What Is a 1984 Essay
Let’s start with a definition of essay on 1984. When writing one, you should focus on this famous dystopian book written by a famous British journalist and writer George Orwell in the 1940s, after WWII. It depicts England in the future, ruled by a totalitarian regime. The country's society's economic, intellectual, and moral decay is shown by taking its protagonist’s fate as an example. The protagonist, Winston Smith, tries revolting against the regime but all he can do is write his unloyal thoughts in his diary. In the end, he is arrested. Despite surviving torture chambers, he emerges from the prison as a completely broken person. Smith is not capable of even silently protesting anymore.
1984 Essay Examples & Samples
Are you writing a 1984 symbolism essay? This novel has many allegories, parallels, and allusions. Particularly, in your paper, you may examine:
- Big Brother figure
An authoritarian leader who, at the same time, is an obscure figure and probably does not really exist.
- Ministry of Truth
‘Perfect’ system of information manipulation, where ‘unnecessary’ information is destroyed. New facts are made up massively.
- Old artifacts like Winston’s paperweight
They are the only remaining proof that the past has existed and that Winston’s vague memories about his family might be true.
- Never-ending war
London’s streets are devastated by constant bombing, an allegory of social decay under totalitarian rule.
Need help with symbolism in 1984 essay? We’ve got free examples for that. Scroll down to access them.
1984 Literary Analysis Essay
When doing a literary analysis of 1984, you should focus on the following elements and aspects:
- Plot
Main parts of the story and its key moments. Explain their importance or why Orwell has highlighted them.
- Characters
Winston (the protagonist), Julia, O’Brien, Mr. Charrington, Winston’s coworkers, Proles, and others. You can trace their connections or discuss their importance.
- Setting
Devastated post-war London with occasional bombings still taking place. Its current economic system seems to continue destroying it. You can discuss how Orwell uses this imagery when showing us a bleak future under totalitarian rule.
- Literary devices
Symbolism, allegories, conflicts, hyperboles, metaphors, etc. This novel has many such elements you could analyze.
Have trouble with 1984 literary analysis essay topics? You can check our free samples. Maybe you’ll get some helpful ideas from them.
1984 Argumentative Essay
Interested in some 1984 argumentative essay topics? We have several good suggestions for you here. You can find argumentative samples available below. Check out their structure and reuse it in your work if needed.
Argumentative writing about Orwell’s novel requires making certain claims about its meaning, Winston’s actions, consequences, or world origins. Consider presenting some unusual take on this novel and defend your position. Why do you think you are right? Which facts, hints, or allusions provide ground for your claim?
Some good research should be conducted about this book, and probably other Orwell's works. Strong evidence must be used to back your arguments.
1984 Essay Outline
An outline example for 1984 essay is available here for your convenience. Here are several tips for working on this part of your paper. Let’s suppose that you are analyzing Winston’s psychology:
Introduction
- Start with shaping your thesis statement. It should be clear and straightforward.
- Write several brief phrases disclosing Winston’s story. Some of your readers might not have read this book.
Main body
- Sketch at least three main arguments or key points of your explanation without making any complete sentences at this stage. E.g., mention Winston’s rebellious character, his vague memories about his mother and sister, and his job, which directly contradicts his beliefs.
- Think it through and try logically connecting these elements with each other.
Conclusion
- Summarize your points in brief phrases without repeating anything. Add some interesting notes. E.g., about the contrast between Winston and O’Brien.
1984 Essay Introduction
Here are some detailed guidelines for writing an introduction for 1984 essay:
- Provide your thesis statement at the beginning. It should be one sentence only.
- Add some very brief explanations about this novel and specifically about your thesis. Use notes from the outline to write them.
- Keep it brief, one paragraph would suffice. Most details, evidence, explanations, or arguments should be provided later.
- Try leaving some ‘hook’ in your introduction to engage your audience. For example, mention that this novel was truly insightful – and that you’ll explain why later.
We have some helpful samples for you. Check them out for good ideas you could borrow.
1984 Essay Thesis Statement
Let’s talk in detail about writing George Orwell's 1984 essay thesis. Strong statements should make unexpected claims or highlight some overlooked aspects. Let’s create an example:
Why does Orwell offer no hope in 1984, and is it really true?
It is commonly known that this novel depicts an extremely bleak future. Winston’s quiet mutiny is effectively crushed, even though he survives. He is forced to betray his lover as well as his beliefs. However, you could look at it from some unusual aspects and find hints that there is still some hope for 1984’s society.
Bonus: We have a thesis statement generator. Use it for free as many times as you wish.
1984 Essay Body Paragraph
Need help with your 5 paragraph essay on 1984? Go ahead and examine our example available below. Additionally, here are general guidelines for you:
- Follow the classical structure: 1 paragraph is for the introduction, 1 paragraph is for the conclusion, and the rest 3 paragraphs should be for the main body part.
- The main part should contain your key descriptions and explanations or argumentation. Keep it formal but straightforward.
- Divide it into 2 - 4 paragraphs to separate different arguments or descriptions of different concepts. But keep it logical! The next paragraph should be visibly connected to the previous one.
- Use proper quotes for your descriptions and assumptions.
George Orwell's 1984 Essay Conclusion
What makes a good conclusion for 1984 essay? First of all, this part should summarize all your findings or explanations provided above. Make it clear but brief, no longer than 25% of your entire essay.
You shouldn’t repeat any details or quotes here but try adding some interesting comments about this novel or its protagonist. E.g., you can highlight parallels between Winston Smith and Montag from Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.
Our sample essay with proper conclusions is available below. Check it carefully for some helpful ideas or just for inspiration. You can borrow or reuse anything you find there. Just make sure you don’t copy any content.
How to Write a 1984 Essay
Writing an essay on 1984 and today's society? This is a complicated subject. It allows you to examine different aspects of the interaction between people and the government. Here are some general essay ideas for 1984 and guidelines for writing one:
- Choose some strong topic. E.g., take some unusual glance at individual’s struggle against a totalitarian government. If necessary, perform some preliminary research and collect sources. (For example, notable critique of this book.)
- Start with an outline. Make it very brief but complete. Review it carefully and correct all major issues.
- Write the full text, following the structure recommended above. Format your paper correctly, especially if you use references and citations.
- Think about adding some ‘hooks’ into your introduction and conclusion in order to engage your reader. Your essay shouldn’t be boring if you aim to get a high score.
- After completing your essay, review it once again. If possible, ask someone else to review it for you. A fresh glance could find some issues that you may have missed during writing.
Need more 1984 essay ideas? You can contact us and request professional help from our academic writers!
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1984 Essay Topics Ideas
Need some strong essay topics for 1984? We’ve got your back! Our authors have collected several 1984 essay prompts. Check them out and choose one most relevant for you:
- Can a single intellectual oppose a repressive government? Why was Winston's dissidence doomed?
- Party and Power: Can a society based on lies and hate survive?
- What might cause the fall of Big Brother?
- The Party and objective reality: Can someone decide what is real and what is not?
- How true love empowers an individual struggling with surrounding lies and distrust?
- Is modern technology taking us closer to the world of Big Brother?
- How close does Orwell’s novel describe real totalitarian societies?
- What is the borderline between an efficient government and a descriptive tyranny? How did Orwell’s England fall under the latter?
Would you like to get more 1984 topics for essays? Check out samples available here. Find some new ideas for your paper.
