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
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