Map of 1984
In the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four," the world is split into three big countries: Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia. These countries are always fighting in a never-ending war, but the people in Oceania don't really know what's happening because the government, called the Party, controls the information.
In the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four," the world is split into three big countries: Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia. These countries are always fighting in a never-ending war, but the people in Oceania don't really know what's happening because the government, called the Party, controls the information.
The citizens only know what the Party tells them, and the government changes history to make people believe what they want. It's not clear how these big countries started or if they're even real. The book doesn't tell us much about their origins. There was a big war between 1945 and 1965 that messed everything up, and new powerful governments took over, like Neo-Bolshevism and English Socialism.
Eurasia
Eurasia is a big region that includes the northern part of both Europe and Asia, stretching all the way from Portugal in the west to the Bering Strait in the east. In the world of "Nineteen Eighty-Four," Eurasia was created when the Soviet Union took control of continental Europe after a war with the Allies.
The governing ideology of Eurasia is called Neo-Bolshevism, which is an updated version of the political beliefs held by the Bolsheviks, a political group that played a major role in the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the book, this ideology is used by the ruling Party to control the people and maintain power. The concept of Eurasia in "Nineteen Eighty-Four" highlights how political ideologies and territorial control are manipulated to serve the interests of those in power.
Eastasia
Eastasia is a region that includes China and the countries located to the south of it, the Japanese islands, and a sizable but changing part of Manchuria, Mongolia, and Tibet. In the world of "Nineteen Eighty-Four," the ideology of Eastasia is called Death-Worship, also known as Obliteration of the Self.
Eastasia came into existence about ten years after Eurasia and Oceania were formed, specifically in the 1960s. Its creation followed a period of what the book describes as "confused fighting" between the countries that existed before it. This concept in the novel illustrates how political entities can be reshaped and ideologies crafted to serve the interests of those in power, reinforcing the overarching theme of manipulation and control present in "Nineteen Eighty-Four."
Oceania
Oceania, the place where the story of "Nineteen Eighty-Four" happens, was created after a revolution against capitalism. The goal was to free the working class, but the new rulers, called the Party, didn't really care about them.Oceania was formed when the United States joined forces with the British Empire, but the book doesn't tell us how the Party got its power or when it happened. The state includes "the Americas, the Atlantic Islands, including the British Isles, Australasia, and the southern part of Africa."
The political system in Oceania is called Ingsoc (English Socialism). They idolize their leader, Big Brother, using a cult-like following. Food is rationed for everyone except the Party members, who get whatever they want.The main character, Winston, notices that the names and shapes of countries on the map have changed. Airstrip One, which used to be called England or Britain, now looks run-down, especially outside of London.
Oceania is split into provinces, and one of them is Airstrip One. Even though it's the third most populated province, London is not the capital. Oceania purposely doesn't have a central capital to prevent people from feeling colonized and to make each province feel important.Most of Oceania's people are proles (working class), with only a small percentage in the Inner Party, who are the rulers. Winston wishes for a revolution, but the Party doesn't allow it. The state is super strict, with no laws, only crimes. Social pressure and fear control the people. Thinking too deeply or going against the Party's ideas, called "thoughtcrime," is not allowed.
Oceania is highly bureaucratic, with many committees responsible for everything, even small things like fixing a window. The rulers, the Inner Party, were once intellectuals and experts in various fields. The national anthem is called "Oceania, 'Tis for Thee," and the official currency is the dollar.
In Oceania, criticizing the state is forbidden, even though the state needs critics to show its power. The government depends on suppressing free thinking, especially among the Outer Party members. The state controls everything, and it's hard for citizens to know when they are breaking the Party's rules. The people live in a constant state of anxiety, unable to express their true thoughts.