Similarities Between 1984 And The Handmaid's Tale

In the novel 1984, by George Orwell, rebel is an essential theme. It is shown through various methods and it has in turn heavily impacted literature made after it. This can be predominantly shown in the novel, The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood. The ideas surrounding rebellion in these stories are especially similar and important to understand. To do this though, it is important to recognize that both of these stories' central characters, Winston as well as Offred, through love affairs, produce their own forms of hope, and gain back some of their identity against their regimes. When examining Winstons rebel it is important to view how his state changed from the beginning of the novel. Winston begins 1984, in a stagnant state, going through

This can immediately be seen during Winston's first encounter with Julia in the golden country when he thinks “The animal instinct, the simple undifferentiated desire: that was the force that would tear the party to pieces.” (126). He is more excited by the literal action of him having an affair and its illegal status within the party's rules rather than for a love of Julia. In fact his strong feelings towards her are initially more aimed at the fact that she has slept with party members before. This “animal instinct” Winston describes, is to point out that people in this society are still human. They still contain basic human desires and this encounter suggests that maybe Big Brother can't suppress everything. Winston realizes that “The sex impulse was dangerous to the party,” and this idea itself gives Winston hope and a possible reason to live. (133). Even though Winston knows at heart that he will eventually die at the hand of the thought police, he gains something to wish for future generations and believes that some true rebellion could become possible, no matter how far in the future. Believing these ideas and

Winston still values Julia as a person. She is continuously an immense influence on his well-being and he learns to know so. One day during their secret interactions, when walking in a prole neighborhood, a bomb dropped nearby and after they fell to the ground Winston “Clasped her against him, and found that he was kissing a live warm face.” (128) The thought of Julia’s death causes a natural desire in Winston to hold her and care for her. This is essentially what The Party is trying to suppress in their society and is exactly what Winston is gaining from their relationship. Earlier in the novel before they connected, Winston again experienced a nearby bomb drop within a prole neighborhood, and when getting up, he without thought kicked a severed hand into a sewer. The natural care and genuine, outward emotion for a person other than Big Brother is frowned upon in Oceania. Winston's affair with Julia gives him that and makes him realize that. He even thinks while in the golden country with Julia “There was a direct, intimate connection between chastity and political orthodoxy.” (133). His newfound identity, gained from his relationship with Julia is clearly expressed and senses of this is also found in Offred's situation with Nick. Since Offred's past husband, Luke, is presumed to be dead or gone in some form, Offred has no emotional connections towards anyone actively in her life.