1984
...to it. Thinking any type of rebellious thoughts is illegal, this being thought crime is the worst crime of all. Betrayal against the Party comes with it’s major consequences as Winston soon realizes. Being rebellious is one of those acts that Winston loved to portray. Not only did he illegally purchase a diary where he puts all of his criminal thoughts , but he falls in love and has an intimate affair with a girl named Julia. They met and made an instant connection. How could Winston ever doubt his love for Julia? They thought nothing or no one could stand in between their love. “If they could make me stop loving you, that would be the real betrayal.” (137) Once the Party heard news of their affair they immediately took Winston to the Ministry of Love where they began their torture on him. Winston begins to learn that betrayal surrounds him. It seems that O’Brien was a Party spy. He spends months torturing and brainwashing Winston until he finally sends him to Room 101. “We burn all evil and all illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul.” (210) Room 101 is the room where one man enters but exits a changed individual. Changed for the worst. In Room 101 Winston is controlled by O’Brien where he is forced to change his beliefs. In this room you are struck by the things you fear most. This is where betrayal takes part. Once you give in to your fears you give in to all who are higher than you. In Winstons case, rats were the main focus. Torturing Winston with a cage of rats helps to eventually act on his fears but in the worst way, betrayal. “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!” (236) Tortured, scared, and hopeless, Winston gave up. He gave up on Julia. Still having thoughts on Room 101, O’Brien eventually had Winston say the words that would be the ultimate betrayal, admitting to loving Big Brother. O’Brien and Big Brother won. If they could beat one mans beliefs, who knows how much control they have on all the other individual Party members. Not seeing Julia in awhile, Winston wonders how his feelings with Julia changed and if they hadn’t changed will they once he sees her? Winston is finally encountered by Julia and surprisingly he feels nothing towards her. The feelings that had been there before had changed ever since Winston exitited Room 101. “’I betrayed you,’ she said badly. ‘I betrayed you,’ he said.” (240) Both admitting to betraying eachother, their love affair was over. If two lovers can both admit into betraying eachother it is obvious that if their love does not end now, betrayal might take over. As Julia notices, if you want unbearable pain to happen to the ones you supposively love than you obviously don’t love them as much as you believe you do. Was it betrayal that took over their love or was it the forces that changed them? That question is one which Winston wishes not to ask himself. Maybe he wishes to believe...