The importance of settings in 1984

¶ … Settings 1984

The Role of Setting in George Orwell's 1984: Handout

Four Basic Functions of Setting:

Setting has four functions: to set the tone/mood of the scene, to give symbolic significance to a situation or to the story as a whole, to affect the character's emotions in the scene, and to be informative about what the characters and their environment are like.

In 1984, George Orwell uses setting in each of these functions, as seen in the following three environments:

The Woods: "Winston picked his way up the lane through dappled light and shade, stepping out into pools of gold wherever the boughs parted. Under the trees to the left of them the ground was misty with bluebells. The air seemed to kiss one's skin." (Orwell 98)

Words like dappled light, pools, gold, bluebells, and kiss all are positive words that give the impression of happiness and contentment. The four functions of setting are fulfilled:

Emotional: Winston and Julia are relaxed, calm, free, and un-oppressed

Tonal: it is a happy, carefree environment

Informative: this environment provides a sharp contrast between what is good vs. what is normal (bad) living conditions

Symbolic: symbolizes freedom, escape from oppression, and what life should be

The Junk Shop: "All round the walls were stacked innumerable dusty picture frames. In the window there were trays of nuts and bolts, worn-out chisels, penknives with broken blades, tarnished watches that did not even pretend to be in working order, and other miscellaneous rubbish." (Orwell 80)

The description is of things covered in dust, with the impression of antiqueness and brokenness. The four functions of setting are fulfilled:

Emotional: it sparks Winston's curiosity and interest

Tonal: mystery and nostalgia

Informative: Winston's curiosity shows his longing for a better life

Symbolic: broken objects represent a broken society, where once was freedom, but now is oppression

The White Cell: "He was in a high-ceilinged windowless cell with walls of glittering white porcelain. Concealed lamps flooded it with a cold light . . . A bench, or shelf, just wide enough to sit on ran round the wall, broken only by the door . . . There were four telescreens, one in each wall." (Orwell 186)

The setting here as well as the words glittering, concealed, flooded, cold, and broken show a pristine, uncomfortable, scary environment

Emotional: all inmates feel terror, loneliness, and helplessness inside this cell

Tonal: intimidating, imposing, threatening, austere

Informative/Symbolic: austere atmosphere is indicative of the severity and diligence of law and mental enforcement of society standards under INGSOC

Discussion: Explain how each environment expresses one function of setting:

1. Tonal: "It was a cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him." (Orwell 5)

2. Informative: "Everything had a battered, trampled-on look, as though the place had just been visited by some large violent animal . . . There was the usual boiled-cabbage smell, common to the whole building, but it was shot through by a sharper reek of sweat, which -- one knew this at the first sniff, though it was hard to say how -- was the sweat of some person not present at the moment." (Orwell 21)