Love

[Hypothesis]

As George Woodcock writes in Orwell's Message, love is "one of the most important but least discussed" aspects of 1984, always overshadowed by its poignant political message. So what do people think of Orwell's portrayal of love?

I'm exploring it as part of my A level coursework, and think that it is mainly affected by politics and eroticism. It's not portrayed very romantically overall (there are some exceptions e.g. Winston picking flowers for Julia and their walk in the woods) but Winston and O'Brien have an extremely romantic relationship. Which is odd.

...I may be on the wrong track here, but does anyone think that, if we analyse this text psycho-analytically, there's the potential for Winston being a surpressed homosexual?

Just an idea I wanted to get some opinions on. Thanks!

[Coco]

I've read some commentary that suggests that Winston and O'Brien are in love. Personally I don't see it. Remember, there are different kinds of love. Winston makes NO mention of his father anywhere in the novel. O'Brien serves as a father figure for Winston, taking pains to teach him an train him and even to punish his wayward child "for his own good." This is the kind of love--filial--that I see between these two men. Or at least, Winston feels it. O'Brien feels nothing--he is just doing his job. He feels power over Winston. That's not the same as love.

I notice that Winston's life changes a lot for the better after his relationship with Julia begins. Even when they do not act sexually, they spend hours talking and just being together. Winston feels better physically, mentally, and emotionally. He finally believes that he has something to live for. The Party wants to stifle this feeling and make people want to live only for the Party, but Winston and Julia succeed, if temporarily, in finding love (i.e. a purpose in life) that has nothing to do with politics.

If Winston is not romantic, it is because he doesn't know how to be. He had no role models as a boy, and no models of any kind as an adult--he has never seen anyone behave romantically (except in distant memory which he doesn't trust), so he doesn't know how to behave that way.

[The Atheist]

Answer of the month!

:thumbs_up