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Some troublesome misogyny from the book: At one point, Julia asks Winston what his first impressions of her were. And he states: "'I hated the sight of you...I wanted to rape you and then murder you afterwards." When I read this, I was like----WTF!!?? Anyone else have similar reaction and/or insight into this strange and troubling moment in the book?
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Harry
You have to keep in mind, in the time/place of the book, the government shows videos of "enemies" being slaughtered all the time. Human sensitivity is at an all time low, if not completely non existent in the book. This is not misogyny, it is just an emotionless civilization.
Alexandria Moore
You are not the only one! This struck me, too when I read it. This part in the book (and others) made me question the the author and people in general. It just showed to me how widely people perceive women as being worthy of dominating in such a way. And how acceptable that belief is! There is some misogyny in the book, and it should be noted and unaccepted. Some internal misogynist people may think this isn't a big deal and not worth commenting about. But it IS a big deal. Perceptions like that shouldn't be taken lightly.
Bernard Watts
The Ministry of Truth could correct those passages.
the girl in question
I agree -- Winston Smith is clearly an unlikable character throughout the novel, although I of course root for him because I do not love Big Brother. Growing up in poverty with his poor mother and dying sister, he was a complete spoiled brat, demanding what little food they had left for himself and just generally being an awful little child. I think he has or had a sense of entitlement and obviously has issues with women. He hates his mother, which is usually where it all stems from -- and he hates women who are pretty and won't have sex with him. Winston does explain this later in the book. I haven't read any of Orwell's other works apart from Animal Farm, so I don't know if he holds misogynistic views, but I somehow doubt it. I think he created the character of Winston to be unlikable.
Moriarty
It's obviously supposed to be troubling. Normal human relationships and connections between party members are not possible anymore, marriages are only allowed between people who do not love each other, sexuality in general is oppressed, Winston goes on in length about this. Winston doesn't know how to deal with a woman in a normal, healthy way because he's completely messed up by the system.
Noah Graham
When winston first met Julia was pretending to be a disgusting human being.
If he felt hatred for her it is because she was a convincing actress.
If he felt hatred for her it is because she was a convincing actress.
Lauren O'Connor-May
I thought it was a plot device to show how much their thinking had been warped. that whole conversation is shocking.
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