Book 3 Chapters 4-6
"'Sometimes,' she said, "they threaten you with something-something you can't stand up to, can't even think about. And then you say, 'Don't do it to me, do it to somebody else, do it to so-and-so.' And perhaps you might pretend, afterwards, that it was only a trick and that you just said it to make them stop and didn't really mean it. But that isn't true. At the time when it happens you do mean it. You think there's no other way of saving yourself and you're quite ready to save yourself that way. You want it to happen to the other person. You don't give a damn what they suffer. All you care about is yourself." (pg.240)
When Julia and Winston are being held in their separate cells they are put to face their biggest fear. For example, O'Brien had a cage of rats to Winston, which was Winston's greatest fear. At the time Winston was told that he had to do what he is being told to, but he does not understand. However, the party finally gets what it wants when O'Brien brings the hungry rats close enough to Winston. He says to let the rats eat Julia that he doesn't care what happens to her as long as he is being left alone. In this scene Julia and Winston meet after they have sold each other out and Julia points out that after saying they want the other to die, they lose all past feelings for them. This to me was what I think the party wanted all along. That Winston and Julia were all alone with no telescreen and they could do whatever they pleased, but ended up disliking each other. I personally think it is such a shame they ended up being split up by the party, not voluntary. Because if they really loved each other they would essentially die for each other. However, there is a connection between these two characters as they both did the same thing. I think this particular scene affected the story as a whole because it foreshadowed that from then on they wouldn't be together anymore. The party did actually end up getting what they wanted.
When Julia and Winston are being held in their separate cells they are put to face their biggest fear. For example, O'Brien had a cage of rats to Winston, which was Winston's greatest fear. At the time Winston was told that he had to do what he is being told to, but he does not understand. However, the party finally gets what it wants when O'Brien brings the hungry rats close enough to Winston. He says to let the rats eat Julia that he doesn't care what happens to her as long as he is being left alone. In this scene Julia and Winston meet after they have sold each other out and Julia points out that after saying they want the other to die, they lose all past feelings for them. This to me was what I think the party wanted all along. That Winston and Julia were all alone with no telescreen and they could do whatever they pleased, but ended up disliking each other. I personally think it is such a shame they ended up being split up by the party, not voluntary. Because if they really loved each other they would essentially die for each other. However, there is a connection between these two characters as they both did the same thing. I think this particular scene affected the story as a whole because it foreshadowed that from then on they wouldn't be together anymore. The party did actually end up getting what they wanted.
Hey Luis! I was quite impressed on the quote you selected to reflect on since that quote was a quote that I almost wrote about myself. I like how the quote really shows how from Winston and Julia's fears, they have been driven to go against each other and throw each other under the bust. It shows that their love was unfortunately not strong enough for each other than when challenged by the Party they turned against each other. I myself agree that it was a sort of let down to the end of the book since we would imagine that the book would end by Winston and Julia rebelling against the government together, but really it ended on them rebelling against each other and they were never able to overthrow the government.
ReplyDeleteBy all this going on in the book in regards to Winston and Julia, it did indeed foreshadow the fact that this was what the Party wanted all along. They didn't necessarily really say it, but they have been waiting for Winston and Julia to confess against each other, so they can stop their rebellion. In the end, they got what they wanted, and unfortunately, it wasn't the end that we really wanted.
Overall, your blog was very good and I liked the quote along with your response to the quote. It was a very in depth quote in which you were able to dissect it through your response. Good job and a very well written blog.
It's crazy how they torture them with their greatest fears. It shows how evil they truly are. Your format was really greatly structured. I like how you tied it to the rest of the story at the end. The way Julia and Winston told on each other shows that the Party essntially won, and that's really unfortunate.
ReplyDeleteI think Aaron summed up my perception on this quote and explanation well enough. The quote was quite impressive and the explanation as well. The fear we face is so immense that we might even wish the worst upon one of our closest friends or family just as the way Winston would have easily let someone else in the dirt for him to just to avoid what they will go through.
ReplyDeleteI almost wrote about this quote too. I was also surprised that Winston and Julia turned their backs on each other. Though it is understandable taking in consideration the situations they were put in. But good quote that shows that the party has complete control over everything, even love.
ReplyDeleteI think the quote you chose is spot on. It really illuminates the selfish side of human nature. The kind of fundamental self-centeredness that gets others killed. It also shows that fear can make people do rash things to other people and result in them actually wanting them to do so. I like that you said that the breakup between Winston and Julia is what the Party wanted all along. I also think that too. I also think that the Party wanted to use this to lead into converting Winston to a lover for the Party and Big Brother in order to kill him and make it so he doesn't accomplish anything in life. He dead now.
ReplyDeleteThis quote really stands out to me on how our biggest fears can cause one of us to rat out or turn in a very close friend. The way that Winston and Julia told the party to choose the other over them to be tortured shows a sense that the party can really control you when they know what your biggest fear is.
ReplyDelete