The Corresponding Role of Julia in the Plot Development of 1984
Furtive with a gleam of shyness at first sight, Julia takes on the role of a guardian-like figure for the narrative. Her existence typifies a mandatory bridge in the gap for the continuation of the story. At present she is often wit fully observed with a sense of scrutiny through the eyes of the protagonist Winston Smith who is overly suspicious of her essence. As the eventual lover of Winston, an essential comradeship is created that will render as a fundamental element of the plot. The connection between them would be revoked by betrayal which ultimately collates and culminates in the climactic moment of the novel that has been foreshadowed by occasional moments. Although initially mysterious and obscure in portrayal, Julia’s seemingly enigmatic character is progressively revealed to constitute a necessary component for the gradual development of the plot of 1984.
Julia is first presented during Winston’s attendance at the two minutes hate assembly. The odious tension was apparent in that Winston “had disliked her from the very first moment of seeing her” (p.10). It would furthermore evolve to an incensement as he willingly desired to “flog her to death with a rubber truncheon” (p.15). The recurring moments of her subsequent unexpected appearances strikingly intimidates Winston for he becomes falsely convinced that she had been conspiring with the thought police. Depicted as the mysterious dark-haired girl, Julia epitomizes the fear of the unknown that Winston loathes and desires wrath upon. In fact, it is this thematic impression that predominates the earlier setting. The unknowingness of many concepts particularly the past is well reflected in Winston’s curiosity. What is realized is that Julia’s constant presence and misinterpreted intentions indirectly motivates Winston to learn and discover more of what he does not understand. He is therefore seen attempting to improve and widen his mere knowledge by interacting with a variety of individuals including a language specialist, Mr. Charrington, the owner of an antique shop, and even an elderly stranger. His quest for truth and understanding would approach a turning point once he began to discover who the unknown girl was.
As Winston was seeking answers to his questions, the serendipitous moment occurred when he learned of the unknown girl’s true friendliness. At one time the dark-haired girl clandestinely approached him and handed a note that romantically read “I love you” (p.108). From the moment onward, the plot’s direction had experienced a shift. Originally it would have been predicted that the girl was an antagonist as her lurking behavior seemed to have suggested. Since the note had expressed emphatic feelings towards the protagonist, the plot steers in a new route. It is then anticipated that the girl would come to be an ally of Winston who will act as a mentor in orchestrating events. Indeed the plot ventures on as foreseen by the introduction of the love note. The two became romantically involved with one another in private seclusion. Winston’s tireless thirst for knowledge was manifested in a series of questioning towards the young girl whose name was revealed to him as Julia. Having the fact unveiled that she had slept with “scores of men” within the Party, his passionate aggression and hatred towards the world in which he resided grew stronger. Such emotions are expressed in his admittance to Julia as he mutters “I hate purity, I hate goodness. I don’t want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones” (p.125). Sharing a powerful similarity, Julia voluntarily decides to seduce him as she explains: “Well then, I out to suit you, dear. I’m corrupt to the bones” (p.125). Committing adulterly with Julia who embodies the corruption of the Party, Winston had surrendered his loyalty and dignity to the dominion that he had served. As Julia’s persona would drive Winston closer towards her, the more distant he would be apart from the Party.
Aside from the growing camaraderie of the two, the fellowship will provide the tool for the narrative’s progression. A moment together foretells an upcoming scenario as Julia and her lover would “sometimes talked of engaging in active rebellion against the Party, but with no notion of how to take the first step” (p.152). Despite the strong connection between themselves, Julia would come to the conclusion that her ill-fated relationship will not endure. It was self-apparent as she lacked the interest that Winston had regarding the past and the next generation when she told him: “I’m not interested in the next generation, dear. I’m interested in us” (p.156). By confirming to not possessing the same motivation as Winston, Julia sets herself apart from him. The casual dichotomy that has been created amongst them bares forth a glimpse of the plot’s final revelation. Albeit the uncommonality, Julia had stirred Winston to contrive and conspire against what he had represented. In turn, she faithfully volunteers along with him to declare her opposition to the Party. Winston’s confession to O’Brien and desire to commit himself to antagonizing the Party is a central consequence of Julia’s seductive persona as he came to assert that “We believe that there is some kind of conspiracy, some kind of secret organization working against the Party, and that you are involved in it. We want to join it and work for it. We are enemies of the Party. We are though-criminals. We are also adulterers” (p.170). It is therefore proven from the words of Winston that Julia was a necessary force who indirectly prompted him to move further on from the first step. As he in the earlier moments of the novel dwindled in a state of confusion and uncertainty, Julia had come forth and had represented herself as a voice in the wilderness. Alternatively Winston would have more likely served the state, perpetually obeying the unchanging principles of the Party.
The real importance of Julia is understood in the moments leading up to the climax. With her lover Winston in captive, she was remotely kept separate from him. Deep within the interior of the Ministry of Love lied the gloomy cell which was delineated through the words of O’Brien as “the place where there is no darkness.” Although gone from the moment, Julia had her influence intact as she would at times become the focus of Winston’s thoughts: “More dimly he thought of Julia. Somewhere or other she was suffering, perhaps far worse than he. She might be screaming with pain at this moment” (p.238). As she was not shown, it was unknown as to whether she was suffering the same agony and dreariness that her lover had been. Serving as his tormentor and perhaps worst nightmare, O’Brien went to every length possible to transform Winston from a hater to lover of Big Brother and all that the Party had stood for originally. As he succeeds in discovering the main source of Winston’s fear which are rats and placing him in Room 101 that was alluded to as the place that contains “the worst thing in the world” (p.283), O’Brien had fortuitously triumphed in forcing Winston to forfeit all the remaining feelings he had left of Julia. Unable to confront the greatest of his fears, Winston in the climactic moment frantically urges “Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia!” (p.286). In regards to the torture scene, Julia was more of a scapegoat to which Winston had access to in order to fend off his agony. Julia had in other words served as an elemental device for which Winston was provided to summon and use as a last resort
From representing an unknown force that evokes fear, to the eventual lover and comrade of Winston, and to the main attributor of the climax, Julia is subsequently revealed to crucially format the plot structure of the storyline. Created as a radicalization to the traditional feminine girl marked by obedience and loyalty to an authority figure, Julia serves as a catalyst in stirring the passion that causes Winston to progress onwards. As their bond builds together, the framework of the plot is unveiled as they both could not stay together much longer. The bond between them is the sacrifice that is made by Winston himself and thus given to O’Brien. The plot’s finale would go as expected with Julia giving Winston the cold shoulder and remaining aloof in response to his betrayal. With the novel’s conclusion resulting in the two separate and distant from one another, it is noticed that a character like Julia was necessary for the novel’s events to be progressively linked towards one another in sequence.
Works Cited
Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Signet Classics, 1977. 10, 15, 108, 125, 152, 156, 170, 238, 283, 286.
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