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1984 commentery - part of the text

6. 11. 2013

Nothing is what it seems

                Text D is a snatch from George Orwell’s novel 1984, in which Julia and Winston discuss the symbolization and significance of an old crystal paper weight, which is a symbol of freedom, therefore freedom can be considered as a main subject of the text. The whole book together with this text is written for middle and lower class people, living in conditions of communism; however this part of the book is an example from a daily life, how looks can be deceptive; therefore also nowadays people can take a lesson from this case. The purpose is to show both types of readers that what seems wonderful can actually be evil and vice-versa.

                The book itself was written in 1948, when the communism was spreading all around Western Europe, therefore George Orwell used this situation as a main theme in order to warn western inhabitants against regime that might have changed their lives completely. In the text a beautiful picture of a church appears, but in the end, telescreens, a symbol of evil is found behind the painting. This scene applies to both types of readers and basically gives them a same message. While for ordinary people like us nowadays it says that nothing is what it seems be, for people of 1950’s it means that even though communism may look good and bearable at the start, it can chop off your head in the end. I would very likely say that “it’s a message from hundred years ago, if one knew how to read it.”

Throughout the text, the feelings of the reader change and the atmosphere goes from very calm to almost a bit scary. In the very beginning, we can see Julia with a piece of bread and a jam, which is absolutely new, forbidden and therefore exciting. Words such as “plumping” “comfortable” or “amusement” gives the readers impression of safety and certainty. Afterwards the readers are supposed to start thinking about the history and significance of the glass paperweight and the mood starts to change. Suddenly, the feeling of safety is gone. It disappears at the point, where the painting is mentioned. On the contrary, it is something mysterious and by mentioning “here’s where that brute stuck his nose out” the atmosphere starts to be negative again. The pessimistic and dark mood is expressed by using words such as “kicking” “owe” “chopper” or “end”. Choice of words like this is a very effective method used to totally change the whole mood and tone of the text and moreover it is a great way of foreshadowing events that are about to come.

Even though the whole novel is a complete fiction, its purpose is to show ordinary people how a regime lead by one person such as Big brother can be difficult and how things can change from minute to minute. The painting is one of the main symbols in 1984 and while reading this snatch after finishing the book, it seems for the reader like an irony. It is so, because something that you considered as interesting and beautiful turns to be the thing that unexpectedly betrays you. However people don’t often admit it to themselves which is the whole purpose of this part of the book. The writer wants the reader to feel familiar with this kind of situation. That is why the whole novel takes place in a real world with a real people. As the communism was the regime of Eastern Europe, Orwell wanted to make the ordinary people more careful about what they do, so he chose didactic tone of the text.

The narrator of the text is a third person omniscient, which means the mood is intense and indented readers may find the atmosphere familiar. The feelings of main characters are well expressed by their acts and thoughts and moreover the overall mood is supported by the author’s description of setting. Over the story, mainly optimistic and pessimistic mood change in period, which we can see right in the sample text. Dynamic adverbs are used to clearly define which one is about to appear. In the end of the text there is a metaphor that definitely brings the pessimistic mood back into the text. When Julia says that she does not remember how the rhyme goes on, but she knows how it ends up, it basically means she knows how she and Winston will end up. And despite the facts candle lighting someone to bed seems nice and calm, afterwards the happiness disappears when a chopper comes to chop off your head.

In my personal opinion, text D is a part of 1984, which I really liked the most for several reasons. Firstly as I already described, I love the way the mood suddenly changes and unexpected things happens. After that the foreshadowing is simply brilliant and even though some I did not understand some of the metaphors or symbols until I finished the book and in the end they resonated with me the strongest.   Also a great part of the text is when Julia says:”Here’s where that brute stuck his nose out” pointing at the picture, so whenever the painting appeared in the text again, I was so curious about what is going to happen. As I am also a part of the intended audience, the text made me think about if everything is really just as I see it. All in all, I think the text leaves a lasting impression on the reader that will stay with them forever.

                (925)

 

 

 

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