Analysis Of The Prole Woman In 1984

Improved Essays
A dim light finally breaks through the never-ending darkness of the surroundings. Slowly the feeble illumination begins to increase, and the claustrophobic surroundings become much more inviting. Right as the light reaches its apex, however, it suddenly extinguishes, as though it were never there. This light is an excellent allegory for the symbolic use of the prole woman in 1984. Throughout 1984, the Prole Woman, whom Winston and Julia view outside of the antique shop, represents hope with her happiness and joy in her difficult and challenging life, freedom with her beautiful singing, that by the standards of her society is suspicious and dangerous, and finally, with her disappearance, absolute and utter despair.
With her singing, which is
…show more content…
Tragically, the woman is used by Orwell to truly demonstrate the power and evil of the Party. Eventually, when Winston and Julia have been caught by the thought police, and the Party agents have surrounded them, Winston notes that “The woman 's singing had stopped abruptly. There was a long, rolling clang, as though the washtub had been flung across the yard, and then a confusion of angry shouts which ended in a yell of pain”(Orwell 183). The woman, symbolizing hope and freedom, has finally been caught and presumably murdered by the Party. This crushing blow demonstrates the final symbolic use of this character, the symbolism of despair. Everything the prole woman stood for, freedom and hope, has been utterly, completely destroyed, for both the reader and Winston. Winston, with his defeat, realizes the true power of the Party, coming to understand that his freedom, and his hope, were false. The reader also is impacted by this symbolism, they saw Winston and Julia as rebels, able to outsmart and go against the will of the Party. They believed that the world of 1984 had hope, a chance of a better life and freedom for the people. Now, however, they see the truth, that any pretense of hope or a life free from big brother, was false. With this realization, Orwell has achieved the final act of symbolism with the prole woman, for her disappearance symbolizes absolute despair and

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER, DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!” (Orwell 20) A line said by the main character in 1984, Winston Smith. This quote perfectly describes his hatred for The Party. As for his lover, Julia, is shown to be more a fan of Big Brother, and has no hatred in the story, or so it seems.…

    • 1546 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    No matter how big or small the issue, he wanted women to depend on the men of of the society to help them. This shows how narrow Orwell’s thoughts are about women and how much they can…

    • 1157 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A superior work of literature that can produce healthy confusion of pleasure and disquietude is George Orwell’s 1984. Orwell’s 1984 produces pleasure with a love story, and disquietude is based off a corrupt government. Orwell’s 1984 produces healthy confusion of pleasure through the love story between Winston Smith and Julia. Everyone can admit that they enjoy a great love story, especially a rebellious love story. It comes as a shocker when Julia confesses her love for Smith through a note, because attempting to initiate a relationship is an act of standing against Big Brother and Party, feelings for other beings is forbidden and people must only express love for Big Brother and Party.…

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Thesis: In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston resists the Party’s degradation of basic human rights through his intimate relationship with Julia in an effort to maintain his individuality. His example inspires people today to find ways to preserve their civil liberties when faced with oppression. Party’s degradation of basic human rights Winston’s resistance to the Party’s dehumanization through his intimate relationship with Julia Conclusion: Orwell’s call for all people to fight for the preservation of their civil liberties Outline: The Inner Party ruthlessly denies its citizens their basic human rights to individually interpret the world, have private lives, and be informed of the truth.…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Revolutionary Women Summary Generally, when we read about the American Revolution we hear about all the heroic deeds of men like George Washington or Paul Revere. What we don’t often hear about is the many heroic deeds women performed as well. I read the book Women Heroes of the American Revolution, by Susan Casey which told the story of 20 different women. There were lots of women involved in the revolution, whether they quietly resisted the British, spied on them for American militia, or actually joined the men in battle.…

    • 881 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1984 describes a story of a dystopian society in Oceania, where a man named Winston, lives. This man contrasts with the whole of the Party, as he understands that Party deceives the people and makes them believe that everything told to them equals truth. George Orwell often utilizes a main character, who differs from all others, to highlight values of the society within which the character lives in his other novels. In the case of 1984, Orwell brings Winston into the novel to display all things wrong with his society. George Orwell uses Winston’s class standing alongside his feelings to create this alienation, which reveals the society’s moral values.…

