Betrayal And Fear Wins Over Love English Literature Essay

Love a word which has many definitions, on the source of many languages. For many is an essential necessity each need’s to obtain happiness in a home or relationship. Looking at different definitions of the word one can say its un harmful for human kind to obtain it. But can love ever be possible to cross boundaries were government is against it? Can it be sustained to a point it will never die? Or can we sacrifice our own selves for the ones we love? This question’s can be applied to Winston’s relationship with Julia and the society in which love stands in. In 1984 we see Winston which is the protagonist living in a totalitarian government everything he knows or feels must be disposed of, the word love must have no meaning towards an individual. But as the story follows, love in Winston’s case is unbearable to attain betrayal and fear is dominant. Betrayal and Fear wins over love, eliminating any possibility to be lingered. Having a relationship in this type of society is highly impossible to succeed, because of the high rule and the fear of being found out by the Party, anything that has to deal with involvement of love towards a couple, marriage or family is against regulations.

Yet, human nature is controlled and to love is to fear the torture and punishments from the party. Love in Winston’s society is betrayal and human nature must fight against this type of betrayal in order to succeed. People may wish to have relations with each other, yet the ultimate challenge that comes is that no emotional ties can be able to win extreme suffering. Betrayal combining fear can win over emotions such as love.

Having a relationship in which society disposes of can lead to a major risk which takes the course of punishment, nevertheless an individual can take this risk to obtain something in favor .In Winston we see a man who even though he lives in a totalitarian government tries to oppose against the party’s policy by having a romance with Julia. Everything he does or do is monitored by a huge telescreen which reads “big brother is watching you” this is a fear which for them is nothing (We may be together for another six months- a year— theres no knowing. At the end we’re certain to be apart. (166).The most important aspect of human nature is that people can bond with each other to create loving relationships. One must find someone to be against the party but in this society any thought of love is drained by the knowledge that everyone could be able to betray one another. Winston and Julia know that their happiness cannot longer or last, the Party does not permit emotional attachment and threats of torture are made to any relationship. The purpose is to brainwash and desire the betrayal towards love. In the end, betrayal is the only way to go and it overcomes even the basic human instinct to seek out love. It ends up that eventually love does not conquer all and one can only love their saviour- even if they are Party commanders.

Romantic love does not proceed because it is fed in the minds and heart of those that it will only lead to misery. The once loving will turn into bitter misers and betray whomever that they believe put them in the torture chamber. And by risking everything it is an admittance to die. Winston and julia’s torture is so much that for them torture and fear kills love both confess each other that they have betrayed each other when they swore and promise they would never do it “quote swearing not to betray one another”. Love and loyalty are not strong enough factors in this society- betrayal is, and by this betrayal one accepts condemnation to die. Winston and julias love would not Proceed even though they hide their love in secret sooner or later the thought police would know what they were doing in secret. The party monitors everything and as the party exist their love would never have a future.

Living in a totalitarian government love was not supposed to take part in a marriage rather it was an arranged marriage in which both just married one another to produce another human life. “Party members had to be approved by a committee appointed for the purpose, and-thought the principle was never clearly stated-permission was always refused if the couple concerned gave the impression of being physically attracted to one another. The only recognized purpose of marriage was to beget children for the service of the party sexual intercourse was to be looked on as a slightly disgusting minor operation like having an enema”. If a couple showed any connection into one another the party would separate them and put them into punishment which would be a labor camp or rather correct them and send them to room 101. If such emotions show or grow the party automatically does whatever it takes to eliminate them.” We shall squeeze you empty, and then we shall fill you with ourselves”(256). When Winston marries hes wife he does not take consideration but as he knows Julia he sees something in her that captures his attention. In marriage love is not possible and sex is just a duty for the party members. Sexual interaction can only be a duty but for Julia and Winston it means something more than sex or a duty. “When you make love you’re using up energy; and after-wards you feel happy and don’t give a damn for anything they can’t bear you to feel like that. They want you to be bursting with energy all the time” (132)

In the story we see an emotional connection between Winston and his mother. Winston does not know much about love until he meets Julia. But he soon realizes that love developed sooner when he was a small child. He has a short memory of how his mother showed affection towards him and he’s sister. And blames himself for their deaths, as how he ran out of the house with the chocolate bar without going back. He knows that love grew from hes mother even though the party prohibited that action. Winston does not know the reason of hes mothers death, but one can state that the party noticed this love connection shown from the mother to the child that authority had to take action to stop it. Such bonding with family is prohibited and in the eyes of each family member love is not possible rather betrayal and to know who will be a spy or a thought criminal. When Winston sees Parsons in the same room he asks him for his crime he confessed he’s daughter had accused him of thought criminal as he pronounced something during his sleep. The child betrayed her own father not caring what will happen to him this is an example that love can only exist towards big brother. Children in families do not show love or affection towards their parents. They are taught by the Party to spy on their mothers and fathers; to be investigators.” You’re a traitor!” yelled the boy. “youre a thought- criminal! Youre a Eurasian spy! I’ll shoot you, I’ll send you to the salt mines”( pg 23). The Party creates a system where children who betray their families are rewarded and so mothers cannot show any love towards their children. Everyone has to be afraid of each other even of their offspring. A family is not as strong to bond or have connection of love because of the fear of conviction.

Betrayal and fear wins over love, and love in a totalitarian society is not possible. Winston and Julia thought nothing would break their love but they were wrong. “they fully believe they will be captured one day, but they are confident that no matter what they will never betray one another. After their eventual arrest, however, this resolve will be tested.”(love and sex in a totalitarian government). Love cannot be possible in a couple or between a couple because fear of punishment eliminates it, unless they rebel against the party that’s when love will succeed until then the word “love” is terminated. “We have cut links between child and parent, and between man and man, and between man and woman. No one dares trust a wife or a child or a friend any longer, there will be no love except the love of big brother” (267). Everyone eventually gives into the power of the party.