1984 Winston And Julia Relationship Essay

Examine the inter relationships between Winston, Julia and O’Brien.
What is Orwell trying to convey by bringing these three people together?
“1984” a novel by George Orwell written in post World War 2, explores the life of a thirty seven year old Winston Smith who lives in a dystopic society in London, an Oceania state also known as Airstrip One. Government control is presented through abuse of power in surveillance, propaganda, censorship and fear. Orwell presents the theme that rebellion fails against all totalitarian regimes through the inter relationship between Julia and Winston’s attitude towards one another. Also the theme of government mind control is conveyed through the antagonist O’Brien a member of the thought polices’ surveillance
on Winston Smith.
Through the protagonists Winston Smith and Julia, Orwell shows that eventually in a dictatorial state all acts of rebellion will be crushed and that these regimes are unstoppable.
Winston and Julia share a secret love affair which is against party rules as the characters share a secretive family detached from the party. Though Winston and Julia calls their love affair as a “private act of rebellion” eventually this is found out by the party. Furthermore Winston’s dreams of rebellion are soon exposed by the party aswell as his secret diary which was also soon found out. Orwell shows that even small acts of sedition are pointless and eventually crushed by totalitarian governments, portraying the idea that we as humanity must not let these governments come into power in the first place. In the novel Winston is isolated as he is more intellectual and commits acts of “doublethink”. Winston’s isolation evidently leads him to place hope on other characters like Julia and O’Brien. Orwell presents the idea that trust is the basis of bonds between relationships especially for Winston in a society where there is no hope Winston places his hope on people who he believes can help him. However, even Julia his love disagrees with Winston seeking a more selfish lifestyle of enjoying black market coffee and jam. Orwell shows that people must see the greater picture like
Winston to change the present to a better alternative for the future generations. Winston’s character is brave though his ultimate downfall also lies in his trust on people too easily. Orwell juxtaposes Julia to Winston as each character see’s rebellion differently. Winston is more idealistic seeking to change the situation while Julia only wants to satisfy her own needs which is also partly because of her being brought up by Big Brother regime. Julia does not see a better alternative and accepts society as it is now. Winston on the other hand is able to compare life during his childhood and his contolled adulthood. Orwell conveys the theme that society must not allow any other totalitarian regimes to rise up as the few people who do rise up like Winston will be crushed .
The importance of psychological control over the population is also seen through the relation between Winston and O’Brien. Winston begins to dream about O’Brien as Winston feels connected to O’Brien and believes O’Brien is part of the rebellious group, the brotherhood. However, Orwell shows that Winston has become too reliant and is too hopeful upon others which ends up with his downfall and being caught and reintegrated by the thought police. O’Brien’s character is deceptive and is able to read Winston’s thought and understands the reason for these thoughts allowing O’Brien to break Winston and to “rewrite” Winston. Winston’s relation is peculiar in Part 3 of the novel as Winston calls O’Brien a “protector” and a “friend” even after being tortured. Winston begins to rely on O’Brien to stop the pain forcing Winston to once again place hope upon O’Brien as Winston at last has nothing else to lose. Winston by the end of the torture gives up and submits to Big Brother. O’Brien also reveals to Winston that he has been watching Winston since the day the diary was bought revealing that no secrecy bypasses the Party. Orwell presents a idea that the Government’s strength is firm and that its regime will stay in place by not turning people into martyrs but to reintegrate these people to fit the society the regime needs.
Through the relations of Winston and Julia, Orwell conveys the idea that rebellion fails under dictatorial states and that nothing can be bypassed which is revealed by O’Brien. O’Brien’s cunning plan breaks down Winston into a destitute man in the mind and O’Brien is able to control even the smartest of the people. Orwell’s negative ending to the novel with the rebellion being crushed conveys an idea that rebellion will be useless if any totalitarian regimes rise up in the future and these governments will dictate our lives controlling our minds. Orwell emphasises that society needs to be aware of the governments and society we are living in to ensure the right of humans.