Hello readers! Welcome back to yet another blog post. This post will be way juicier than the last one, I promise. That's because today I will be analyzing how Winston and Julia have changed so far throughout the book. Personally, I think the best thing to talk about when you're talking about books is the characters. The characters are what makes a book worth reading, as it feels like you're getting to know an actual person. Hopefully as you read this blog post you will feel a little bit closer to Winston with his varicose ulcer and Julia with her promiscuous attitude.
This section of reading concluded Part Two. As I discussed in my last post, each Part has a purpose. Part One is an introduction to Winston and the character he was before he started rebelling. The reader sees Winston drastically develop over a short period of time as he begins to rebel by writing in his diary and roaming the prole-infested streets. Part Two is when Winston begins to take even more risks. This is accredited to his romantic interest, Julia. Their forbidden love affair pushes Winston to cross boundaries that he would never have crossed before he met Julia. Their relationship has certainly changed Winston. He has "dropped his habit of drinking gin at all hours... He [has] grown fatter, his varicose ulcer [has] subsided... his fits of coughing in the early morning [have] stopped. His life [has] ceased to be intolerable, he [has] no longer any impulse to make faces at the telescreen or shout curses at the top of his voice" (150). Physically Winston's condition has improved, as his health issues have stopped ailing him, he has put on a bit of healthy weight, and he has stopped drinking as much. He no longer needs the gin to make him forget where he is because he is happy in his life. Julia has given him something to live for, so every day is no longer an agonizing twenty-four hours for Winston. However, I don't know if Julia has only affected him positively. Ever since Winston has met Julia he has stopped constantly thinking about how horrible the Party is. This is up to the reader's interpretation of whether it's good or not. I personally think it is bad because Winston has lost sight of his goal in life. He is trying to change Oceania, while Julia is content with it the way it is. I see how someone could think that Julia was a good influence on Winston; they could cite the fact that Winston no longer thinks about his death all day every day. I would respond by saying that Winston's unavoidable vaporization is always looming in the back of his head, it is just no longer his primary focus. He ponders how he has changed, as "He [has] moved from thoughts to words and now from words to actions. The last step [is] something that will happen in the Ministry of Love" (159). Winston still thinks about the possibility that he will be dragged to the Ministry of Love, tortured, and eventually vaporized. It just hasn't been apparent in this section because Julia has just put a temporary damper on his depression. When they are together there are "times where they [have] the illusion not only of safety but of permanence" (151). I'm happy for Winston, as he has finally found a girl that he likes who likes him back (not like his wife Katharine). However, I'm also not so sure that Winston likes Julia as much as she likes him because he can see that she is a little more self-centered in terms of her political views. I think this because when Winston and Julia finally meet with O'Brien (yes that happened, I'll explain later) O'Brien asks them numerous questions to determine if they are fit for entry into the Brotherhood. One of the questions is "'You are prepared, the two of you, to separate and never see one another again?'" (173). Julia immediately answers no, but it is harder for Winston to say no. Perhaps it is because Winston values change over his relationship. He sees the big picture and understands that everyone must do their part to induce real changes in Oceania, changes that might not lead to results within his lifetime. Julia is only concerned about changes that have to do with her, contrasting Winston's longing for societal changes.
