My Opinion of the End of 1984

I found the End of 1984 to be quite inconclusive and disappointing. It might sound strange, but I would have preferred to see Winston die rather than succumb to the party. As the “hero” of the novel, I don’t find this very heroic. In fact, he is the opposite of heroic. If he had died, or even been killed in the duration of the book, it would have been better and made him more heroic rather than a victim who succumbs to circumstances.  It hints to Winston being killed at some time in the future but in a way, Winston has already been killed. His mind has been replaced with that of a party member and his body is merely another number in support of it. Winston truly lives up to his title of the walking dead. I found it frustrating that the last words of the book are “I love Big Brother”. The simplicity and bluntness of the statement shows the party’s victory: their victory in war, over Winston, and over society as a whole. They always win and Big brother will eternally live one, as a victor and protector amongst its people. This conclusion is dismal and bleak, with no hope for a better future.

    In a sense, I believe that this ending evokes exactly the reaction that Orwell intended. We, as readers, wanted a definite be killed or live happily in defiance, sort of ending but in reality, these two options are very idealistic. By ending with Winston saying that he loves big brother, he implies that Big Brother had won the fight. That, after all, Winston never had a chance. I believe that in its symbolism, Orwell is implicating that we, the individual, have no chance when it comes to an all mighty power such as the government.

Goldstein's book, 1984

Goldstein’s book is baffling to me. Its symbolic purpose is rebellion yet I see little purpose in its physical cause, especially in Winston’s case. It basically goes over the party’s history and reasons for its actions which Winston already knows. Its long descriptions merely confirm what Winston already suspects. For this very reason, I am suspicious about the book and O’Brien. The book seems to fit Winston almost too perfectly. What are the odds that it confirms every one of Winston’s beliefs, no more and no less? Why is it that the book offers neither real conclusions nor instructions? It sounds more like a history text book rather than a high-crime offence. This may just be the reason why it is so detrimental to the party; it is comprised of pure, unchanging and unaltered facts. However, after reading it, what is a rebeller supposed to take away from it? If he or she had made it this far into the brotherhood, they would already have these thoughts. This brings me to my next point; does the brotherhood actually exist?

                If the brotherhood were to exist, wouldn’t it achieve some sort of goal rather than remain secretive? To be victorious, there needs to be a winner and a loser but who’s to know whether the brotherhood is victorious or not if they are so secret about their doings? In other words, someone outside the brotherhood, has to be aware of a victory for it to count as so. Otherwise, it does not matter whether they make advances or not because there is no effect. I am suspicious that they even exist and I believe that O’Brien may have set up the whole hoax to catch Winston and Julia. On the other hand, there really could be a brotherhood but it obviously isn’t doing too well for they haven’t made any advances and even if they had, they are unknown of and therefore nonexistent.  

Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy explication

                   Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy exemplifies a hyperbole but she gets her point across very clearly. Her message bluntly states that girls will do anything to achieve the perfect image. Barbie dolls have more recently been scrutinized for their “perfectness”. A Barbie is what most girls desire to look like and in this desire, girls have gone to great lengths. This does not mean they would “cut off [their] nose and [their] legs” but girls would and do get plastic surgery, undergo weight loss procedures along with dieting and exercising which can often lead to eating disorders.

                The image of the perfect woman is displayed in magazines as well by edited models. Its unrealistic features compare to Barbie and are mirrored by the poem’s ridiculousness. A sly bit of irony is used to show just how ridiculous methods of achieving the Barbie look can be. In fact, Piercy implies that it is impossible to attain perfection until one is dead.  For after she was dead “[everyone said:] doesn’t she look pretty?” This particular line shows how messed up society is, for their definition of pretty is Barbie.

                By using the term “girlchild” Piercy sets up her whole poem to criticize the stereotypes about women. The first stanza in particular describes what girls are expected to do, “as usual”. The shift in tone mirrors the shift in age, for at puberty the “girlchild” becomes abnormal. This is when she deviates from what is expected of girls. This is the moment she becomes a woman. The image of a real, imperfect, girl with a “big nose and fat legs” contradicts that of a Barbie. In the end, it did not matter that she “was healthy, tested intelligent” excreta, all that mattered was that her looks were imperfect. When she did become “perfect”, that all people commented on. 

Impressions of Julia

Julia both contrasts and mirrors Winston. She contrasts him in that she is ignorant to the meaning of the small details of the party. For example, she is uninterested in the purpose of newspeak and its effects. She also does not care about the erasing and remaking of history. She sums up her indifference by claiming that if “one knew it was rubbish, […] why let oneself be worried by it?” (156) this is a very narrow viewpoint. It shows that she is mostly concerned with herself, not the greater good.  If she knows the truth, it will suffice but even the truth that Winston reveals to her bores her to the point of putting her to sleep. I find her lack of interest surprising, considering how against the party she is. She, however, would rather act out through means of sex and the black market. This makes her a doer, for she feels as though she is physically breaking the law. This contrasts Winston’s wimpy attempt with his diary which seems obsolete compared to the actions Julia has committed.

Although Julia is daring, she is naive. I cannot seem to get over her ignorance towards the party’s lies. Although it is not surprising to her, I would expect her to at least be interested. I find it frustrating that she is so selfish when it comes to this. I wonder whether she is truly attracted to Winston like he is to her or whether she is merely using him. She perks up when Winston seems to insult her. Their dynamic is quite strange. I am weary of Julia. She seems preoccupied with defying the law in the only two ways she knows how: sex and the black market. Otherwise, she seems as though she could care less about defying the party. She benefits from both these actions, further emphasizing her selfishness.