After finishing the Mistborn series, I decided to try a different genre—dystopian fantasy. That’s how I stumbled upon “1984,” a novel by George Orwell. It’s about a society where one group, the Party, rules everything.
The Party is really crafty at holding on to power. They use many tactics, like spying on people, twisting words and facts, and giving out brutal punishments. They have a knack for controlling what everyone thinks and does. And the worst part? People lose what makes them unique. Their rights and their lives revolve around serving the Party.
This quote from a book has stuck in my head, and I can’t seem to forget it.
Freedom is slavery.
Love is hate.
Ignorance is strength.
In societies like these, keeping the group together means keeping the leader in power. Ultimately, the group’s life depends solely on the survival of the leader or a select group—basically, it’s all about domination. There’s not much room for thinkers or philosophers in such a society. The only slots are for the ruler, like the Lord Ruler in “Mistborn” and Big Brother in “1984”. Thinkers who don’t fit in either get “re-educated” in the Ministry of Love or transformed into less intellectual beings, like the Kandra in “Mistborn.”
I remembered a story a Cambodian boy told me about his parents escaping the Khmer Rouge in the late ’70s. It was much like stories from folks who left Russia and Poland in the ’90s. These stories gave me an odd feeling after reading “1984.” I was scared to check if these stories were real because they might be even more terrible than I thought.
When rulers like these take over, they usually justify their harsh actions. They claim it’s all for the greater good, to crush individuality and personal rights. It’s all about power, control, and setting up a new order or “saving the world.” Interestingly, the Lord Ruler in “Mistborn” was trying to save the world. But he could have done it better like Elend Venture attempted to in the series.
Despite the uncomfortable feeling, “1984” is a fascinating read. It’s scary how the survival of everyone depends entirely on the Party. It shows how absolute control is used to boss people around. But it’s definitely worth the read!”