Orwellian Expert Delivers Thought Provoking Insights on 1984
On Monday 6 February, RGS Worcester had the pleasure of welcoming a leading George Orwell expert, Dr Nathan Waddell from Birmingham University. Dr Waddell spoke to the Senior Literary Society on the topic, ‘Why did George Orwell write Nineteen Eighty-Four?’.
Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ is well known as one of the greatest novels of the Twentieth Century. It is a prescient and devastating exploration of a dystopian future in which all aspects of life have become controlled by a totalitarian state. Orwell’s view of the future is deeply troubling, but it is also worryingly familiar. He presents a future characterised by war, food and energy shortages, media surveillance, and thought control. This is the world of Big Brother, telescreens, and thought crime.
Dr Nathan Waddell, the author of several books on George Orwell and Twentieth Century literature, provided an insightful analysis of the origins of this great novel and explored the contexts in which Orwell produced his masterpiece.
The talk was an incredible opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ and its relevance to our current world. We extend our sincere thanks to Dr Waddell for leading this insightful talk and we look forward to welcoming more speakers to RGS Worcester to lead talks for our Senior Literary Society.