    • 723 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To his surprise she turns out to be the exact opposite of what he feared she might be. This sudden turn in events occurs after Julia gives Winston a note saying the she loved him. They decide to team up and together they try to make a difference. Julia uses her image as a law abiding, simple citizen to her advantage.…

    • 948 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ultimately, the story suggests that women’s empty moral leads to selfishness, opening a door for men to disempower women. A further analysis of the novel could be a psychoanalysis on Daisy, Myrtle, and Jordan’s motives and…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Mankind has always possessed two conflicting desires; the aspiration to fit in and the determination to stand out. These are two concurrent components of a complex system by which all human beings exist. But while these desires may clash with each other, an ideal life would be filled with an equal amount of both. These two forces are shown throughout George Orwell’s book, 1984. Winston violently hungers for Julia’s company because she is the only one that can understand him.…

    • 1221 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Women During The 1980s

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The early 1980s was a time of change and innovation throughout the United States. Technological advances and cultural changes allowed the average American to experience a new way of life, that they had never had the opportunity to experience before. During the 1980s many new inventions changed the world forever, including the personal computer and the Space Shuttle. During this time there were also many spectacular moments in sports history, including the miraculous U.S. hockey team from 1980 and the incredible rookie performance by sports legend Magic Johnson. The equality and treatment of women also made remarkable progress in the 1980s, when SandraO’Connor was appointed as a justice in the Supreme Court and when Sally Ride travelled into…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Winston focuses his attentions upon the large prole woman who hangs out washing in the courtyard under his window over the shop; he remarks: "the woman down there had no mind, she had only strong arms, a warm heart and a fertile belly." I believe Orwell regards individualism as a conscious sense, a reality which you believe in wholly and are possibly willing to die for - it is this that the proles do not have, that they are ignorant of and therefore cannot possess. As observed by Winston: "Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled, they cannot become…

    • 1531 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The novel, 1984, set in Oceania, is a work of Art by George Orwell that features a dystopian world, where the people are forced to abide by the laws of the Party. The protagonist of this dystopian novel is Winston Smith, a strong-minded and intellectual man who becomes involved with a woman named Julia. She is his carefree fellow worker in the Ministry of Truth. Winston and Julia are both party members that are disloyal to the Party and in this passage, Orwell expresses the oppression in which party members are under through diction. He uses this passage to show the mindlessness as well as the capabilities of the proles, the lowest class of people in Oceania.…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Theme Of Freedom In 1984

    • 1816 Words
    • 8 Pages

    More Security, Less Freedom George Orwell’s dystopian book, 1984, is a step into the future, along with many side effects. This includes the people of Oceania, where the book takes place, and their security that comes with a price of their freedom. Winston is the main character in this novel and tries to ignore the fact, at first, that he doesn 't believe in Big Brother. While Winston is on his journey to freedom he comes across Julia, his beloved soul mate, and together they rebel against the Party. With many acts of rebellion the couple soon gets caught and their love and freedom of individuality is put on the line.…

    • 1816 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Sexuality In 1984

    • 2100 Words
    • 9 Pages

    George Orwell’s 1984 is an oppressive world that drains the citizens that live under the INGSOC regime. The citizens of Oceania become repurposed by the Inner Party into tools that exist to perpetuate the class disparity between the Inner Party and the Proles. To summarize, sexuality’s importance to the narrative of 1984 concentrates on the dynamic thematic representations throughout the novel. This essay will highlight several examples of sexuality and sexual expression within 1984 and how sexuality is an act of freedom against oppression. Winston’s sexual past Winston acts as a window for Orwell to emphasize the importances of the state’s control over sexuality.…

    • 2100 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Lastly, Williams finished the three definitions with social definition of culture. He defines this as, “culture is a description of a particular way of life, which expresses certain meanings and values not only in art and learning, but also in institutions and ordinary behavior” (Williams, 1961). Defining the social elements such as tradition and language, invites audience’s experiences that they probably never would see firsthand without film. The film chosen for this last definition is, The Day I Became a Woman, directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. The film illustrates the lives of three females living in Iran.…

    • 1902 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays

Related Topics