1984 Research Paper Topics to Avoid

George Orwell’s novel 1984 has inspired so much controversy, intrigue and discussion that you’re bound to run in to it at some point. Teachers and professors love the deep societal, political and human aspects hat fill this novel, and they’ll assign all manner of writing assignments to help you come to the same understandings. Research papers, above all, are considered the most difficult of these assignments (and for good reason). Simply discovering a research paper idea regarding 1984 is hard enough. In fact, that might just be the hardest thing of all – so much has been written, already, on the 1984 story that locating an original topic may be your biggest challenge.

While there are still many topics readily available for your thoughtful exploration, there are some topics that students should avoid like the plague. These topics, whether due to highly sensitive content, poor evaluation or even offensive nature, are topics that students should tend to avoid while composing a research paper. Variations of these topics are viable and interesting as research papers, but these versions should be strictly avoided. They include:

  • Torture and it’s relation to today. While conceivably an interesting topic, you don’t want to focus on the torture aspect of 1984. It can be a viable part of other research paper topics, but standing alone it can be too much to take in. Comparing it to governments today – especially your own – might also be a bad move. So much secrecy and controversy shrouds torture use today, that any connection you do make is up for speculation. Don’t risk your entire research paper on a flimsy and possibly offensive idea.
  • How the 1984 society is wrong. George Orwell set out to make a novel about a dystopian society – a commentary on the hellish thing our society could become. Composing a research paper about how such a thing could never happen, or how Orwell’s story doesn’t make sense, wouldn’t be the best idea. Composing such a research paper would make you seem highly critical and, what’s worse, like you missed the entire point of the story to begin with. Also avoid pairing your personal moral qualms with the content presented in the novel – you won’t meet with much success.
  • Sex. Now, sex can actually be an amazing topic to deal with in a 1984 essay – if you deal with it correctly. Attacking its use, highlighting it inappropriately or making a much too obvious connection, however, will not end well for you. You’d be better off tackling the fear of sex, the symbolic meaning of sex, or gender roles in your paper.