The Diary

[Ziver]

I have only read the first two parts of 1984 and the diary hasn't been mentioned since Winston began his "relationship" with Julia. Does this mean that the diary served its purpose as Winston's first action against the party? Does the diary ever come up again?

[sayboooo]

I think that Winston doesn't need the diary now that he has Julia. I think that he kept the diary because he had no one to tell about how he was against the party. Now, instead of writing in the diary, he can just tell Julia about his ideas against the party.

[artist.2012]

I believe that for Winston, the diary was merely a way to start his personal rebellion against the Party. At first he did not know whom he was writing the diary for, but later decided that it was for O'Brien. And because he had already talked to O'Brien, it was no longer necessary for him to carry on writing (especially because O'Brien told Winston that he may not be around much longer).

[Pepperonimask23]

Winston buying and useing his diary was his first actual action, he felt on being rebellious against Big Brother. As time progressed he found bigger more effective ways of being rebellious. Basically the diary was just a spark of what greater actions he was to do later on in the story. Plus when he entered the antique shop and purchased the ancient diary that could have set off an alarm for the "thought police" to keep an eye on him.( since the owner Mr. Charrington was a member of the thought police.) This diary, is probably one of the most important elements in the book even if it was just briefly talked about.