BOOK 1 CHAPTERS 7-8 & BOOK 2 CHAPTERS 1-2

Image result for the proles in 1984Book 1 Chapters 7-8
"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious. "

 The proles make up 85 % of the population in Oceania. They are more in numbers which means that they have the ability to overpower, but in order for them to do that, they have to be in the right state of mind-- they have to gain consciousness.  Winston doesn't believe that the proles will build up the drive to rebel against those in power, due to their inability to understand what is going on. They are not smart enough and the Party don't seem to view them as a threat. This quote is a paradox that indicates the uncertainty of Winston towards the proles.

Book 2 Chapter 1
"Then the memory of her face came back, and with it a raging, intolerable desire to be alone […]. At the sight of the words I love you the desire to stay alive had welled up in him, and the taking of minor risks suddenly seemed stupid. It was not till twenty-three hours, when he was home and in bed – in the darkness, where you were safe even from the telescreen so long as you kept silent – that he was able to think continuously."
     

 After reading the note sent by Julia, Winston feels completely ruffled and the repressed desire for her he had was no longer there. The relationship that Julia and Winston have is quite interesting. They both have the same common goal of going against the Party. This interest in rebelling against those in power keeps their relationship alive. They also tend to confide in each other in a physical way.

Book 2 Chapter 1

Image result for Winston and Julia"He thought of her naked, youthful body, as he had seen it in his dream. He had imagined her a fool like all the rest of them, her head stuffed with lies and hatred, her belly full of ice. A kind of fever seized him at the thought that he might lose her, the white youthful body might slip away from him! What he feared more than anything else was that she would simply change her mind if he did not get in touch with her quickly."

This text clearly indicates the feelings that Winston has for Julia. Even though the thought of having her again is scary and forbidden, he still wants to be with her. They have definitely had a kind of strange physical connection going on. Personally, I feel that they think that what they are "in love" with each other, when really its the idea of the two of them against the world that is making their relationship exciting. It's not as intimate as they might think. They have never really experienced real love before, so it's not surprising when they think that their relationship is a "real" one.




Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 10, 2017 at 10:08 PM

    The last quote you picked was good because it tells us what Winston is thinking. We know why he does something if we know what he was thinking.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Emmanuel DohertyDecember 16, 2017 at 10:22 PM

    The proles are not smart because they do not know anything else, just like the rest of the people in Oceania. I wonder if the proles will ever become conscious.

    ReplyDelete

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