“It was a heavy lump of glass, curved to one side, flat on the other, making it almost a hemisphere.” (95). In the novel 1984, George Orwell tells the shocking story of a dystopian society where the government controls every aspect of one’s life. Through the symbolism of the paperweight, George Orwell exposes how Winston and Julia’s relationship is shattered once they are caught, thus exposing that beautiful things and freedom are fragile and must be protected.
Throughout the novel, George Orwell signifies the beauty and love the paperweight represents, as well as its fragility. This is displayed through the first key passage, on page 95 and 96. Winston’s dialogue, “‘What is it?’ Winston said, fascinated” (96) “‘It’s a beautiful thing’” (96), exposes Winston’s thoughts about the paperweight though his apparent fascination of it and, his affirmation of his opinion. His immediate adoration illuminates that Winston has the same affection for his desire for Julia, exposed through his thoughts. “He hated her because she was young pretty and sexless, because he wanted to go to bed with her and would never do so” (15). His immediate desire for the paperweight and his immediate desire for Julia are one in the same, as in beauty. This illuminates that the paperweight represents their attraction and compassion for one another. When first describing the look of the paperweight, George Orwell implements imagery to describe the paperweight itself. “In the heart of it, magnified by the