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1984 (1948 – 49) by George Orwell is not an objective prediction of how life in the year 1984 will be like, but it is warning (avvertimento). Orwell wants to alert his readers to certain dangers which he was witnessing (vedendo con i suoi occhi). In the book, Orwell explains the society of 1941: it is an oligarchic society, where a form of a small group exercises control. This oligarchic society is corrupted and exists because the small group which rules (governa) it tyrannizes and corrupts the large majority of the people. 1984 is not a criticism of life in 20th century, a life Orwell experienced in Burma, Paris, London, Wigan and it is not simply a satire against communism alone because Orwell foretold (predisse) the abuse of power (abuso di potere) in all states not just in the Communist ones. The novel, told by an omniscient narrator, develops (si sviluppa) following the life of Winston Smith, who represents Everyman, from the moment in which he understands the real aims (scope) of the government on. The book is divided into tree parts with an Appendix about the Principles of Newspeak. Each part is divided into sections which represent scenes taken from the daily life of Winston Smith in the year 1984.
Part One consists of 8 sections which describe the society in which the characters live. It presents Smith’s growing awareness (crescente presa di coscienza) of himself as an individual who sees the horrors of the totalitarian world in which he lives. It chronicles the decline’ of Smith’s relationship with his society.
Part Two consists of 10 sections and contains the progressive hostility and actual (vera) rebellion of W. Smith toward the Party and Big Brother. It begins with Smith’s discovery of Julia and their growing love (amore che cresce) . It ends with their betrayal (tradimento) to the Thought Police.
Part Three consists of 6 sections and it is the shortest and the most tragic part. It contains Smith’s treatment and conversion in the Ministry of Love. It chronicles the Party’s salvation of W. Smith. The Party’s methods of salvation are brainwashing and torture. At the end of the novel Smith is a mere (solo) shell (= guscio) of a man.