Thank you, Curious. I agree that this is definitely a book you can't overanalyze, otherwise you'd drive yourself crazy trying to unlock every clue. It's just that some have told me how eerie/scary the story becomes at certain parts, so I thought I was missing something. Now, I think I may start from...

^^ as I said, a complete mixture of both. We have no grasp of reality anymore - we can't tell what's real from fake - whether it be fear tactics, or indulgence tactics. As they said in 1984, "In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it .... F...

See, now I see a mixture of both. I see them using terrorism tactics, but at the same time, keeping us dumbed-down with a plethora of temporary indulgences - i.e. the mindlessness of media and pop culture.

Yes, I think Fahrenheit 451 was terrifyingly accurate (I definitely have to read that one again!) and, my personal favorite, Brave New World, which was much more morally-centered, whereas 1984 is fear/hate-centered. Also, has anyone ever read "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin? I've had it collectin...

I agree. And what made the ending even more difficult to digest was how Winston wasn't just trying to cover up his love for Julia, and vice-versa, but that he actually did not feel it anymore. The state took away his ability to love her. That was the tragedy. I agree we live in a world of extreme po...

Would anyone like to share some of your favorite quotes or lines from the book? I'll start: One of the most powerful statements made, in my opinion, is when Septimus is being examined by Dr. Holmes, who claims Septimus should "spend as little time thinking about himself." "Once you st...

I adore this book. In a way, it's a bit of a love story, too. Isn't it? It is. I remember how my heart sunk towards the end when Winston and Julia tried to touch hands (or make contact in some way) and felt nothing. For me, the passage that you describe above is the most disturbing piece of fiction...

Yep, there are books you take to the beach, or on the subway, or to the bathroom...and then there are books where you seal your bedroom door shut with insulation foam, send the kids to the movies, sedate the dog, place noise-reduction ear phones on your head, and then read. :lol: Yes! You know, I'm...

I adore this book. In a way, it's a bit of a love story, too. Isn't it? It is. I remember how my heart sunk towards the end when Winston and Julia tried to touch hands (or make contact in some way) and felt nothing - that the state had officially won its battle. It killed me. And the last line, &qu...

Well, at least I don't feel like it's just me anymore who's having a hard time getting through the book. It's not that bad, but it takes time to let everything sink in. She tends to jump from character to character without any warning, so it's hard to follow along.