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Why does Winston call his and Julia's sexual encounter a political act?

At the end of Part Two, Chapter Two of 1984, Winston and Julia have their first sexual encounter. For Winston, this act is as much about politics as it is about passion:


It was a blow struck against the Party. It was a political act.


The reason for this attitude lies in the nature of life under the Party. Party members, like Winston and Julia, for instance, are not allowed to have sexual relations with...

At the end of Part Two, Chapter Two of 1984, Winston and Julia have their first sexual encounter. For Winston, this act is as much about politics as it is about passion:



It was a blow struck against the Party. It was a political act.



The reason for this attitude lies in the nature of life under the Party. Party members, like Winston and Julia, for instance, are not allowed to have sexual relations with each other, unless it is for the purposes of procreation and is approved by a committee. Failure to abide by this rule can result in imprisonment in the Ministry of Love which Winston and Julia know can lead to torture and possible death.


When Winston and Julia have sex, then, they know that they are breaking this rule. In addition, they know that their lives are at risk, but they do it without regard for the consequences and they do it because they no longer wish to be controlled by Big Brother. In other words, this is their first step on the path to rebellion.

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