shauna’s Reviews > 1984 > Status Update

W meets girl, finally knows what it feels to savour sensations.

She's a decade-ish younger than him. Represents a generation depoliticised & apathetic about Inner Circle. Born in time when BB was already in power. Doesn't think about the fall of the regime - rather, how she can live and enjoy herself now despite restrictions.

Everything they do for pleasure is never for pleasure alone, has a political side to it.

Absorbed in this nightmarish world where "truth" is not what your eyes, ears and head tells you, but the people up there.

W experiences a small victory where he pep-talks himself into holding on to the unswayable and unalterable Truth that he believes to be real.

Fascinating look into a world of oppression. Interesting to see how ruling party tries to control thought by placing limits on language. Wonder whether that would work IRL. W seems to be doing an adequate job of thinking deviant thoughts - that he has the appropriate vocab for such thoughts + vague memories of a BB-less time might contribute to that. ESL students might have an easier time w Newspeak than English lol.