Posted by Tim Cratchit on October 05, 2002 at 01:17:30:
In Reply to: Is julia "real" or not then? posted by Anne Meadows on October 04, 2002 at 13:37:36:
If she was not an agent, then she was certainly being used by the Thoughtpolice.
My take is that she was perfectly honest, at least this is the way she is presented in the story. Her destruction parallels the destruction of the protagonist.
On the other hand, the Thoughtpolice sure have had a detailed, nearly-perfect system of setting people up and would certainly go to great efforts to train one of their top agents (and beat her up severaly in the action) if they would think they needed to. But I don't believe that this is in the story.
Also, the Julia character was very much based on women Orwell knew and admired, namely his second wife.
Now, here is my understanding of the Oceania: Holding on power and demonstrating that power over minds (and bodies)of people was the central portion of the religion of the (Inner) Party members. So, they mastered this staggering system of surveillace, indoctrination, mind-numbing routines, and personality destruction imposed on everyone.
Thought police certainly had long lists of potentialy unreliable people and was watching them - like almighty and know-it-all God - while they were strugling, isolated. Most of them were just plain dumb or selfish and they were not dangerous, as their discontent had little chance to be turned against the party. Perfection is difficult to attain, even if you shoot everyone capable of being imperfect. The aim of the Party's control was very much of a long-term nature, as it is exemplified in the nespeak thepory. (The key terms are blackwhite, crimestop, duckquack)
Yet these potential rebels, inteligent and possibly independent-thinking people were those who worried and interested the Inner Party represive machinery most. (Especialy when there was a personal sympathy of sorts, as between O'Brian and W. Smith). But I think O'Brian also liked W.S. on professional level great deal: O'Brian was very ambicious, bright man. He was one of the creators of the system (and co-aouthor of the book), he wrote some of the torture manuals and textbooks for ThoughtPolice. He had perfect understanding about how unorthodox skeptical wiew and pursual of self-interests (like love relationship) was dangerous to the party hold on power, and what has to be done to advance people's indoctrination and defeat the would-be enemies of the Party rule.
So, in my view, it was sadistic trap al along: At the beginning, O'Brian received info about Smith's possible unorthodoxy. He became interested in this man and he followed his work. He decided he would be a perfect study case on danger of "oldthinkers" for Party. So he let Smith to get an apartment with one corner outside the telescreen view. Later, he allowed "accidentaly" let in an inapropriate old newspaper clipping - subverting the party's lies - to get in Smith's hands. He would then let him walk into the Antiquity trapstore and followed his diary from day to day. Then there was time for Julia, so they got that, and later an appartment, courtesy of Thoughtpolice. They were listened to and photografed for months (if not years), and then was the time for the Brotherhood conspiracy invitation and the Book. O'Brian was rather sad to have Smith arrested - his study material worked wonderfully and he grew attached to it. The torture and braiwashing in the second part of the study was also good, but not as much fun and challenge, realy. O'Brian has tortured broken and brainwashed scores of people and it always worked, perfectly. There was no chance that even hardened intelligent thoughtcriminal like Smith could not be brought back to love Big Brother.
Also, W.Smith and Julia could have been shot immediately after their conversion, but destroyed and alive, they were living proof of the victory. Besides, at some later time, they would certainly be re-arrested, tortured and made to confess some rediculous charges and implicate everyone, and the, boring and useles and ruined, they would be shot. Loving Big Brother.