1984 + The Handmaids Tale

The red armed prole woman outside of Mr. Charrington's shop is used as a symbol of all of the proles and how they are the only hope for the future. Winston notes how she sings while he has never heard a party member sing. She is also a symbol of fertility and beauty compared to Julia.

Technology is another major symbol in the novel (and most dystopian literature). Through the telescreens, speakwrites, and helicopters we see how the government uses technological advancement to control the people. In Goldstein's book, the purpose of technology in the society is explained - how advancement is solely focused on control of the people and new methods of destruction (even though they never produce anything new because they do not need it).

Freedom and Love in Parts One and Two of 1984
Big Brother- I think Big Brother would define freedom as crimethink. This society clearly does not believe that freedom is necessary or even helpful with the slogan “Freedom is Slavery.” The people who idolize the meaning of freedom, such as Winston, are only a danger to the party. The use of the thought police help to eliminate this and achieve the goal of the party. I believe Big Brother would define love more similar to how we think of pride. This does not refer to pride in oneself, but pride for the party. All the people who have been brainwashed by false information and propaganda, such as Parsons and the children, believe the party is wonderful and essentially the closest thing to real love. The people are only allowed to feel hate for anything except for Big Brother.

Winston-I believe that Winston would define freedom as the way everything was in the world before the party existed as the main government. Freedom to Winston would be a world in which he could go to the antique shop, share his opinion, write, or be with Julia, all without fear. The notion that true freedom could exist is the driving force behind his risky actions, such as buying the diary and being with Julia. One thing that invovles freedom is love. I believe Winston would define love as something powerful that existed before the takeover of the party. I think Winston probobly most identifies love with the feelings he remembers for his mother. The way he describes her, but can't quite put his finger on the emotion or memory shows the extent of power in the party.

Julia- Julia seems to have a very different perspective than the other party members, especially of the women. Freedom to her would be the ability to do what she wants, when she wants to with more ease and acceptance in society. For example, being with Winston makes her feel like she is defying the party, but she wishes she had the freedom to be with each other in public. However, with the party in power, they can only get a few stolen moments in large crowds. I believe she would define love very similarly to freedom. Love to Julia is the defiance of the party in obtaining what she wants. Julia is the youngest of these characters and therefore has even less of a connection with true love, as she has been around the party her whole life.

The party in 1984 dissolves all love, sex, and family connections between people to establish complete power and control over its citizens. The party has "cut the links between child and parent, and between man and man, and between man and woman. No one dares trust a wife or a child” (267). By using these tactics it trains its subjects to complete devotion and love for Big Brother and the Party.

The Junior Anti-Sex league is an example of the party using this tactic for controlling its citizens. Even children are no longer trusted by their parents because they have the power to report them to the thought police. By this method the party manages to wedge itself between one of the strongest bonds that humans have, the love between parents and children. The children become loyal to the party instead of their parents, and parents fear their own children as a result. Betrayal of love in the family is a common idea in the novel. This is seen with Parson being betrayed by his own children, and with the imprisoned man in the ministry of love yelling that he is willing to watch his wife and children’s throats be slit instead of being taken to Room 101.

Winston’s has dreams about his mother and his childhood "in a time when there were still privacy, love, and friendship, and when the members of a family stood by one another without needing to know the reason"(28). In this novel Love is opposite everything that the party stands for, making the theme very ironic. For example, the Party uses Love as an excuse to control its subjects, as seen in the “Ministry of Love” which tortures its subjects into obeying the party. Winston rebels against the party using love. He battles everything the party stands for by allowing himself to love and stand for another human being, Julia. As long as Winston loves Julia, and what she represents, he is able to believe that another world can exist and is able to hold a hate for Big Brother and the Party.