George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” and His Ideas That Are Relevant to the Modern Day Business and Leadership

George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” and His Ideas That are Relevant to the Modern Day Business and Leadership

Author Biography

George Orwell, pseudonym of Eric Blair (born 25 June 1903, Motihari, Bengal, India – died 21 January 1950, London, England). He was a man of strong opinions who addressed some of the major political movements of his times, including imperialism, fascism and communism. He is known for his novels, Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four is an anti-utopian novel that examines the dangers of totalitarian rule.

Story Plot

Winston Smith is a member of the ruling Party in London, Oceania. The Party monitors him through ‘telescreens’ and everywhere he looks, he sees Big Brother, the Party leader. The Party controls everything in Oceania, even the people’s history and language. The Party is forcing the implementation of an invented language called ‘Newspeak’, which attempts to prevent political rebellion by eliminating all words related to it. Even thinking rebellious thoughts is illegal. Such ‘thoughtcrime’ is considered the worst of all crimes. Winston feels frustrated by the oppression. The Party disallows free expression of individuality, including thought and sex. He has illegally purchased a diary to note down his criminal thoughts. He has also become fixated on a powerful Party member named O’Brien, whom Winston believes is a secret member of the Brotherhood – the mysterious, legendary group that works to overthrow the Party.

Winston works in the Ministry of Truth. He begins a covert affair with a coworker, a beautiful dark-haired girl named Julia. As Winston’s relationship with Julia progresses, his hatred for the Party grows more and more intense. At last, he receives the message that O’Brien wants to see him. Winston and Julia travel to O’Brien’s luxurious apartment. O’Brien indoctrinates Winston and Julia into the Brotherhood, and gives Winston a copy of Emmanuel...