I've read this book several times, first in Spanish and later on in English. It's haunted me every time, and it remains one of my favourite books ever. I love dystopian universes / worst-case scenario futures, and 1984 is THE dystopian book. It's a masterpiece, terrifying in its message, its warning. It presents a future in which people are watched, deprived of freedom, taught to think what they "should" think. I've always been fascinated by the tight hold on language, the destruction of words and works of literature that the protagonist is initially a partaker of. If the word disappears, no one will remember its meaning, thus the concept will be gone (and not dangerous for the system anymore). Another remarkable symbol is the chamber of horrors in which every rebel has to face their worst fears until their mind collapses and they yield to the will of the authorities. Overall, it's the tale of an impossible struggle, a fight that's lost from the beginning because the protagonist can never win. Freedom is dead, and "Big Brother" rules. 
 After writing this review, I will probably go and read it again...