Julia shares Winston's political views, but for a different reason than Winston. Julia hates the Party because they denounce sex among party members, an activity that Julia seems particularly fond of. She seeks physical and emotional attraction, things that aren't the main focus for typical Party members. Julia doesn't care about making any actual changes to their society because she is content with Oceania the way it is, as long as it doesn't affect her life. Winston is fascinated by Julia as she constantly is enlightening him with a new perspective on things and isn't affected by the Two Minutes of Hate. This also goes to show that Julia is quite intelligent because she can resist the powerful brainwashing techniques the Party uses. Another example of her intelligence is how she devises complex plans so she can meet with Winston without being discovered. Her intelligence is driven by her selfishness because she wants to meet with Winston. She doesn't care about actually changing Oceania because she has figured out ways around their rules, whereas Winston desires change so future generations can enjoy a better society. Winston acknowledges that Julia "only [questions] the teachings of the Party when they in some way [touch] upon her own life" (153). He realizes that Julia could care less about anything that doesn't affect her. O'Brien gives Winston a book read by all Brotherhood members that details the truth behind Oceania. He attempts to read the book to Julia in order to enlighten her, taking the time to read it aloud to her, but she falls asleep while he is reading the book (217). The book doesn't directly affect her, so she doesn't care. Her true selfishness is revealed the more Winston and her interact. When they are discussing changes to the Party she acts as if she doesn't care until the issues actually affect her life. He calls her out, saying "'You're only a rebel from the waist downwards'" (156). Winston is referring to the fact that Julia is only a rebel in the sense that she sleeps around. She is against the Party because they don't permit intimacy among Party members but she doesn't really have any desire to change Oceania. I'm sure if she wasn't able to secretly meet with Winston Julia would be a lot more concerned about changing the Party's policies, but she would only want to change the policies that affected her life. Julia acts as a foil for Winston because she represents a character who doesn't care about making any real changes, portraying Winston as a braver, more radical, character.
Another character that reveals more about Winston is O'Brien. In this section, the reader finally learns more about O'Brien when Winston and Julia secretly meet with him regarding the Brotherhood. O'Brien invites Winston to his house under the pretense that Winston is borrowing an unreleased version of the Newspeak dictionary. He educates Winston and Julia on the idea of the Brotherhood, explaining that it is a group of people who participate in small acts of defiance in the hope of a better future. Winston seems to be in awe of O'Brien because he notices that "When [O'Brien speaks] of murder, suicide, venereal disease, amputated limbs, and altered faces, it [is] with a faint air of persiflage" (175). Persiflage means speaking in a contemptuous way, similar to mocking something. O'Brien speaks this way when talking about all of these gruesome atrocities because he believes that all of these horrible things are necessary evils in the fight for a better society. He believes that individual sacrifice will serve the greater good, which mirrors Winston's beliefs. Winston is in awe because O'Brien and Winston both see the big picture, acknowledging their impending deaths and recognizing the futility of rebelling against the Party. O'Brien explains that "'There is no possibility that any perceptible change will happen within our own lifetime. We are the dead. Our only true life is in the future'" (176). He is referring to the fact that one person will not be able to make a difference, which honestly sounds kind of depressing. He is an inspiration to Winston because he is a symbol of a future where the world is different. When Winston and O'Brien are saying their farewells they agree to meet in "the place where there is no darkness," a phrase that formerly appeared in Winston's dream (178). O'Brien and the place where there is no darkness are symbols of the uncertain future. O'Brien clarifies that the Brotherhood has no idea if their efforts will lead to success, as results won't be seen for generations. O'Brien symbolizes hope for Winston because he is painted as a strong powerful character who can fight the Party. The one thing I find interesting about Winston and O'Brien is that despite the hopelessness of their rebellion they choose to fight anyway. Without O'Brien I don't think Winston would be as motivated to rebel.
1984 is a very powerful book, and this is mostly due to its characters. The characterization of Winston, Julia, and O'Brien shows how people react to an oppressive government in the gravest of circumstances. They are the brave characters who choose to do something about their situation. However, it looks as though their attempt at rebellion will be short-lived, as Part Two ends with Julia and Winston being arrested by the Thought Police. It turns out that Mr. Charrington, the owner of the antique store and the man that helped Winston participate in unorthodox activities, is a member of the Thought Police. Winston and Julia are going to be convicted for participating in sexual intimacy, and they will be tortured in the Ministry of Love until they reveal their membership in the Brotherhood. I am looking forward to finding out who will crack under the torture first. Will it be Julia, a young woman plagued by selfishness? Or will it be Winston, a middle-aged man with nothing to live for? Personally, I think Julia will be the first to crack, as she definitely wants to save her own skin. Winston also has nothing to lose, as he has been waiting for his death for his whole life, so why would he crack? Thank you for reading my blog and check back in soon to find out what happens in the final part of the book!
