1984
1984 by George Orwell is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 1090L. It appears across 4 curriculum references and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where 1984 is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 1090L
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 14–18
- Pages
- 328
- Reading time
- about 6 hours (est.)
- First published
- 1949
- Genre
- Dystopian Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780451524935
Reading difficulty: At 1090L, 1984 falls within the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.
Where to find this book
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
Winston Smith, a low-level bureaucrat in a totalitarian super-state called Oceania, secretly resents the regime of Big Brother and begins a forbidden love affair. Orwell's novel introduces doublethink, Newspeak, and the surveillance language that shapes how Western readers talk about authoritarianism. Widely assigned in AP Literature, AP Government, and high school English.
Why widely assigned
This Dystopian Fiction title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 1940s; pairs with curriculum units on totalitarianism and surveillance; cited across 4 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
totalitarianism · surveillance · language and thought · propaganda · rebellion · individual vs state
Content notes
torture · sexual content · political violence · psychological abuse
Common Sense Media recommends age 14+.
Where this book is assigned
AP English Literature & Composition
AP US Government & Politics
Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695)
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
Similar grade-level books
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
Fahrenheit 451Ray Bradbury · 890L
See all books like 1984→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is 1984?
- 1984 is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 1090L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of 1984?
- 1984 has a Lexile measure of 1090L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- How long does it take to read 1984?
- It takes about 6 hours to read 1984 (328 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 360 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is 1984 hard to read for 9th grade?
- At 1090L, 1984 falls within the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign 1984?
- 1984 appears on reading lists for AP English Literature & Composition, AP US Government & Politics, Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695), and 1 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 1090L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 4 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.