Orwell & Nineteen Eighty-Four

[Paul Mackin]

On Wed, 2003-05-07 at 11:27, Richard Romeo wrote:
> 
> --- Paul Mackin <paul.mackin at verizon.net> wrote:
> >  snip There's a kind of > reversal. Apparently
> >despite its ubiquitousness and potential for tyranny 
> > doublethink is in fact unsustainable. It has in fact
> > died out we learn after finishing the story proper.
> >To top this off Pynchon quotes Orwell something
> > to the effect that slavery (and what was Big
> > Brotherism but a slave state) is not sustainable
> >either. This is exceedingly good news and something
> >we must not become too complacent about..
> ------------------------
> It does meld well with the speech at the end of
> Vineland about karmic readjustment, that those who
> upset the balance by evil doing will sure reap a
> powerful reaction in some form. I don't think anyone
> could have expected a somewhat positive feel to an
> intro involving a book like 1984.
>

Perhaps the Pynchon sees merit in reminding readers that 1984 is only a
story. Perhaps he thinks this could have been Orwell's thinking in
appending the happy ending. At least happier than would otherwise have
been the case. 

One thinks of Brecht's principle of theater. Remind audience it's
watching a play.

Orwell would have known about Brecht's theater essays.

P.

P.