Nineteen Eighty-Four
George Orwell
In 1984 London is part of Oceania, a country ruled by the Party, where telescreens watch everyone and posters warn that Big Brother is watching you. Winston Smith spends his days rewriting old newspapers so the past agrees with the Party. One day, out of sight of his telescreen, he secretly starts to keep a diary.
- Length
- About 88,000 words
- To read it
- About 59 days
- Stage
- GCSE
Reading time at 1,500 words a day, the pace we start from until we know your child’s own.
Where it is taught
Why Nineteen Eighty-Four is on the list
- Year 11, Challenge. Demanding books for a strong reader who wants a real challenge.
Reading it here
What your child does with it
- 1
Choose it and set a finish date
You get a suggested target from the length of the book and your child's reading pace.
- 2
Check in along the way
A longer book has short check-ins every week or two, so it keeps moving and nothing is forgotten.
- 3
Answer two questions
When they finish: a review of the book, and a deeper question about how it works.
- 4
Get it marked, and redraft
Every answer is marked against the rubric for their year, with a reason for every score.