IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bdz/arasoc/v2y2023i5p23-27.html

Why Nineteen Eighty-Four Should Be Required Reading for Every University Student

Author

Listed:
  • Jiang Xinyan

    (PhD Candidate at the Center for Literary Theory and Aesthetics of Shandong University, Jinan, China)

Abstract

This article argues for the inclusion of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four as obligatory reading for university students due to its profound reflection on the value of history. While previous studies have explored themes of totalitarianism, love, alienation, political allegiance, hierarchy, and technology in the novel, this research focuses on the importance of history for university students. The essay begins by highlighting how studying history can help students understand people, societies, and the processes of change that shape communities. It emphasizes the acquisition of crucial skills, such as evaluating competing interpretations and analyzing evidence. The article then addresses challenges to the utility of history, including objections raised by Henry Ford and other concerns. Finally, it examines specific hazards resulting from a lack of historical knowledge, drawing examples from Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiang Xinyan, 2023. "Why Nineteen Eighty-Four Should Be Required Reading for Every University Student," Art and Society, Paradigm Academic Press, vol. 2(5), pages 23-27, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdz:arasoc:v:2:y:2023:i:5:p:23-27
    DOI: 10.56397/AS.2023.10.04
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.paradigmpress.org/as/article/view/771/655
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.56397/AS.2023.10.04?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bdz:arasoc:v:2:y:2023:i:5:p:23-27. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Editorial Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.paradigmpress.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.