writing about reading 1984 PDF

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this is an essay. it is about George orwell's novel 1984....

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AP English Literature and Composition- 2

6 December 2020

1984 Writing about Reading

Analysis

In a world that moves very fast-paced and can change at an instant, it can become a concern to society. Dystopian novels tend to portray potential issues that can happen to serve as a cautionary tale and a forewarning to readers to be cautious about the changing world. In 1984, George Orwell's use of a dystopian setting highlights the complex and strained relationship between Winston Smith and Julia under their surveillant and restrictive government that creates issues further down the line for them.

Orwell implements many moments of irony into 1984 where the main subject that falls victim to this irony is Winston and Julia’s relationship. The official slogan of the Party that is “war is peace, freedom is slavery, [and] ignorance is strength”, it is apparent that doublethinking is a major tool to brainwash the population of Oceania. At the beginning of the novel, Winston notes the reason why he hated Julia was because “she was young and pretty”. The terms Smith utilizes to describe Julia are compliments and commendatory that are good, but the vigilant government and the oppressive government of Oceania have trained him to repress his desires. Since she is the reason that causes cognitive dissonance for Winston as he knows he finds her attractive but logically knows it is not a good idea to pursue her, therefore, he, in turn, hates her yet his desire still thrives. Their relationship takes a sudden turn once Julia drops him a scrap piece of paper that says “I love you”. After pondering for some

time if it was a trap, Winston indulges at the thought of being able to fulfill his desire and initiates a small conversation with her to meet her. Once the two formally introduce themselves “in the country” where they make love in the field and feel at peace where they can finally love each other. During their times together, Julia articulates how “[the government] can make [Winston] say anything… but they can’t make [him] believe it” which ultimately becomes ironic within the next book. After a few rendezvous, the couple is caught by the Thought Police and realizes that “[they] are the dead”, knowing their impending doom. Their whole relationship contradicts “freedom is slavery” portion of the Party’s slogan and is a threat against their society. In order to prevent anymore rebellious actions from the two, they are tortured by O’Brien over a course of several months to break down Winston mentally and physically who ultimately gives Julia up. This is ironic as Julia stated that once they make him stop loving her, that is the betrayal. The quote foreshadows the irony in their relationship. The couple had gone from hatred to love, then ultimately, ignoring each other by the end of the novel. The audience is led into believing the two will somehow overthrow the Party and stay together in the end, yet Orwell creates a plot twist and their affair is demolished at the end. The paradoxical states of their relationship get across how complex and messy Winston and Julia’s relationship is.

Violence is also mentioned throughout the book that gives an unsettling tone to the main couple’s relationship. Trickles of brutality are subtly mentioned such as how “the Two Minutes Hate” would give the people of Oceania “a desire to kill, to torture, [and] to smash faces in with a sledgehammer… [like a] screaming lunatic”. When introducing Julia, Winston reveals how he “hated the sight of [Julia]” and how he “wanted to rape and then murder [her]” due to how much he lusted after her. This little insight on how Winston would want to do such barbarous and despicable actions show that their relationship, to begin with, is not normal. This creates a disturbing foundation for their love to build on as it is based on negative emotions and desires. Anger and ferocity are weaponized to further the Party’s agenda with little

room to think about anything other than the Party. Since hatred is such a strong emotion, the government uses this to benefit their goals as most of the people of Oceania will use this hate to apply to those around them and not fall in love like how Winston and Julia would. Violent tendencies and hatred are normalized in their society, so when the couple is caught by the police, they are not surprised to be taken into custody and are tortured. When Winston is faced with having to go through even more pain, he shifts these threats towards Julia as he has been completely broken down. The hints of violence are mentioned throughout the book to highlight the strange dynamic of Winston and Julia’s relationship. Even Winston's infatuation with Julia starts with wanting to inflict violence to wanting to deflect torture from himself, their relationship is unhealthy and unnecessarily complex throughout the story.

Orwell also implements a common trope, star-crossed lovers, to emphasize the changing dynamics in Winston and Julia’s relationship. The government does not allow anyone to “men and women from forming loyalties” as they “might not be able to control” and that sex was not allowed unless it was “to beget children for the service of the Party”. All their energy and love are supposed to go into the Party, not one another. This environment that they are in creates a boundary that Winston and Julia must get across and forces them to be pitted against one another. And fate does not do them well. Once Julia states how “if [the government] could make [her] stop loving [Winston]—that would be the real betrayal”, the couple is caught by the police. The two undergo months of torture to break the bond they have created through their various rendezvous. Winston finally cracks when O’Brien threatens him with his biggest fear: rats. With the thought of “the cage [of rats getting] nearer” and “closing in” on Winston’s face, Winston cries out to “do it to Julia” and “not [him]” to “transfer his punishment” to “[another] one[‘s] body”. This landmarks the end of their relationship as once loving and willing to risk it all to sacrificing the other. With the buildup from the government’s restrictions of amorous relationships and the couple falling in love with the ultimate death of their affair, the star-crossed lovers have endured a harsh journey

