1984

First Draft

By: George Orwell

Narrated by: Geoffrey Giuliano, The Ark

Length: 3 hrs

Publisher's summary

George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterized by lucid prose, biting social criticism, opposition to totalitarianism, and outspoken support of democratic socialism. Orwell's work remains influential in popular and political culture, and the adjective "Orwellian"—describing totalitarian and authoritarian social practices—is part of the English language, like many of his neologisms, such as "Big Brother", "Thought Police", "Two Minutes Hate", "Room 101", "memory hole", "Newspeak", "doublethink", "proles", "unperson", and "thoughtcrime", as well as providing direct inspiration for the neologism "groupthink".

1984 centers on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviors within society. Orwell modeled the totalitarian government in the novel after Stalinist Russia. More broadly, the novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated.

The story takes place in an imagined future, the year 1984 when much of the world has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, historical negationism, and propaganda. Great Britain, known as Airstrip One, has become a province of a totalitarian superstate named Oceania that is ruled by the Party who employs the Thought Police to persecute individuality and independent thinking. Big Brother, the leader of the Party, enjoys an intense cult of personality despite the fact that he may not even exist. The protagonist, Winston Smith, is a diligent and skillful rank-and-file worker and Outer Party member who secretly hates the Party and dreams of rebellion. He enters into a forbidden relationship with a colleague, Julia, and starts to remember what life was like before the Party came to power.

©1949 George Orwell (P)2022 Icon Audio Arts

Heavily Abridged. How Ironic.

Much of the depth of this text was edited out for the sake of performing it as an audio drama. Many of the ideas present in the text are not explored at all. The book practically jumps from the beginning to the very end, from Winston being a member of the party to being a traitor under torture in the span of under an hour. don't be fooled by the run time either. Part 1 isn't Part 1 of the book, Part 2 is a very shortened adaptation of 99% of the book. Part 3 is Winstons torture at the hands of the party.

Bad dramatization

Everything about it was poorly done. The dramatization was pathetic. No good no good no good

Excellent!

This is put together like a radio drama, with voice actors and contextual sounds. The drama really brings home Orwell’s fears for the future of humanity; in particular the corruption and decimation of language to shrivel human interactions and enforce the power of the State, “Big Brother.” The intro materials—a biography of Orwell, a sort of interview, and a selection of his aphoristic maxims is vivid and informative. Thumbs up!

effective narration

I am used to hearing non-fiction in audible, this was my first fictional novel. I liked the narration. While the first part ki d of throw me off, it effectively ties everything together