This section of reading concluded Part Two. As I discussed in my last post, each Part has a purpose. Part One is an introduction to Winston and the character he was before he started rebelling. The reader sees Winston drastically develop over a short period of time as he begins to rebel by writing in his diary and roaming the prole-infested streets. Part Two is when Winston begins to take even more risks. This is accredited to his romantic interest, Julia. Their forbidden love affair pushes Winston to cross boundaries that he would never have crossed before he met Julia. Their relationship has certainly changed Winston. He has "dropped his habit of drinking gin at all hours... He [has] grown fatter, his varicose ulcer [has] subsided... his fits of coughing in the early morning [have] stopped. His life [has] ceased to be intolerable, he [has] no longer any impulse to make faces at the telescreen or shout curses at the top of his voice" (150). Physically Winston's condition has improved, as his health issues have stopped ailing him, he has put on a bit of healthy weight, and he has stopped drinking as much. He no longer needs the gin to make him forget where he is because he is happy in his life. Julia has given him something to live for, so every day is no longer an agonizing twenty-four hours for Winston. However, I don't know if Julia has only affected him positively. Ever since Winston has met Julia he has stopped constantly thinking about how horrible the Party is. This is up to the reader's interpretation of whether it's good or not. I personally think it is bad because Winston has lost sight of his goal in life. He is trying to change Oceania, while Julia is content with it the way it is. I see how someone could think that Julia was a good influence on Winston; they could cite the fact that Winston no longer thinks about his death all day every day. I would respond by saying that Winston's unavoidable vaporization is always looming in the back of his head, it is just no longer his primary focus. He ponders how he has changed, as "He [has] moved from thoughts to words and now from words to actions. The last step [is] something that will happen in the Ministry of Love" (159). Winston still thinks about the possibility that he will be dragged to the Ministry of Love, tortured, and eventually vaporized. It just hasn't been apparent in this section because Julia has just put a temporary damper on his depression. When they are together there are "times where they [have] the illusion not only of safety but of permanence" (151). I'm happy for Winston, as he has finally found a girl that he likes who likes him back (not like his wife Katharine). However, I'm also not so sure that Winston likes Julia as much as she likes him because he can see that she is a little more self-centered in terms of her political views. I think this because when Winston and Julia finally meet with O'Brien (yes that happened, I'll explain later) O'Brien asks them numerous questions to determine if they are fit for entry into the Brotherhood. One of the questions is "'You are prepared, the two of you, to separate and never see one another again?'" (173). Julia immediately answers no, but it is harder for Winston to say no. Perhaps it is because Winston values change over his relationship. He sees the big picture and understands that everyone must do their part to induce real changes in Oceania, changes that might not lead to results within his lifetime. Julia is only concerned about changes that have to do with her, contrasting Winston's longing for societal changes.
Julia shares Winston's political views, but for a different reason than Winston. Julia hates the Party because they denounce sex among party members, an activity that Julia seems particularly fond of. She seeks physical and emotional attraction, things that aren't the main focus for typical Party members. Julia doesn't care about making any actual changes to their society because she is content with Oceania the way it is, as long as it doesn't affect her life. Winston is fascinated by Julia as she constantly is enlightening him with a new perspective on things and isn't affected by the Two Minutes of Hate. This also goes to show that Julia is quite intelligent because she can resist the powerful brainwashing techniques the Party uses. Another example of her intelligence is how she devises complex plans so she can meet with Winston without being discovered. Her intelligence is driven by her selfishness because she wants to meet with Winston. She doesn't care about actually changing Oceania because she has figured out ways around their rules, whereas Winston desires change so future generations can enjoy a better society. Winston acknowledges that Julia "only [questions] the teachings of the Party when they in some way [touch] upon her own life" (153). He realizes that Julia could care less about anything that doesn't affect her. O'Brien gives Winston a book read by all Brotherhood members that details the truth behind Oceania. He attempts to read the book to Julia in order to enlighten her, taking the time to read it aloud to her, but she falls asleep while he is reading the book (217). The book doesn't directly affect her, so she doesn't care. Her true selfishness is revealed the more Winston and her interact. When they are discussing changes to the Party she acts as if she doesn't care until the issues actually affect her life. He calls her out, saying "'You're only a rebel from the waist downwards'" (156). Winston is referring to the fact that Julia is only a rebel in the sense that she sleeps around. She is against the Party because they don't permit intimacy among Party members but she doesn't really have any desire to change Oceania. I'm sure if she wasn't able to secretly meet with Winston Julia would be a lot more concerned about changing the Party's policies, but she would only want to change the policies that affected her life. Julia acts as a foil for Winston because she represents a character who doesn't care about making any real changes, portraying Winston as a braver, more radical, character.
