Recent political trends have sparked an uprise in interest when it comes to dystopian literature. The classic known as 1984 by George Orwell is of the most popular in discussion and has even spiked in book sales over the past two months. The novel was published in 1949 and offered a hypothetical glimpse into the future, which has terrified many as it slowly becomes a reality. The book introduces the concept of a population living in tyranny where their thoughts are controlled and monitored by the ever-feared antagonist known as Big Brother. 1984 has been consistently banned throughout schools and will forever be a controversial milestone in both American and world literature. Here are a few select tattoos honoring 1984 and George Orwell’s vision.
This piece embraces the thirteen-hour clock, which embodies “Newspeak,” a form of vocabulary from the book that places heavy emphasis on the power of truth.
This beautifully detailed black and gray tattoo captures the concept of Thought Police and Big Brother– the idea that no man is able to truly think for himself under such oppression.
Here is another Orwell inspired tattoo that is comprised of deep yellow and red ink. The hand is holding up five fingers, indicating that the equation is yet another influenced by truth or lack thereof.
This gorgeous design looks as if it was painted onto the skin. It speaks for itself in the intensity of the eyes, saying “Big Brother is watching.”
Lastly, here is one more piece inspired by 1984 which features a dark red face that induces fear, anger, and anticipation with the additional use of black ink. It states that “the past is dead, the future is unimaginable.” This quote is entirely relevant to the current political climate and implies that we cannot change what has happened. We can only power through the now.