This quotation from 1984 reveals what Winston Smith thinks about the proles, the working classes of Oceania he believes to be the only group in society capable of overthrowing the regime.

The proles are rough and ready people, as we can tell from Winston's remarks about the junk-shop owner. The man's voice is "soft" and his accent "less debased than that of the majority of proles." The fact that the man speaks differently to most proles makes him stand out like a sore thumb, which Winston cannot help but notice.

The junk shop's owner's physical appearance is also different. He wears glasses, his movements are fussy, and he's sporting an old black velvet jacket that gives Winston the impression that he was once some kind of literary man or musician.

Once again, the contrast with most proles is stark. When they're not working, they spend most of their time drinking, gambling, or consuming pornography. And because the state doesn't believe them to be capable of revolution, they're not subjected to the same degree of scrutiny and control as other members of society.

But even allowing for the lumping together of the proles into one amorphous mass, there are still those, like the junk shop owner, who retain a spark of individuality, which is an encouraging sign worth noticing.