Orwell's 1984 is a loveless world.

Before she offers Winston the note, he has fantasised about attacking Julia, believing her to be an agent of the Thought Police.

(Similarly, he later fantasises about killing his estranged wife, Katherine, so that Winston and Julia might be married)

The romantic and sexual love they experience seems more like acts of sedition and boredom than the coupling of soulmates. This is confirmed by Winston's thoughts on the glass ornament, an idealised representation of the couple that can never really be reached.

Winston's colleague, Tom Parsons, is betrayed to the Thought Police by his own children. Therefore, familial love is as illusory as romantic love in 1984. This idea is repeated by Winston's last, unhappy memory of his own mother and sister, who he betrayed.

This betrayal is ultimately repeated in Room 101, when Winston gives up Julia.

In the end, Winston professes to only love Big Brother.

	Created by bill fingleton almost 6 years ago

A brief exploration of some themes in George Orwell's 1984

George Orwell 1984 - Themes