Literary Style Of 1984 By George Orwell

Every piece of literature contains a distinct style of writing because every author interprets and creates ideas individually. This individuality leads towards the inclusion or exclusion of specific devices that an author believes contribute to the overall effectiveness of their work. In the case of George Orwell’s novel 1984, a pessimistic style is used brilliantly in order to paint a hideously dull and corrupt dystopian society. This novel, written in 1949 around the time of World War II, is a criticism of the totalitarianism present in Europe at that time. Orwell manages to maintain a false sense of hope throughout the novel in both the characters and the reader. It is only in the conclusion of the novel that he completely obliterates any
Orwell’s strategic use of irony and exaggeration throughout his novel contributes to a mode of satire which in turn produces a very discouraging writing style. For example, he describes a bleak country, Oceania, where every aspect of life is controlled by the government. The introduction of irony comes at the very beginning of the novel within the first few paragraphs. “The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats” (Orwell 3). In this instance, the scene Orwell is discussing is called the “Victory Mansions” (3) which are the apartments that citizens of Oceania reside in. The irony lies in the name of the homes, as victory is associated with pride, happiness and peace. In reality however, the spaces are old and indicative of neglect and failure. This same ironic name brand is repeated several times throughout the novel. Victory gin, which is the only type of alcohol, provided for party members (middle class), and victory cigarettes, which fall apart when used, each makes numerous appearances as well. Another ironic situation is the use of children as spies.
One identifiable choice of the author is the contrast in sentence length. For example, at the beginning of the novel the sentences are somewhat long so as to lull the reader. This way, while the reader is guided into a sense of security, the dull and hollow characteristics of life in society is easily comprehensible. In contrast, toward the end of the novel, the sentences are rather choppy. “There was a sound of trampling boots below, inside the house and outside. The yard seemed to be full of men. Something was being dragged across the stones. The woman’s singing stopped abruptly” (231). In this passage, the sentences are short and the story passes at a quick pace. This strategy creates interest and suspense and therefore puts emphasis on the harsh conclusion of the story as the rest of the novel is quite slow moving. In addition to declarative sentences toward the end of the novel, Orwell also uses the device of repetition to bring the focus of the novel to the despair of his characters. The prevailing example of repetition in this novel is the inclusion of the song “Oranges and Lemons.” This song is originally a nursery rhyme from London which identifies the different churches. However, Orwell uses this rhyme as a reminder to Winston that the past still exists. Winston learns the