that does not bode well. Fate has decided that they are to end up “lov[ing] Big Brother” and nothing else. The use of the star-crossed lovers — as seen in Romeo and Juliet and Orpheus and Eurydice — develops a complex relationship as they are impeded by outside forces — or the Party in 1984 — that causes them to be doomed from the start. This trope of couples that are condemned and ill-fated creates a complicated and interesting set of characters to follow. After destroying Winston’s morale and rebellious spirit, this ends everything between Julia and him. Once a caring couple that would comfort one another when crying or listening to the other’s disobedient thoughts against the Party, the bond is now broken as Winston cares about himself more than Julia which then causes him to turn back to the mindset of “not [just] obeying [Big Brother]” but also “lov[ing] him”.

In essence, Orwell accentuates the oddities and unhealthy signs throughout his novel to establish the negative impact that an oppressive government can have on their people. These attributes all lead to the downfall of what is the complex relationship of Winston and Julia.

Winston Smith

Specific Evidence

Analysis of Evidence

S- “‘Can you hear me?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Can you get Sunday afternoon off?’ ‘Yes.’”

-Winston shows signs that he is wary of how oppressive the government is and is taking a leap of faith to do something rebellious against the Party in order to please his curiosity and possibly his desires.

“‘I hate the sight of you,” he said. “I wanted to rape you and then murder you afterwords. Two weeks ago I thought of seriously of smashing your head in with a cobblestone.”

-Winston has some tendencies that the Party wants him to have, which is violence, but recognizes why he wanted to do such things with Julia and it was because he was entranced by her and knew that it was impossible under the Party’s surveillance to fulfill his desires.

“‘Listen. The more men you’ve had, the more I love you. Do you understand that?... I hate purity. I hate goodness. I don't want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones.’”

-He has become more and more rebellious against the Party. He is trying to disconnect himself the best he can from the Party so he can fulfill his morals and desires for freedom.

“Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!”

-Winston has completely broken down and does not care for her anymore. The only thing more important is himself. He has completely given up on any rebellious spirit inside him.

T- “He did not feel any temptation to tell lies to her. It was even a sort of love offering to start off by telling the worst”

-From the beginning of their relationship,Winston feels that he can be comfortable around Julia despite the government and even at the thought of possibly offending her. He deems her someone safe to his thoughts openly.

“His heart leapt. Scores of times she had done it; he wished it had been hundreds-thousands.”

-He really likes Julia and it becomes more than infatuation; it is now love.

“To think, to think, even with a split second to think was the only hope. Suddenly the foul musty odor of the brutes stuck his nostrils. There was a violent convulsion of nausea inside him, and he almost lost consciousness.”

-Winston is absolutely repulsed by rats and is trying to not pass out. He knows that O’Brien is planning on torturing him even worse, but is determined at first to stand his ground.

“He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother”.

-The Party has finally broken Winston down and he has been brainwashed to worship Big Brother with no other hesitation.

A- “The thing that he was about to do was to open a diary. This was not illegal (nothing was illegal, since there were no longer any laws), but if detected it was reasonably certain that it would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp.”

-Winston shows signs of wavering and uncertainty against the government. Even though having a diary could result in major trouble for him, he has one anyways in secret despite knowing the consequences. This shows his slight rebellious spirit against the Party.

“He was a bit early. There had been no difficulties about the journey, and the girl was so evidently experienced that he was less frightened than he would normally have been.”

-He was extremely eager to meet up with Julia and got there early without any anxiety. He has logically thought out that the girl is not a part of the Thought Police and patiently waits for her.

“He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark mustache.”

-He appreciates Big Brother and is no longer rebellious against the government. He has decided to give his undivided attention to Big Brother and the Party.

R- “For several seconds he was too stunned even to throw the incriminating thing into the memory hole.”

-When finally reading the note that Julia hands him, he is absolutely astonished since doing such things would probably get in trouble. He is in awe about the words that she has written for him in such a sneaky way.

“It was a physical problem that had to be solved: how to get in touch with the girl and arrange a meeting.”

-After thinking it through, he wants to find out more about this girl and wants to meet up with her so they can converse, preferably openly.

“O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose.”

-Winston condemns himself for not truly loving Big Brother and the Party sooner. He is so emotional and happy that he loves Big Brother that he cries seeing his face. He has been completely broken down by O’Brien and brainwashed into loving the government and will not rebel anymore.

M- “Anything that hinted at corruption always filled him with a wild hope.”

-Winston wanted anything rebellious, even if it was a miniscule action, to happen as it gave him hope that

change against the Party will happen soon and that he can get the freedom that he truly desires. “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime is death.”

-He feels restricted in Oceania by the Party and has thought it through about the flaws of his government.

Julia Specific Evidence

Analysis of Evidence

S- “Julia. I know yours. It’s Winston-Winston Smith.”

