Sex, specifically, is a repeating topic that describes the Party’s involvement within people’s personal lives. Winston, the protagonist of 1984, judges, “The women of the Party were all alike. Chastity was deeply ingrained in them as Party loyalty. By careful conditioning… the natural feeling had been driven out of them” (67-68). All individuals are forbidden to have sex for pleasure, but it seems that the females of this society are more affected by this rule. It is shown in Winton’s wife, who would refer to sex as a duty to Big Brother. Orwell illustrates, “As soon as he touched her she seemed to wince and stiffen. To embrace her was like embracing a jointed wooden image” (38). Even though it is often she that initiates the intercourse, she displays a fundamental repulsion to it that is ingrained in her by the lessons of the Party. Julia, a romantic interest of Winston, reasons, “If you’re happy inside yourself, why should you get excited about Big Brother and the Three-year Plans and he Two Minutes Hate and the rest of their bloody rot” (133). Therefore, by controlling sex and other such desires, the Party ensures that the interest of the public lies largely to Big Brother and not in personal relationships. This works to detach people from each other and maintain their loyalty to the
Sex, specifically, is a repeating topic that describes the Party’s involvement within people’s personal lives. Winston, the protagonist of 1984, judges, “The women of the Party were all alike. Chastity was deeply ingrained in them as Party loyalty. By careful conditioning… the natural feeling had been driven out of them” (67-68). All individuals are forbidden to have sex for pleasure, but it seems that the females of this society are more affected by this rule. It is shown in Winton’s wife, who would refer to sex as a duty to Big Brother. Orwell illustrates, “As soon as he touched her she seemed to wince and stiffen. To embrace her was like embracing a jointed wooden image” (38). Even though it is often she that initiates the intercourse, she displays a fundamental repulsion to it that is ingrained in her by the lessons of the Party. Julia, a romantic interest of Winston, reasons, “If you’re happy inside yourself, why should you get excited about Big Brother and the Three-year Plans and he Two Minutes Hate and the rest of their bloody rot” (133). Therefore, by controlling sex and other such desires, the Party ensures that the interest of the public lies largely to Big Brother and not in personal relationships. This works to detach people from each other and maintain their loyalty to the