Skip to main content

How would you evaluate Winston's tryst with Julia in regard to his dream of the golden country in 1984 by George Orwell?

In some ways, Winston's dream of the golden country mirrors his tryst with Julia. In the dream, just as in reality, Winston finds himself in a rabbit-bitten pasture with molehills here and there, and a dark haired girl comes toward him. As he dreams, she rips off her clothes in what Winston calls a gesture that seems to "annihilate" the whole Party system of Big Brother. In the real tryst, although they have moved to...

In some ways, Winston's dream of the golden country mirrors his tryst with Julia. In the dream, just as in reality, Winston finds himself in a rabbit-bitten pasture with molehills here and there, and a dark haired girl comes toward him. As he dreams, she rips off her clothes in what Winston calls a gesture that seems to "annihilate" the whole Party system of Big Brother. In the real tryst, although they have moved to a more secluded spot than in the dream, Julia still rips off her clothes in what Winston sees as a "magnificent" gesture that again annihilates a whole culture. 


While dreaming, Winston feels no sexual desire for the dark-haired girl, but in the real encounter, he does desire her, all the more so because Julia has had affairs with "scores of" men, a symbol of her rejection of the Party's values. In the dream, Winston wakes up with the word "Shakespeare" on his lips, but in the real encounter, he feels arising in him a feeling of tenderness and protectiveness towards Julia that he doesn't experience in the dream.


Since Winston had seen Julia before their tryst, it seems likely she is the dark-haired girl of his dream, whether he knows it or not. It is a bit uncanny that his real first encounter with her follows the dream so closely, but the significant difference is that the real encounter awakens human feelings in him that the Party has worked to eradicate. Winston's dream is just a dream, but his real encounter begins to change him.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some tensions between men and women in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has... Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has nightmares about Caesar’s death. She claims that she is not naturally super...
Post a Comment
Read more