Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

1984 (published in 1949) is George Orwell's powerful dystopian novel depicting a totalitarian future where the state controls every aspect of life. The story follows Winston Smith, a minor worker at the Ministry of Truth in Oceania, one of three global superstates. His job is to rewrite historical records so they align with the Party's propaganda, led by the omnipresent figure of Big Brother. The Party enforces absolute obedience through surveillance, psychological manipulation, and fear. Independent thought—thoughtcrime—is punished severely, and language itself is controlled through Newspeak, designed to eliminate rebellion by narrowing the range of thought. Winston secretly longs for freedom and truth, beginning a forbidden love affair with Julia, a fellow rebel. Together, they dream of overthrowing the Party.However, they are betrayed, arrested by the Thought Police, and tortured by O'Brien, a Party official. Through intense psychological manipulation, Winston is forced to renounce his beliefs and love for Julia, accepting the Party's reality completely. The novel ends with Winston's tragic submission—he loves Big Brother. Orwell's 1984 is a chilling warning about the loss of individuality, truth, and freedom under oppressive regimes.