The Brotherhood

[Walter White]

O'Brien presents "The Brotherhood" to Winston and Julia telling them that they will know none of their fellow members, perform small acts over time until they are eventually caught, and will surely be killed. What is the point if there is a chance that none of their actions will actually benefit their lives in Oceania(at least for many years to come)? And if their actions do actually provide a change and help to destruct Big Brother, won't they most likely suffer death anyway?

[The Atheist]

(Hint: The Brotherhood is a fantasy to entrap people into saying things that will come back to haunt them. Literally.)

[Thejalapeno123]

This is a good question. Why would anyone want to do it in the first place? It just shows what these people will do everything to overthrow "B.B" because of the hate they have for him.

[Low-key Learner]

Realistically, nothing that any individual could do would result in the downfall of Big Brother, so the point of their rebellious actions could be accounted to mere satisfaction or desperation. Winston and Julia are doomed to a meaningless and fairly dreadful existence, so they really don't have much to lose aside from their lives. From the beginning of the book the two know that they're going to be vaporized eventually, too. Before Winston and Julia "do the do" we see that Winston likes that Julia had done "it" before because that means that the Party isn't as pure as one would be led to believe.

[ignotis]

It is the aspect of hope Winston and Julia have in their heads that cause them to search for the Brotherhood and join them no matter the cost. They hope by just doing little acts against the party will build up to where the party can be overthrown in the future, or cause a rebellion against the party. But as said above by Low-key Learner, not even Julia or Winston's little acts would make an impact to the party. The Party with the thought police quickly and easily find out this minute group of rebels, and vaporize them. There is no way for the Party to ever be over thrown by the Brotherhood, the only way would be for the whole prole population to rebel at once, and even that will never happen. Thus by Julia and Winston taking the chance to find the brotherhood just shortened there time together, because their acts are useless.