The music and proles

[themelodyofrain]

In 1984 there is music. In book two Winston and Julia witness a woman singing while doing her laundry. Why, when their lives are so dreadful, do the proles sing? How important is this? Is there more significance than I believe? :eek2:

[marilynmonroe12]

The significance to the Proles singing is actually pretty simple. The fact that they sing, even though they have a miserable life, simply means that they always find something good out of their situation. The woman doing her laundry is a good example of this because even though she is so worn out from giving birth, doing laundry, cleaning, taking care of her children, etc.., she still sings because she makes the best of her life and she's happy. I don't think it's that significate, but it does have meaning.

[jbee94]

Even though their lives are so dreadful the human instinct is to try and lift themselves up. They put forward faith and hope despite how horrid the conditions may be. They have no control on what is going on around them but they can control how they accept it all. This woman sings because that seems to be all she has left, all that she can do now. Her freedom has diminished but her will to bring herself up out of the depths of sadness and anger rises. It may not be too important but it shows that no matter the conditions and how hard the thought police come down on them they still have the strength to overcome such a sad life.

[swimmer444d]

i believe that the music is representative of the difference between the proles and the inner party. They sing because it is one of the few things left that is probably the same in 1984 as it was before the party took over. music has been a method of uplifting spirits since medieval ages and the purpose of it has never changed.

[Troy Beal]

To my mind the woman doing the laundry is singing because the Proles are fed pornography,
trashy novels, and "popular" songs (written by machines).
It does not seem to me she is happy, rather just brainwashed by the popular material churned out by Big Brother.
Much like television, "reality" TV, gameshows, soap operas and pop music in today's world.