Julia

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Julia is a twenty-six year old Outer Party member who works in the Fiction Department of the Ministry of Truth. She has dark hair and pale skin. Julia is a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League and prominently wears the red membership sash, much to Winston’s disgust. She also participates passionately in the Two Minutes Hate. After she hands Winston a note saying she loves him, they become illicit lovers. Beneath the veneer of Party loyalty, Julia is secretly rebellious. She has conducted a large number of sexual affairs and frequently buys black-market goods.

In comparison to Winston, who can remember a pre-Party world, Julia is young. For her, the Party is a deeply ingrained reality. When Winston asks her why she does so much community service, she says it helps her blend in and diverts suspicion from her more unorthodox activities. In contrast to Winston’s quest for ideological and intellectual fulfillment, Julia’s rebellion is focused on survival and personal pleasure. She hates the Party, but only because it limits her personal pursuits of pleasure; since it's an unalterable reality, she focuses on working within rather than against it.

Julia is a sexual person and is not shy about expressing her desires. Though the Party works to suppress sexual instincts in women, Julia has learned how to hide her desires. However, her desires seem to transcend sex. The Party dictates that sex should be solely for procreation—independent of love, pleasure, and desire. Under the Party, women's only function is to produce children. Femininity, beauty, and sensuality are repressed. By buying cosmetics and pursuing pleasureful rendezvous with other Party members, Julia attempts to reclaim her womanhood through sexuality and expressions of femininity.

Though Winston accuses her of only being a rebel “from the waist down,” Julia actually resists the deconstruction of her gendered identity simply by existing. Rather than allowing the Party to restrict her bodily autonomy and self-expression, Julia weaponizes her womanhood. She is not just another sexless “Party comrade.” Julia is proud to be a woman, a radical act in a world that suppresses both pride and femininity.

Julia is cunning and cautious, having conducted many affairs with other Party members prior to meeting Winston. Unlike Winston, who is fatalistic and pessimistic, Julia possesses a degree of optimism and a drive to find pleasure where she can. She believes that with enough caution and cunning, she can evade the Party and enjoy her life. Julia is a pragmatist; Winston is an idealist. Winston and Julia balance each other’s sensibilities, and they ultimately fall in love. However, it is Julia’s love for Winston that brings about her downfall.

Julia’s decision to join the Brotherhood with Winston can be read in different ways. By one interpretation, Julia’s love for Winston compels her to join him in his rebellious pursuits. Though she lacks interest in Goldstein’s teachings, Julia loves Winston enough to overcome her normally cunning and cautious nature and join the Brotherhood. By this reading, Julia’s downfall is the direct result of her decision to pursue Winston. The Party likely knew about her affairs, but it is not until she expresses truly rebellious thoughts that she becomes a traitor.

However, Julia can also be read as an Inner Party collaborator. Winston himself expresses doubt as to why a young woman like Julia would be interested in him. She also has access to a number of Inner Party products, like chocolate and coffee. By this reading, either Julia herself specifically targeted Winston or the Inner Party manipulated her into pursuing him in order to spur on his rebellious impulses. O’Brien mentions that he has been watching Winston for years on suspicion of thoughtcrimes and that he orchestrated Winston’s rebellion. If Julia truly conducted as many illicit affairs as she claims, it is unlikely that she would not have attracted the Party’s notice. Regardless of whether or not Julia is fully aware of the Inner Party’s machinations, it is likely that she was specifically chosen to help facilitate Winston’s downfall.

Expert Q&A

In 1984, what happens to Julia and are there visible signs of her torture?

In 1984, Julia is tortured and brainwashed. By the end of the book, she is a shadow of her former self, with a facial scar that indicates some kind of physical abuse. Her change in personality would also appear to suggest that she's been brainwashed.

Why does the Party want to extinguish sexual activity in 1984, from Julia's perspective?

From Julia's perspective in 1984, the Party wants to extinguish sexual activity because it desires to harness sexual energy for its own agenda. Sexual satisfaction leads to happiness and contentment, which reduces the pent-up energy and hysteria the Party needs to redirect towards love for Big Brother and hatred for enemies. The Party wants people to be frustrated and loveless to ensure their loyalty and fervor.

What happens to Julia at the end of 1984?

At the end of 1984, Winston runs into Julia. Like him, she has become an empty shell of a person, and she betrayed him when faced with her worst fear. The two no longer love each other.

Why does Julia refuse to break up with Winston in 1984 before they are discovered?

Julia refuses to break up with Winston because she views their relationship as an act of rebellion against the oppressive regime. She believes that maintaining their affair preserves her humanity and autonomy, which the government seeks to suppress. Julia sees sexual promiscuity as self-determinism and is committed to being true to her feelings, even at the risk of punishment. Her defiance is rooted in the belief that the government cannot control her inner emotions and beliefs.

What, according to Julia, is the one thing the Party cannot do in "1984"?

Julia initially believes that the Party in 1984 can force outward compliance but cannot change a person's inner thoughts and feelings. She asserts that they "can't get inside you" to alter true beliefs or emotions. However, the novel demonstrates the Party's power to reshape inner convictions through severe torture, as seen when both Julia and Winston ultimately betray each other and lose their independent spirit, succumbing to the Party's control.

Why is Julia considered "apolitical" despite her hatred for the Party in 1984?

Julia is considered "apolitical" because her hatred for the Party is not rooted in ideology but in personal grievances. Unlike Winston, who philosophically opposes the Party, Julia's disdain stems from its restrictions on her personal freedoms, such as engaging in sexual affairs. Her criticism lacks a broader political or philosophical context, focusing solely on how the Party affects her individual life, as evidenced by her crude, non-ideological criticisms.

What is the meaning of Julia's note "I love you" in 1984?

Julia's note "I love you" in 1984 signifies a desire for sexual connection and shared pleasure with Winston, reflecting the limited scope of love under Big Brother's regime. It primarily indicates her wish to have a physical relationship, which is a form of rebellion against the oppressive society. Additionally, it implies self-love, as Julia considers her own pleasure and joy important enough to risk her life for.

What is the powerful element of Julia's nudity on page 31 in 1984?

Julia's nudity is powerful because it symbolizes rebellion against the Party's oppressive rules. Her carefree attitude contrasts sharply with the societal norms of self-consciousness and constraint, highlighting her liberation. Furthermore, Winston's lack of sexual desire in response to her nudity underscores his growing inner rebellion against the Party, marking a turning point in his character. This dream signifies his yearning for a pre-Party world of freedom and authenticity, driving him towards action.

In 1984, is it believable when Winston claims not to love Julia twice?

Winston's claim not to love Julia in 1984 is believable due to the Party's manipulation of emotions and extreme psychological torture. Initially, Winston's relationship with Julia was a form of rebellion against the Party rather than genuine love. The Party's control, especially through torture in Room 101, extinguished his feelings for her, illustrating Orwell's theme that totalitarianism destroys personal emotions. This reflects the Party's success in redirecting love and loyalty solely towards Big Brother.

Is Julia in 1984 a realist or a cynic?

Julia in Orwell's 1984 can be seen as both a realist and a cynic. Her understanding of the oppressive society and her pragmatic approach to survival reflect realism. She engages in rebellious acts, aware of the regime's weaknesses and the need for personal freedom. However, her actions also suggest cynicism, as she navigates the system with skepticism and distrust. Ultimately, her character embodies both traits due to the dystopian context.

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