1984Book 2, II

Brendan Steinbock

Period 4

Character Analysis

• Winston Smith– In this chapter we are introduced to Winston’s

animalistic side. We see in this chapter that he has a real thirst for corruption. To him, the more unorthodox something is, the more appealing it is, and this becomes very evident when he is put in a situation involving rebellion. We also see that he is gentlemanly, as he picks flowers for Julia; this is indirect characterization.

Character Analysis

• Julia– One could say that this chapter is where Julia is truly

introduced. This is the first time where we get the opportunity to see that in reality she is a rebellious deceiving party member. She is tricky and cunning because she even managed to trick Winston who generally has a keen eye. She is very unorthodox, which is both directly stated and alluded to by the fact that she refers to the party with constant waves of swearing and has committed adultery many times.

Newspeak/Words to Know• Dapple - having spots of a different shade, tone, or color from the

background “Winston picked his way up the lane through dappled light and

shade.

• Etiolated - To cause to appear pale and sickly “…the May Sunshine had made him feel dirty and etiolated.”

• Incredulity - inability or unwillingness to believe. “At the beginning he had no feelings except sheer incredulity.”

• Obeisance - a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy

“…ducked its head for a moment, almost as though to make and obeisance to the sun…”

Literary Elements

• “But there was still that memory moving round the edges of his consciousness, something strongly felt, but not reducible to a definite shape, like an object seen out of the corner of one’s eye.”

– This combination of personification and a simile is a great comparison that easily allows readers to comprehend how Winston feels about this particular instance. (Involving where he had previously tasted that kind of chocolate.) We all know what it’s like to feel almost remember something, but not quite knowing all of the details. You know that it is there, but it feels like it’s physically moving away before you catch it.

Literary Elements

• “It was merely one symptom of her revolt against the Party and all its ways, and somehow it seemed almost natural, like the sneeze of a horse that smells bad hay.

– This simile relating Julia’s cursing at the party to horse’s sneezing gives the reader a strong grasped of how naturally she referred to the party in such a negative way.

Literary Elements

• Throughout 1984, Orwell uses a lot of irony, either plain, or through the subtle usage of doublethink, and Book 2, II is no exception. In this chapter, Orwell emphasizes that Julia is a leading member of the Junior Anti-Sex league. This is ironic because we soon find out that she has secretly committed many acts of adultery. Another example is the discreet usage of doublethink. This is displayed when Julia and Winston know that they’re safe, but still are precautious and paranoid because they don’t know if they are safe.

Diction

• In this chapter, Orwell uses very simple diction, with the use of very many adjectives. This is likely to portray the plain clarity and vividness of life that can be experienced while not under the surveillance of the government. The simple diction could also be to underplay the significance of the situation, in order to emphasize the severity of such a simple act against the government.

Syntax

• Orwell’s syntax in this chapter is a mixture between short simple sentences and long, complex ones. This is likely to mimic the feelings that Winston feels; anxiousness in the short sentences and the long drawn out feeling of anticipation shown in the long sentences. The fact that there is not a consistent sentence structure could imply confusion, and nervousness, as well as the general lack of knowledge of what was to come, which also seem to be some of the main focuses of the chapter.

Discussion Question #1

• Why is it significant that Julia had sexual intercourse with many Party Members before?

– This shows that Julia is not the only corrupt Party member. It gives the reader the impression that corruption has actually become fairly frequent amongst party members, and thus Winston isn’t the only orthodox thinker of the Party.

Discussion Question #2

• What does the bird singing symbolize?

– The bird singing symbolizes freedom. Winston asks himself: “For whom, for what, was that bird singing? No mate, no rival was watching it. What made it sit at the edge of a lonely wood and pour its music into nothingness?” The answer to these questions, while not having a definite answer in the book, can be interpreted as it’s general freedom to do so. It has the freedom to sing and chose to do so.

Discussion Question #3

• Why is it significant that Julia and Winston ended up in the Golden Country, and Winston’s vision of Julia’s hand movement came true?

– Because both these events were previously foreshadowed, this is Orwell’s way of telling us that Winston’s other dreams and visions, such as O’Brien saying that they will meet in the place where there is no darkness, will also come true.

Discussion Question #4

• What does the statement “No emotion was pure, because everything was mixed up with fear and hatred” say about the governments control on the mental process of it’s society?

– This shows that even if they cannot see or control that their subjects have emotions, the government clearly sways how people feel about everything. This means that people will act happy or sad and etc because they are afraid to act otherwise. However this slightly backfires on the Party in the form of negative emotions that they wish to eliminate. For instance rather than for conventional reasons of our modern society, Julia falls in love with Winston purely because of their mutual hatred of the party.

Discussion Question #5

• What is the overall significance of Winston and Julia having intercourse.

– There are many reasons why this is majorly significant. Some of which are that, it shows that although the Party may believe that they have completely eliminated the instinct to mate, it hasn’t and can’t be destroyed. It also is a massive blow against the government and shows that it is possible to defy the government. This means that if such an act was possible, the government could probably be defied in many other ways. Finally it also gives Winston a sense of hope, not only because it was an act of rebellion, but because it was symbolically a huge from his prior love life, meaning that things can change and he can move on.

Summary/Analysis• Winston is on his way to the secret spot, when he describes the train ride there

where he talked to a few Proles. On his way, he stops to pick some flowers for Julia when he hears someone behind him. Not wanting to look back, and thus show guilt, Winston continues until he feels a hand on his shoulder; it is Julia. He follows her as she expertly navigates the wooded area until she stops in an area with many burnt down trees. After making brief conversation, the kiss, after which Julia asks what he thought of her before she gave him the note. Not wanting to lie Winston tells her the full truth, and she is greatly amused that her disguise was so effective. As Julia explains which she is so heavily involved in Party activities, she produces a slab of real chocolate. This brings Winston a negative memory, but he quickly pushes it away. Julia quickly reveals her true feelings about the Party, cursing and swearing any time she mentions them. The two start to walk and Winston is shocked to see that they are in the Golden Country. Just after this shocking revelation, a bird starts to sing for no apparent reason. Julia and Winston start to kiss again, when they decide that it is time. Before they start though, Winston asks how often she has done this. Much to his pleasure, she reveals that she has done it many times, and always with Party members. The corruption and animalistic instinct greatly appeal to Winston, and they proceed to have intercourse. Throughout this chapter, the tone is set as one of serenity, victory, and rebellion, as well as curiosity and hopefulness.