Identifying Elements of a Novel
I am reading 1984 and four of the main elements i have noticed so far are:
1. Conflict
2. Suspense
3. Theme
4. Setting
The setting of this book is in a dystopian wasteland. In the book we follow the main character Winston. Who understands that at every moment, of every day, he is being watched. The picture Winston paints of the place he lives is quite grim. On the first page Winston sees a poster (which, I should mention, are everywhere in 1984) that really sets the scene (or at least the feeling of it. "It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran." (Orwell, 1948)
Conflict in this book is constant, apart from the conflict between man and the government (one might consider that to be man vs. man or man vs nature) there is a more subtle man vs. self conflict going on with Winston. In 1984 Winston is battling himself during the two minutes of hate. The whole point of the two minutes of hate is to get everyone that watches (which would be every person under big brothers control) to stand up and yell and scream and get very angry. During this time Winston has an internal battle as to whether or not to give in (he does in the end). Another internal battle he has with himself is before he writes in his journal. He was afraid to even buy the blank book in fear that he would get arrested for owning it (which says something about the setting).
The theme in 1984 is centered around rebellion and revolution. Winston lives in a totalitarian world where Big Brother is the slave master. In the first couple of chapters, Winston commits a number of thought-crimes against Big Brother. One of these include writing in his journal "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" (19) over and over in his journal. Although whether he wrote it in his journal or not was irrelevant, because "The Thought Police would get him just the same" (19). This concept of 'thought crime' being one of the worst things one could do in 1984 helps to acknowledge the theme of revolution every time Winston writes in his dairy, or thinks about joining the rebels. What might be considered mundane today is unnerving in 1984 due to the constant monitoring of everything.
The over-watch of Big Brother and The Ministry of Truth is the entire basis for the suspense so far in 1984. As touched on above, fairly non-eventful things (like writing about a distaste for something in a diary) become very suspenseful. In context of the book, expressing anything but total and complete adoration for Big Brother is not only considered to be punishable by death, but it is death. So Winston's 'petty' rebellion is actually extremely dangerous for himself, and this is what creates suspense.
Conflict in this book is constant, apart from the conflict between man and the government (one might consider that to be man vs. man or man vs nature) there is a more subtle man vs. self conflict going on with Winston. In 1984 Winston is battling himself during the two minutes of hate. The whole point of the two minutes of hate is to get everyone that watches (which would be every person under big brothers control) to stand up and yell and scream and get very angry. During this time Winston has an internal battle as to whether or not to give in (he does in the end). Another internal battle he has with himself is before he writes in his journal. He was afraid to even buy the blank book in fear that he would get arrested for owning it (which says something about the setting).
The theme in 1984 is centered around rebellion and revolution. Winston lives in a totalitarian world where Big Brother is the slave master. In the first couple of chapters, Winston commits a number of thought-crimes against Big Brother. One of these include writing in his journal "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" (19) over and over in his journal. Although whether he wrote it in his journal or not was irrelevant, because "The Thought Police would get him just the same" (19). This concept of 'thought crime' being one of the worst things one could do in 1984 helps to acknowledge the theme of revolution every time Winston writes in his dairy, or thinks about joining the rebels. What might be considered mundane today is unnerving in 1984 due to the constant monitoring of everything.
The over-watch of Big Brother and The Ministry of Truth is the entire basis for the suspense so far in 1984. As touched on above, fairly non-eventful things (like writing about a distaste for something in a diary) become very suspenseful. In context of the book, expressing anything but total and complete adoration for Big Brother is not only considered to be punishable by death, but it is death. So Winston's 'petty' rebellion is actually extremely dangerous for himself, and this is what creates suspense.
