syme- intelligent, outgoing man, who works with Winston at the Ministry of Truth, specializes in language, he is working on a new edition of the Newspeak dictionary, Winston thinks Syme is too intelligent to stay in the Party's favor

Parsons- fat, obnoxious, and dull Party member, lives near Winston and works at the Ministry of Truth, has a dull wife and a group of suspicious, ill-mannered children who are members...