Julia (1984)

Julia is the name of a fictional character from George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Her last name is never given in the novel.

Related Topics:
Fictional character - George Orwell - Dystopian - Novel - Nineteen Eighty-Four

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According to herself, Julia was born in 1958 in Oceania, the superstate combining North America, South America, and the United Kingdom (the UK had been renamed as Airstrip One in the novel). Her knowledge of events before the Revolution is shaky as her grandfather, the only close source to her of that knowledge, disappeared when she was eight. Julia integrated herself into the daily life of Oceania early, becoming an especially zealous propagandist for the Junior Anti-Sex League, the Two Minutes Hate, and Community Centers. However, this behavior served as cover for Julia to become a sexually promiscuous rebel against the pressures of society. She has her first affair with a Party member when she was sixteen.

Related Topics:
1958 - North America - South America - United Kingdom - Two Minutes Hate

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When Julia first appears in Nineteen Eighty-Four, she appears as a twenty-six-year-old enthusiastic participant in the Two Minutes Hate directed against Emmanuel Goldstein, a Party co-founder who claims the Revolution was betrayed. Winston Smith, a fellow worker in the Ministry of Truth, is both excited and disgusted by Julia's fervor and has fantasies of raping her and then murdering her. Winston also fears that Julia's a member of the Thought Police prepared to denounce him.

Related Topics:
Emmanuel Goldstein - Winston Smith - Raping - Murdering - Thought Police

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Months later, Winston bumps into Julia on her way from the Fiction Department and receives a small paper from her. After assuring his privacy in the lavatory (no easy feat due to the omnipresent two-way telescreens), he unfolds the note and reads what Julia wrote: "I love you." Winston makes arrangements with Julia to meet in the crowd at Victory Square and over the next several months arranges to meet her and make love in a variety of places outside London. Winston finds Julia to be a fellow thoughtcriminal (as well as a sex criminal, which she's also made Winston); in the time before the Thought Police rounds them up and they confess to crimes against the Party, they decide to live life to the fullest while dodging the Party where possible.

Related Topics:
Lavatory - London - Thoughtcriminal

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When Inner Party member O'Brien drops a hint that he is a member of the mysterious anti-Party Brotherhood, Winston and Julia come to meet him. When O'Brien tests their willingness to do whatever the Brotherhood asks, Julia shouts "No!" when he asks are she and Winston prepared to separate and never see each other again. Winston agrees with a heavy heart. Days later, when Winston and Julia are staying in the room above Mr. Charrington's shop and have read parts of Goldstein's book, they are arrested by the Thought Police.

Related Topics:
O'Brien - Goldstein's book

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Julia is seen one last time in the novel, when she meets Winston after they have both been interrogated by the Party and been restored to orthodox thought. According to O'Brien during Winston's interrogation, Julia caved in immediately to the Party's pressure. Even Winston's own resolve to protect Julia, the woman he'd come to love, was burned away when he entered Room 101. After that, they agree, nothing matters anymore because what they felt for each other was gone. All they could agree on now was the act, and the act would have to serve the Party.

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