1984 critics and context

Question 1

Marxist

Answer 1

Privileged ruling minority vs oppressed and impoverished masses reflects Marx’s concept of the bourgeoisie and proletariat
‘If there is hope it lies in the proles’ (revolution of the workers)

Question 2

Plot

Answer 2

Plot resembles ‘We’ a 1921 dystopian criticism of soviet social engineering

Question 3

Similar allegorical style to…

Answer 3

Animal farm

Question 4

“Work camps”

Answer 4

Gulags and Laogai

Question 5

“Great purges”

Answer 5

Echoes of 30s Stalin

Question 6

“Rocket bombs”

Answer 6

Raids I’m WWII

Question 7

Anti Semitic

Answer 7

Gee I wonder

Question 8

Big Brother

Answer 8

Hitler or Stalin

Symbol of dictatorship

Question 9

Orwell’s other inspirations

Answer 9

Huxley’s Brave New World (theme of social conditioning vs human nature and sedation throughly shallow entertainment)
London’s The Iron Wheel (portrayed the rise of fascism in the us)

Question 10

Paul Ball

Answer 10

“Women are at the margins… existing mainly as a source of frustration, irritation or temptation”

Fem

Question 11

Douglass Kellner

Answer 11

Orwell “projects an image of totalitarian societies which conceptualises his experiences of Fascism and Stalinism”
His fears ➡️ this hardening, intensifying and spreading

Question 12

Bowker

Answer 12

“The continuing popularity of 84 is a reminder to the threat to democracy posed by those with power who proclaim ‘alternative facts’ and deny objective truths”