Themes in 1984

Start with the themes

Begin with the slide set George Orwell 1984 - Themes. It considers Winston’s family and the competing visions of fraternity offered by Big Brother and the Brotherhood. Use it to identify relationships you want to explore, then look for a mind map that takes a closer look at control or violence.

Several mind maps share the title 1984, so check their descriptions when choosing one. One introduces the dangers of totalitarianism. Another brings together state repression, isolation and alienation. These offer different starting points for studying themes in the novel.

Follow ideas through the maps

After a broad overview, use a more focused map to examine how a theme is presented. 1984 Quotes Violence connects a quotation about a captured rebel with the Party’s use of brutality. The Dehumanisation map considers a mother trying to protect her child and the response to that image.

Compare the ideas in these maps with the slide set. For example, consider how the treatment of people in the maps relates to the visions of fraternity in the slides. Make a note of the passages or ideas you want to discuss further.

Explore language and control

Other maps titled 1984 look at language, thought and surveillance. One connects the power of language with control over thought, action and feeling. Another brings together telescreens, thought control, conditioning and propaganda. Read their branches alongside the map on totalitarianism to see how the ideas connect.

Use the rest of the unit

Themes in 1984 is one section of the 1984 unit in Literature. The resources here give you several ways to approach that unit through themes, quotations and relationships. This topic page lists no quizzes, so use the maps and notes to organize your own questions as you study.

Choose a map that interests you and follow its ideas back to the broader themes.