1984

           WithJuliahefeltnodifficultyintalkingaboutsuchthings: Katharine,inanycase,hadlongceasedtobeapainfulmemoryandbecamemerelyadistastefulone. 

           ‘Icouldhavestooditifithadn’tbeenforonething,’hesaid. HetoldheraboutthefrigidlittleceremonythatKatharinehadforcedhimtogothroughonthesamenighteveryweek. ‘Shehatedit,butnothingwouldmakeherstopdoingit. Sheusedtocallit—butyou’llneverguess.’ 

           ‘OurdutytotheParty,’saidJuliapromptly. 

           ‘Howdidyouknowthat?’ 

           ‘I’vebeenatschooltoo,dear. Sextalksonceamonthfortheover-sixteens. AndintheYouthMovement. Theyrubitintoyouforyears. Idaresayitworksinalotofcases. Butofcourseyoucannevertell;peoplearesuchhypocrites.’ 

           Shebegantoenlargeuponthesubject. WithJulia,everythingcamebacktoherownsexuality. Assoonasthiswastoucheduponinanywayshewascapableofgreatacuteness. UnlikeWinston,shehadgraspedtheinnermeaningoftheParty’ssexualpuritanism. ItwasnotmerelythatthesexinstinctcreatedaworldofitsownwhichwasoutsidetheParty’scontrolandwhichthereforehadtobedestroyedifpossible. Whatwasmoreimportantwasthatsexualprivationinducedhysteria,whichwasdesirablebecauseitcouldbetransformedintowar-feverandleader-worship. Thewaysheputitwas: