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George Orwell (aka Eric Arthur Blair, 1903–1950) was a visionary British novelist, essayist and critic.
Among other things, he wrote 2 books that remain apropos: ‘ANIMAL FARM’ and ‘1984.’
It is the latter I wish to address.
It was published in 1949.
The plot is well known, but I will reference it from time to time.
Winston Smith is an ordinary man, a small cog in the much larger wheel of Oceania, in the aftermath of WWIII.
The world order has been re-aligned, much as what was once a single large land mass, Pangaea, became the map of today.
Rather than 195 nations, as exist today, there are 3 realms of superstates in ‘1984’: Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia.
Since no superstate can prevail in conflict, there is a relative stalemate.
Smith lives in what was once London, and it is a dreary existence indeed.
His job is to rewrite the past to conform with the present.
Most that was once written needs be rewritten.
