(1984) - Reading Journal 2

The book enters its second third revealing secrets from the very beginning. The woman who Winston earlier despised comes to show Winston her love for him. Her name is Julia. They revolt against the Party just the two of them by going against the Party's wishes. O’Brien contacts Winston to come visit him. Winston and Julia go to visit him and reveal their wish to join the Brotherhood, an organization wishing to rebel against the Party. O’Brien tells them that he is part of the Brotherhood and initiates them into the organization. He also gives Winston Goldstein’s book which is the book of revolution. Winston and Julia continue to see each other against the Party’s terms until they are betrayed by Mr. Charrington and are arrested by the Thought Police. Orwell’s vision of 1984 shows the governments control over everything. Winston and Julia were not able to trust anyone because anyone can be working for the Party. No matter how close they are to you they can turn on you. In ways this is true today. The government can track everything, from your phone calls to your text messages to your emails they do minor searches over them for plans of terrorism. As long as its digital you need to watch what you’re saying just as the characters in 1984 need to do except theirs is a little more extreme. They even have to watch what they think. Orwell is also turning on the impression that he gave us in the first third of the book. The impression of a hero’s tale, that Winston would end up leading a revolution against the Party and generally succeeding. However, there is still hope in the story for a revolution to occur. Just as in any hero’s tale there is always a hiccup this one just may be a little too large. It engages the reader to continue to read and find out.