Culture Writer Megan Hughes reviews the Audible Original Adaptation of 1984, praising the voice cast performance of George Orwell’s famous story
I’ve read horror books which did not send me into such a tailspin as this. In the emotional aftermath of finishing the Audible Original Adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 (adapted by Joe White), I found myself writing this review as a way of compounding the complex feelings it provoked.
I imagine it is hard to find one adult in this world who has not heard of 1984 or its chief antagonist, Big Brother (no, not the TV show). When you hear Orwell’s title, I imagine you, as I did, immediately think of the words ‘surveillance state.’ And yes, this is a large part of the novel. However, the phrase is deceiving – Orwell’s tale is extremely human. Big Brother (voiced by Tom Hardy) is simply one mechanism that allows this dystopia to continue by rooting out insurgents and thought criminals. Without it, the party (the collective of the state and its citizens) would not function as efficiently, but it would still function. The real enemy in this novel is human psychology – which is what I found so terrifying.
The real enemy in this novel is human psychology – which is what I found so terrifying
Orwell paints an incredibly realistic picture of the consequences of censorship. 1984 demonstrates how fascism can start as something subtle before quickly snowballing into totalitarianism, where citizens are taught that thinking for yourself is a crime of the highest degree. The novel is another incarnation of a phenomenon that real history knows well: persecution through witch hunts. By utilising paranoia and suspicion, neighbours are convinced to spy on neighbours, children are convinced (and even eager) to turn their parents in for the smallest of misdemeanours. The only love and loyalty that matters is your dedication to Big Brother. In return for your obedience, you are given an omniscient sibling who loves you, protects you and constantly watches you for your own benefit. Surveillance in this novel is marketed as a parasocial replacement for real love, warmth, and friendship. For the most part, this strategy works through the use of repetition, suggestion through propaganda, and public announcements, as well as the weaponisation and editing of history.
This is not a message of hope or courage: it is a clear warning.
What is so scary is that our main character, Winston (Andrew Garfield), does not succeed against the state. This is not a message of hope or courage: it is a clear warning. You could almost call it a guidebook on how to recognise the red flags of political leadership – totalitarianism 101. It is chilling to see how the human psyche can be turned against us, where our worst fears are used to force us to forsake what is right and what we love. Not even your identity is sacred in this book. 1984 does not share the message that love always wins.
And yet, despite its frankly depressing message, I found myself wanting to listen to the novel again as soon as I finished it. 1984 is not totally devoid of hope. Orwell shows us that no matter how bleak the present, past or future, and no matter how easily humanity is prone to corruption, we are also prone to resistance. Winston does not challenge Big Brother because he thinks he will win. He does not even expect to survive his resistance. Instead, he resists to stay true to himself. Challenging injustice is not just a collective cause – it also comes in the form of multiple small uprisings made by individuals. Winston shows us the power and importance of personal integrity. Hope is only ever truly lost when we forget what we are fighting for, no matter how futile that future might seem. In a world where thoughts are criminalised, the biggest act of disobedience is to forge your own identity no matter the consequences.
Andrew Scott provides a chilling performance of O’Brien that made me feel physically sickened
I cannot end this review without praising the voice acting of the cast. Andrew Scott provides a chilling performance of O’Brien that made me feel physically sickened by the strength of this character’s belief in the Party. Andrew Garfield and Cynthia Erivo (voicing Julia) are perfectly paired together as romantic and visionary partners, and provide a necessary human counterpart to the anonymous masses of the state. There is not one person I wouldn’t recommend this adaptation to.
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