Does anyone else find it slightly ironic that 1984 has been re-written to fit the dominant political narrative (part dogma), it's a bit, well, Orwellian
Thank you Sandra Newman. You hit the nerve on spot with your perception of a male reader of 1984 who felt love and empathy for Winston, up until he offered Julia in his place. This was at first shocking and disappointing. But this was the desired reaction from Orwell.
Misogyny: I think you're clearly, and appallingly and tediously, to speak plainly and objectively, missing the point. For example, Winston disliking/hating women is due to a good number of mixed-up factors, including the sexual repression (by The Party, to redirect sexual energies on Big Brother and itself), his hatred of 'purity' (by the Party's definition), etc. Furthermore, Julia was attracted to Winston predominantly because his face suggested something unorthodox/anti-establishment. And more generally, their 'love' is very likely a misunderstanding at what love and relationships are - they are also essentially like confused, and troubled children. The Party has destroyed the conceptualisation of love for a partner. The world of Nineteen Eighty-Four is a very bastardised universe. Winston is not automatically a patriarchal (whatever that word means - somehow ubiquitously) women-hating monster (for the one-dimensional reason you describe).
Furthermore, Winston remarks and is well aware, in the classic novel, that Julia has qualities he lacks such as being able to discern things he can't, and she's more of an engineer and pragmatic character. She may have a keen operational intelligence. I can't begin to write more regarding how ferociously wrong this understanding of the novel and its characters is. Airstrip One is not a 'normal' place, emotions, relationships, sex is all mixed up. Orwell
was painting a far greater canvas than seeing one specific topical matter where it doesn't exist because of (ironically - the adamant-minded psychology of the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four that The Party subscribes to and stamps into people!) cognitive biases.
I want to re-read 1984 now that I've read your incisive comments. I remember seeing the film in 1984 and thinking that the scene with Julia and Winston making love away from the city was the most romantic cinematic moment imaginable. The optimism of freedom from oppression lingers in me. Despite what is happening In the world.
Does anyone else find it slightly ironic that 1984 has been re-written to fit the dominant political narrative (part dogma), it's a bit, well, Orwellian
Thank you Sandra Newman. You hit the nerve on spot with your perception of a male reader of 1984 who felt love and empathy for Winston, up until he offered Julia in his place. This was at first shocking and disappointing. But this was the desired reaction from Orwell.
Misogyny: I think you're clearly, and appallingly and tediously, to speak plainly and objectively, missing the point. For example, Winston disliking/hating women is due to a good number of mixed-up factors, including the sexual repression (by The Party, to redirect sexual energies on Big Brother and itself), his hatred of 'purity' (by the Party's definition), etc. Furthermore, Julia was attracted to Winston predominantly because his face suggested something unorthodox/anti-establishment. And more generally, their 'love' is very likely a misunderstanding at what love and relationships are - they are also essentially like confused, and troubled children. The Party has destroyed the conceptualisation of love for a partner. The world of Nineteen Eighty-Four is a very bastardised universe. Winston is not automatically a patriarchal (whatever that word means - somehow ubiquitously) women-hating monster (for the one-dimensional reason you describe).
Furthermore, Winston remarks and is well aware, in the classic novel, that Julia has qualities he lacks such as being able to discern things he can't, and she's more of an engineer and pragmatic character. She may have a keen operational intelligence. I can't begin to write more regarding how ferociously wrong this understanding of the novel and its characters is. Airstrip One is not a 'normal' place, emotions, relationships, sex is all mixed up. Orwell
was painting a far greater canvas than seeing one specific topical matter where it doesn't exist because of (ironically - the adamant-minded psychology of the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four that The Party subscribes to and stamps into people!) cognitive biases.
the Mike Radford 1984 is very good and was made on a shoestring....
its not a dogmatic book it adds brilliantly to the original and is wry hard and odd. A compelling character she is no fashionable 21 c person
Alas, women are natural totalitarians. So there's that.
I want to re-read 1984 now that I've read your incisive comments. I remember seeing the film in 1984 and thinking that the scene with Julia and Winston making love away from the city was the most romantic cinematic moment imaginable. The optimism of freedom from oppression lingers in me. Despite what is happening In the world.