Map Legend: Light Purple= Oceania
Light Green= Eurasia
Yellow with Black outline= Eastasia
Dark rhombus= Disputed Territory
"Eurasia comprises the whole of the European part of the European and Asiatic landmass, from Portugal to the Bering Strait. Oceania comprises the Americas, the Atlantic islands including the British Isles, Australasia and the Southern portion of Africa. Eastasia, smaller than the others and with a less definite western frontier, comprises China and the countries to the south of it, the Japanese islands and a large but fluctuating portion of Manchuria, Mongolia and Tibet." Pg. 109
This is a map of the world of 1984, although the entire story takes place in London, Airstrip One, and never leaves the city. If the Party can be believed, Oceania comprises of both Americas, Australia (and New Zealand), and Southern Africa. Apparently, after the Second World War, the United States annexed the United Kingdom and Australia, and established a English socialist state (INGSOC). The official language became Newspeak, while the de facto language remained English.
Meanwhile, during 1950-60, the Soviet Union attacked the rest of continental Europe, eventually conquering all of Europe, from the tip of Portugal to the Bering Strait. This newly-created state was called Eurasia, and had a socialist ideology called "Neo-Bolshevism". Although the major country in Eurasia would be Russia, most of the Eurasian war criminals shown in public executions seen by Winston appear to have Mongolian faces.
Thirdly, during the 1960's, the Asian nations of China, Korea, and Japan united into a single superstate after "...years of confused fighting". These nations conquered the rest of East Asia, Manchuria and Mongolia, and has been constantly fighting an indefinite war with Eurasia along their unclear borders. Eastasia is the most mysterious superstate, as we know practically nothing about it other than its unclear borders. However, the ruling ideology is believed to be something along the lines of "Obliteration of the Self" or "Death Worship", as the official ideology is not directly translatable into English. Although Eastasia is the smallest superstate in territorial size, this disadvantage is replaced by Eastasia's industriousness and large population.
Lastly, "Between the frontiers of the superstates", is "a rough quadrilateral with the corners at Tangier, Brazzaville, Darwin, and Hong Kong" which are not part of the Superstates. This area is occasionally conquered by one superstate to be eventually conquered by another. An example of this is when in the beginning of the novel, Oceania concurrently controls the majority of Africa. However, near the end of the story, Oceania has lost control of the territory to Eurasia and desperately clings on to South Africa. Also, the majority of the workers and servants in Oceania are captured inhabitants from the Disputed Area.
These three superstates are in "perpetual war" with one another- war without end. Every few months, one superstate creates an alliance with another superstate, but each superstate is so powerful that it cannot be defeated by the other two superstates combined. However, alliances are created and broken carelessly as one superstate betrays its ally and allies with its former enemy, in the case of Oceania betraying Eurasia and allying with Eastasia during the Hate Week. The moment this occurred, the citizens (In an act of doublethink) immediately tore down the "Death to Eastasia" posters and cheered for Eastasia. Also, the Ministry of Truth destroys documents and forges new ones to prove that Oceania has "always been at war with Eurasia" and "always allied with Eastasia".
With this map, readers (Including I) are able to understand the political situation in the world of 1984. Also, because the information in this map is supplied by the Party in Oceania, readers may also realize the potential unreliability of this map. Citizens of Oceania are not allowed to communicate with foreigners, so there is no way of knowing whether the Party's teachings are true. The "Eurasian" prisoners shown during the executions have "Mongolian faces", so it may be possible that the prisoners are actually Eastasian captives, due to the frequent creating and breaking of alliances in international politics that the citizens are not aware of.
Perhaps, "Oceania" can be limited to just Airstrip One, or even London itself. Or, "Oceania" could just be a totalitarian, dictatorship country among many other modern nations that does not allow its citizens to know about the outside world, using hatred and fanatical support to keep control of its citizens. If the Ministry of Truth constantly changes facts and rewrites history, why not deceive the population about the outside world? This map has helped me to understand my story further and deepen my interest in the message George Orwell has sent about the dangers of totalitarianism and disinformation.
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