The novel 1984 was published by George Orwell in 1949. Oceania is ruled by The Party under the leadership of a mysterious figure known as Big Brother. If there’s anything 1984 teaches us, it’s that those who control the language control the world. Since being published, “Big Brother is watching you” has become a common way to refer to verified or suspected surveillance in real life. Both 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale use a speculative fiction framework to discuss real-life forms of oppression and resistance.