Another character that reveals more about Winston is O'Brien. In this section, the reader finally learns more about O'Brien when Winston and Julia secretly meet with him regarding the Brotherhood. O'Brien invites Winston to his house under the pretense that Winston is borrowing an unreleased version of the Newspeak dictionary. He educates Winston and Julia on the idea of the Brotherhood, explaining that it is a group of people who participate in small acts of defiance in the hope of a better future. Winston seems to be in awe of O'Brien because he notices that "When [O'Brien speaks] of murder, suicide, venereal disease, amputated limbs, and altered faces, it [is] with a faint air of persiflage" (175). Persiflage means speaking in a contemptuous way, similar to mocking something. O'Brien speaks this way when talking about all of these gruesome atrocities because he believes that all of these horrible things are necessary evils in the fight for a better society. He believes that individual sacrifice will serve the greater good, which mirrors Winston's beliefs. Winston is in awe because O'Brien and Winston both see the big picture, acknowledging their impending deaths and recognizing the futility of rebelling against the Party. O'Brien explains that "'There is no possibility that any perceptible change will happen within our own lifetime. We are the dead. Our only true life is in the future'" (176). He is referring to the fact that one person will not be able to make a difference, which honestly sounds kind of depressing. He is an inspiration to Winston because he is a symbol of a future where the world is different. When Winston and O'Brien are saying their farewells they agree to meet in "the place where there is no darkness," a phrase that formerly appeared in Winston's dream (178). O'Brien and the place where there is no darkness are symbols of the uncertain future. O'Brien clarifies that the Brotherhood has no idea if their efforts will lead to success, as results won't be seen for generations. O'Brien symbolizes hope for Winston because he is painted as a strong powerful character who can fight the Party. The one thing I find interesting about Winston and O'Brien is that despite the hopelessness of their rebellion they choose to fight anyway. Without O'Brien I don't think Winston would be as motivated to rebel.
1984 is a very powerful book, and this is mostly due to its characters. The characterization of Winston, Julia, and O'Brien shows how people react to an oppressive government in the gravest of circumstances. They are the brave characters who choose to do something about their situation. However, it looks as though their attempt at rebellion will be short-lived, as Part Two ends with Julia and Winston being arrested by the Thought Police. It turns out that Mr. Charrington, the owner of the antique store and the man that helped Winston participate in unorthodox activities, is a member of the Thought Police. Winston and Julia are going to be convicted for participating in sexual intimacy, and they will be tortured in the Ministry of Love until they reveal their membership in the Brotherhood. I am looking forward to finding out who will crack under the torture first. Will it be Julia, a young woman plagued by selfishness? Or will it be Winston, a middle-aged man with nothing to live for? Personally, I think Julia will be the first to crack, as she definitely wants to save her own skin. Winston also has nothing to lose, as he has been waiting for his death for his whole life, so why would he crack? Thank you for reading my blog and check back in soon to find out what happens in the final part of the book!
Citation(s)
Orwell, George. 1984. Signet Classics, 1977.
Hi Ellie,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I, too, have enjoyed seeing more about the differing personalities of both Julia and Winston. However, it seems to me that Julia is relatively content with her life; why do you think that she chooses to risk it all for a romance with Winston, someone who she has little in common with? Do you think she might have an ulterior motive?
Katie
Hi Katie, thanks for reading my blog. I think that the reason Julia seems so content is because she is currently in a relationship. If she wasn't with Winston then she wouldn't be as happy with her life. She's risking it all because she wants to be in a relationship; I think the idea of a relationship and sex is what attracts her, not necessarily just Winston. I don't think she has an ulterior motive, I just think she's using Winston to sustain her happiness.
DeleteAs you describe them, the characters seem quite similar to the characters in The Handmaid's Tale, in that, like Offred, they stop seeming so upset with the society once they gain a personal connection, as Offred did with Nick. Do you see any other similarities?
ReplyDeleteAlso, you might try shorter paragraphs to help your reader.