"1984" by George Orwell is a dystopian novel that was published in 1949. The story is set in Airstrip One (formerly known as Great Britain), a province of the superstate Oceania in a world of perpetual war, government surveillance, and manipulation of truth. The novel follows the life of Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the Party who becomes disillusioned with the oppressive regime led by the enigmatic figure known as Big Brother.