Winston's consumption of victory gin occurs throughout the whole duration of the novel, but holds great symbolic value. In part one, Winston describes the taste of victory gin, “like nitric acid, and moreover, in swallowing it one had the sensation of being hit on the back of the head with a rubber club.” (Orwell. 5-6) Gin, along with other forms of alcohol can be used for many reasons, to feel good, or even to forget. The symbolic value within victory gin in part one shows how Winston wants to escape the world he is trapped in, yet it unable to. He’s instead filled with pain as he consumes it. In part two of the novel, after Winston meets Julia he “had dropped his habit of drinking gin at all hours. He seemed to have lost the need for
