1984

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1. 
   sagesource Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   Julia has a generally positive influence on Winston's health and spirits, but in the larger sense she simply assists in first confirming and then destroying his illusions. I do not think that she is a spy, as has been suggested, but to Winston's larger aims, she is more a hinderance than a help.

   To begin with, Julia has no long-term plans on how to oppose the Party. When she is with Winston, life shrinks to an eternal present with no real future. Perhaps without meaning to, she tempts Winston into taking measures, such as renting the bedroom from Mr. Carrington, which are ultimately suicidal. Her rebellion against the Party is impulsive and unthought; as Winston points out, "You're only a rebel from the waist downward." It is significant that she finds this a "brilliantly witty" remark (Part II, ch. 5).

   Julia also reinforces Winston's delusion that he will be able to hold onto her despite any torture that the Party can inflict. His devotion to her becomes his greatest weakness, in that when O'Brien breaks it, he can be sure he has broken the whole of Winston Smith.

   Thus, we can say that although Julia was probably trustworthy as far as that went, and had a temporary positive effect on him both mentally and physically, Winston's relationship with her ended up becoming one of his most critical weaknesses. Her relationship with Winston is one of the ways Orwell criticizes romantic "love conquers all" ideas of resistance to tyranny.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/1984/characters

   http://www.enotes.com/1984/q-and-a/julia-spy-please-provi...

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   Posted by sagesource on Wednesday May 7, 2008 at 10:07 PM
   
   

2. 
   ash01 Student
   High School - 12th Grade

   hi, Daniela. julia has a much more positive and opptimistic view of life than Winston does. I think she influences him because she is more confident. As we see in chapter two she speeks to Winston as if she knows him very well when he talks about his appearance and she tells him she doesn't care. Also, she tells him about her involvment with the party and how he thought she was a perfect party member and she blames her sash which she reffers to as " it's this bloody thing that does it". she did have positive impact on him and is to be trusted because she reveals so much in such little time. chap 2. p93

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   Posted by ash01 on Thursday May 8, 2008 at 9:37 AM
   
   

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