The Makings of a Good Story

Not all books are created equal. Some are better than others or are written more proficiently; others have more fascinating plots and more captivating story lines. Throughout my life, I have witnessed myriad possibilities as to why a piece of literature may also be a great story. At the most basic level, a story must tell a tale about something or recount a particular event, real or imaginary, that presents either a logical series of occurrences or an illogical but relatable series of events. In other words, the plot should be both compelling and easy to follow, regardless of the literature's level of difficulty. Furthermore, it must focus around a central character, or protagonist, even if it mentions several other important characters throughout the course of the story. Without a focus point, the novel loses direction and becomes chaotic, but at the same time, too much focus tends to make literature boring. No one wants to read a biography of a character that may not even exist. In addition, the setting of the story must be interesting; under my definition, it must either have life (in other words, not barren and lifeless), be different from the status quo, seem realistic, or any combination of the above. And lastly, every story must have some form of struggle, or conflict, that the protagonist must either overcome or succumb to, whether the conflict is against society, another individual, and nature, or simply from within. As my English teacher Mr. Coon said in class today, without conflict the story simply has no momentum, and without momentum the story ceases to be interesting or have desirability in the eyes of the reader. Simply said, the main character cannot truly be appreciated until he or she has bested or lost to some sort of challenge. The only difference between victory and defeat for a protagonist is similarly the difference between the hero and the tragic hero. And with that being said, the protagonist must change by the story's end, whether he comes to a sudden realization, dies in a tragic death, or gloriously defeats the various obstacles presented against him. During the summer, as I read a fresh new copy of the science fiction classic 1984, I found myself absorbed in the pages, interested by both the characters and plot, and most importantly, appreciative of a truly remarkable piece of storytelling. First, 1984 has an interesting plot based in the "future," even though the year in which the novel takes place is in 1984. Although the U.S. used to be a democracy, its involvement in World War II leads to the rise of totalitarian group Big Brother, which now controls one-third of the world in a giant nation-state called Oceania. Oceania, combined with Eastasia and Eurasia (both of which also rule one-third of the world), engage in constant warfare and constitute a purely totalitarian world. The setting is so different from anything a reader would generally expect to see from a sci-fi. novel--futuristic gadgetry, time travel, transportation via wormholes, etc.-- that it makes the story both interesting to read and beyond the reader's expectations. Second, Orwell's novel focuses around a central character, Winston, who works for the Ministry of Truth, one of the many large buildings run by Big Brother--for everything is run by Big Brother--that does the political party's bidding, stretching and bending the truth in all forms of literature (pamphlets, magazines, novels, editorials) to make it seem both infallible and indestructible. Third, the novel has an opposing force, or antagonist: Big Brother itself. By 1984, there is no more privacy, actual love is forbidden, and rebels are captured by the Thought Police and "converted" to abiding by and loving Big Brother's philosophies. Winston, a secret opponent of Big Brother, secretly tries to defy the policies of the party by having a romantic relationship with his co-worker Julia even though he realizes that he alone cannot bring down Big Brother. The inevitable doom that befalls the protagonist, however depressing, makes the novel more realistic and easier to follow. Due to these attributes, 1984 has all of the qualities inherent in a remarkable story.

It is amazing how much can be said in only one paragraph. Here is a paragraph in the very beginning of the novel thoroughly describing both the setting and the nature of the world in 1984:

"Outside, even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold. Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered everywhere. The black mustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner. There was one on the house front immediately opposite. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said, while the dark eyes looked deep into Winston's own. Down at the street level another poster, torn at one corner, flapped fitfully in the wind, alternatively covering and uncovering the single word INGSOC. In the far distance a helicopter skimmed down between the roofs, hovered for an instant like a bluebottle, and darted away again with a curving flight. It was the Police Patrol, snooping into people's windows. The patrols did not matter, however. Only the Thought Police mattered."

In this simple paragraph, the reader learns many things: the normal appearance yet dismal atmosphere of the future, the lack of privacy for citizens, the dominance of Big Brother and the Thought Police, and the psychological effect that Big Brother has on the narrator.