The novel "1984" is often well known; Its sales have also observed a rebound since the first lockdown, a sign that readers find in this book something that touches them, perhaps even identify in some respects. The context is however very different: written in 1948 (the title also directly referring to this year by simply reversing the last 2 digits), Orwell had in mind the Stalinist regime, as well as other dictatorships of that time. There are practices that really existed: propaganda and mass indoctrination, of course, population control, rationing (recall the post-war writing context), but also what is at the center of the main character's job: the control of the official narrative, and the adaptation of reality to propaganda purposes, in particular through the practice of erasing opponents (real or fantasized) to the regime. In the story, this process goes beyond a technical practice (erasing names, modifying photos…), yet already terrifying in itself. Big Brother, a kind of allegorical omniscient figure of the Party, asks every member of the Party not only to show his support, but to truly and deeply believe in everything that the Party communicates, even in its contradictions, even if the reality that the members experience is different. If the Party declares that 2 and 2 make 5, it is not only a question of acquiescing without showing any sign of emotion or reflection, but also of believing deeply and with one's whole being, and forgetting any information that has previously existed contradicting it. This rewrite may echo our own era of "fake news" and societal upheaval, albeit in very different ways. Let us keep in mind that "1984" also reflects the author's fears about new technologies, which he considers dangerous and suspects them of being instruments of mass control. This story is here carried in images by Jean-Christophe Derrien and Rémi Torregrossa, with a faithful reconstruction of Orwell's story, and an equally sinister atmosphere. In this comic, the environment is grey, the characters too, the buildings (where we find in the architecture a certain Soviet influence) are dilapidated, the windows cracked. Standardization, a necessary condition for Party rule, is obvious from the first images. It is necessary to wait about twenty pages to see a few touches of color, and another twenty for it to gain momentum, contrasting sharply with what we have seen so far, and thus accentuating all the more the importance of the offense that is happening. The emphasis is on newspeak – this language specially and carefully constructed to prevent the population from thinking; therefore to develop all critical thinking; so to rebel. The whole story revolves around the central character who, precisely, rebels, in his own way, while having from the beginning the clear feeling that there will be no possible way out, and that his loss will be inevitable. Throughout the album, the use of colors varies, and highlights not only the contrasts to what is imposed by the regime, but also accentuates the triggering or horrific elements, in relation to what the character lives and feels. Will the story end in gray or color? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
Notable quotes in 1984:
- "We don't invent new words, we destroy them every day. […] The goal of Big Brother is so simple… He wants to restrict the limits of thought. The crime of thought can no longer be expressed in this way. What a great step forward."
- "The goal of modern warfare is to consume resources without raising the living standards of citizens. The world today is more primitive than it was fifty years ago."
- "But if the people obtained the means to think for themselves, they would understand the uselessness of the ruling class and sweep it away. We might as well keep the masses in poverty and ignorance. Create sufficiently competent, fanatically gullible citizens."
An article by Lucile Gautier
