1984

           ShehatedtheParty,andsaidsointhecrudestwords,butshemadenogeneralcriticismofit. ExceptwhereittoucheduponherownlifeshehadnointerestinPartydoctrine. HenoticedthatsheneverusedNewspeakwordsexcepttheonesthathadpassedintoeverydayuse. ShehadneverheardoftheBrotherhood,andrefusedtobelieveinitsexistence. AnykindoforganizedrevoltagainsttheParty,whichwasboundtobeafailure,struckherasstupid. Thecleverthingwastobreaktherulesandstayaliveallthesame. HewonderedvaguelyhowmanyotherslikehertheremightbeintheyoungergenerationpeoplewhohadgrownupintheworldoftheRevolution,knowingnothingelse,acceptingthePartyassomethingunalterable,likethesky,notrebellingagainstitsauthoritybutsimplyevadingit,asarabbitdodgesadog. 

           Theydidnotdiscussthepossibilityofgettingmarried. Itwastooremotetobeworththinkingabout. NoimaginablecommitteewouldeversanctionsuchamarriageevenifKatharine,Winston’swife,couldsomehowhavebeengotridof. Itwashopelessevenasadaydream. 

           ‘Whatwasshelike,yourwife?’saidJulia. 

           ‘Shewas—doyouknowtheNewspeakwordGOODTHINKFUL? Meaningnaturallyorthodox,incapableofthinkingabadthought?’ 

           ‘No,Ididn’tknowtheword,butIknowthekindofperson,rightenough.’ 

           Hebegantellingherthestoryofhismarriedlife,butcuriouslyenoughsheappearedtoknowtheessentialpartsofitalready. Shedescribedtohim,almostasthoughshehadseenorfeltit,thestiffeningofKatharine’sbodyassoonashetouchedher,thewayinwhichshestillseemedtobepushinghimfromherwithallherstrength,evenwhenherarmswereclaspedtightlyroundhim.