-Julia knows what she wants and has a sneaky and discreet way of receiving information. She is interested in Winston from the start.

“Not the Thought Police! You honestly didn’t think that?”

-She finds it hilarious that Winston thought that she might have been a part of the Thought Police when she slipped him the note that said “I love you”. She seems quite carefree about this and is not concerned about their situation of being potentially caught.

T- “She seemed to think it just as natural that “they” should want to rob you of your pleasures that you should want to avoid being caught.”

-Julia has a rebellious spirit and is against anything the Party stands for. She wants to do what she wants and does not want to conform to society.

“If they could make me stop loving you—that would be the real betrayal. They can’t do that…They can make you say anything—anything—but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you.”

-She really loves Winston and has thought about what the potential ending of their relationship could be. She cannot fathom not being with her or being betrayed by him, possibly feigning ignorance in hopes that this relationship will still stay afloat for a long time at least.

A- “Nevertheless it had been very difficult not to betray a momentary surprise, for in the two or three seconds while he was helping her up the girl had slipped something into his hand”

-Julia shows that she has found good ways to discreetly get around and do rebellious things in the smallest of ways.

“She had had her first love affair when she was sixteen, with a Party member of sixty who later committed suicide to avoid arrest.”

-Julia is experienced in how to get away with things that are looked down upon by the Party. She has been rebellious since she was a teenager and loves to have sex or relationships even if the government disapproves of these things. She is willing to go all the way to fulfill her desires.

“...she made no general criticism of it.” -She might not be able to fully lay out her thought process on why she hates the Party (perhaps due to propaganda), but she knows that she does not like it.

R- “Julia rolled sleepily against him, murmuring something that might have been ‘What’s the matter?’”

-She cares for Winston when she notices something is wrong with him during one of their rendezvous.

“...ripping off the scarlet sash of the Junior Anti-Sex League and flinging it onto the bough. Then as though touching her waist had reminded her of something she felt in the pocket of her overalls and produced a small slab of chocolate. She broke it in half and gave one of the pieces to Winston.”

-She condemns the Party and anything to do with it. She also secretly gets stuff from the Black Market and shares the chocolate with Winston. This shows her rebellious, self-serving spirit but also that she cares enough to share these things with Winston, who she likes.

M- “And do you know what I’m going to do next? I’m going to get hold of a real woman’s frock from somewhere and wear it instead of these bloody trousers. I’ll wear silk stockings and high-heeled shoes! In this room I’m going to be a woman, not a Party comrade.”

-There are many things that Julia wants to do but knows she is unable to since the Party is so restrictive and oppressive that she would not be able to do so. She wants to be herself and express herself freely.

“She hated the Party, and said so in the crudest of words...”

-She despises the Party and wants the Party overthrown. Julia dislikes what the Party has done to her and condemns it constantly to Winston.

Major Works Data Sheet

Title

1984

Author

George Orwell

Biographical information about author

George Orwell or Eric Arthur Blair is an English novelist and social critic known for his political novels such as Animal Farm and 1984. He often wrote about working class struggles and the potential of what could happen with oppressive governments. He opposed totalitarianism and often criticized them into his novels, whether using satire or science fiction, to get his point across.

Date of Publication

June 8, 1949

Historical information about the period of publication

World War II had just happened whileEurope was being overrun by oppressive governments such as Nazi Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. The Cold War on the rise and the threat of more oppressive governments and authoritarianism taking over was a looming thought, especially for Europeans.

Genre

Dystopian, social science fiction

Plot Summary

Winston Smith lives in a place called Oceania where the Party runs everything. He works at the Ministry of Truth. They live by the motto “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength”. The Thought Police are a group of people with their identities kept secret that ensure that everyone conforms to Big Brother, the face of the Party. Telescreens and posters serve as propaganda to force their point across. Winston Smith shows signs of wavering and rebellion at the beginning by having a diary, which could cause him to go to work camp or even be sentenced to death, and despises Big Brother. He then becomes smitten with this young girl, Julia, who slipped him a note that says “I love you” and then they have a love affair (which is not permitted in Oceania). After many rendezvous, Winston confides to O’Brien, his mentor and assumed member of the rebellion, for help. Yet the couple is turned in and are tortured and brainwashed into loving Big Brother after being threatened with rats by O’Brien.

Describe the author’s style and provide at least 4 examples that demonstrate that style

Orwell writes pretty straightforwardly, but can write things that are extremely philosophical and deep that force the readers to rethink. He inserts many statements from the characters to help get across the message he wants to give to the readers.

1. “2+2 =5” 2. “She had had her first love affair when she was sixteen, with a Party member of sixty who later committed suicide to avoid arrest.” 3. “If they could make me stop loving you—that would be the real betrayal. They can’t do that…They can make you say anything—anything—but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you.” 4. “He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark mustache.” List 5 memorable quotes and their significance to the text as a whole

1. “War is peace Freedom is slavery Ignorance is strength”

This is the slogan that the Party runs with that is doub...