Millenial and Gen Z parallels
While reading about the relationship between Julia and Winston, I thought about how similar of a dynamic they have to Generation Z and Millenials. Although 1984 was written long before either of these generations existed, the two characters are around the age of millennials and Gen Z today.
Gen Z is known for being independent, realistic, highly values pursuing their desires, and has a more instinctual mindset. Julia has no interest in being part of this organized rebellion that Winston wants to happen. She rather just rebel by pursuing what she desires, specifically sexual freedom (shown through her sleeping with many members of the Party and Winston). She also rebels through small actions like smuggling makeup and chocolate to fulfill other short-term desires. Julia realistically does not think that the government will go away any time soon so she just lives in the moment and does what she wants to do, even if it means sneaking around to do it.
Millennials are known for being collaborative, overly optimistic, values having a purpose, and has a more intellectual mindset. Unlike Julia, Winston is hoping for a big rebellion to rise up and wants to personally help take down the Party. This is the example of him wanting to have a purpose outside of being a Party member and be the person that saves everyone from the government. Even though he himself is not an optimistic person, he unrealistically has a hope that the proles will use their potential to carry out his plan.
The main similarity between the two is that they both have a hatred for the Party and Big Brother, but for different reasons. Julia does not like being physically suppressed while Winston is unhappy with the unideal society the Party has created.
Can you see any more parallels between the generations and the two characters? Are there any differences that you can spot?
This is a fascinating comparison! Yes, the differences between Julia and Winston are striking -- and important. If Winston wants to overthrow the Party, it's going to be difficult if the only other insurrectionists are like Julia and in it for themselves. And maybe the Party knows this?
ReplyDeleteThis is super cool! I never thought of comparing Julia and Winston to some of the generational characteristics we have! I agree with all of the comparisons you've made, but I also think there is a stereotype that millennials are lazy and don't work.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's a stereotype. I've often maintained that most people probably have more in common with their parents or other older family members than they do any given person in their "generation."
DeleteYou make some really good points that I hadn't thought about! I think it's also interesting that both characters and generations think the other is wrong. Winston believes he knows better than Julia because he has lived longer and seen more of the word, similar to the argument used by millennials against gen z, while Julia believes that Winston is wrong because of his closed mindset.
ReplyDeletei see the parallels you mention but I wonder if millennials tend to like change by ordered means, whereas gen z is more open to doing 'whatever it takes' using the resources they have. I feel like Julia has a realistic mindset but I wouldn't necessarily put her in the gen z category altogether because her unwillingness to fight against the party and the way it affects others seems almost selfish, however, Gen Z is so odd i truly dont know.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Julia shares a lot of characteristics with Gen Z, especially characteristics that people who aren't in Gen Z would be very likely to criticize for a variety of reasons (selfishness, lack of patience, and pursuance of short term desires).
ReplyDeleteI think you make some interesting points about generational generalizations and what that could mean with respect to the two main characters. However, I don't see Gen Z as the generation that doesn't want to do any actual work. Especially considering Gen Z is between 6 and 24 years old- most of us haven't gotten the chance to do real change yet.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comparison. I also thought it was interesting that it seems like these differences were caused by how much the Party was able to influence each of them. Julia pretty much grew up under the party's influence which could make her more realistic about the Party's power while Winston somewhat knew a time before the Party which might be why he is hopeful about a rebellion.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this is also their is also the female vs male revolutionary attitudes. Where women, on average, look to the longevity of their action and how it would effect their life, and the potential killing of them and the people close to them. Meanwhile, Male revolutionaries are very short sighted. Notably Eldridge Cleaver left the Black Panther Party as he wished to have a armed revolution in his lifetime. As this dynamic between male and female panthers play out, the Black Panther Party at it's height was ~80% black women. The majority of still living panthers today also holds a similar gender imbalance where the vast majority of male panthers were killed or died due to addiction, female panthers such as Angela Davis still exist to this day writing and teaching (i think at UCLA but im not sure).
ReplyDeleteBobby Seale is also alive
DeleteA notable difference between Winston and the general male revolutionary attitude is that Winston is not entirely short sighted. He becomes part of the Brotherhood even after hearing that their goal may take decades to achieve and that his work will likely not make a significant impact on overthrowing the Party. He also accepts that the proles' awakening and subsequent defeat of the Party may not happen in his lifetime.
DeleteI think that is the dynamic of the first revolutionary, how Huey P. Newton worked without a disregard for his own life, however did not fear death. Fred Hampton was not suicidal as well, he simply worked for class consciousness and solidarity until he was killed.
DeleteI never thought of this comparison, but it makes complete sense. I think it's especially interesting how they both share a hatred for the Party but for different reasons. I wonder if this will change how their rebellion turns out (if they do end up rebelling). As Ms. Moffitt, said, Julia is in it for herself, so I wonder if this will cause her to eventually betray Winston.
ReplyDeletei think they could be interchangeable of sorts, almost, because a lot of those traits correspond to both. i agree with bela in that maybe gen z needs to be allowed a while to make big government and intersectional change, as we are younger. but on the whole, i like this analysis
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting comparison. I agree that Gen Z is generally very realistic/pessimistic and doesn't necessarily see a better future but I also think that a lot of Gen Z does want to help change things and has more of a nothing to lose attitude than millennials. Which Julia does have, she risks her life to have slivers of freedom.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really interesting comparison. It makes a lot of sense. I thought the differences in their approaches against the Party had to do with how they were raised - the Party's all Julia's known and so it's hard for her to believe that any revolution will be able to cause real change. She would rather just take any small freedoms she can get. Winston on the other hand wants to go back to the world he knew a little bit of before the Party - he keeps having memories about his family or his childhood for example.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of this comparison before but makes a lot of sense. It's interesting to think of all the comparisons that people can draw to this book no matter how much time passes. I kinda dislike how it shows Gen Z as not caring too much about the big picture but I won't deny that there is truth to it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I agree that Gen Z is generally very independent and motivated to push against social norms, but I think we're far from "realistic". In that regard, I feel like Julia doesn't really fit Gen Z stereotypes because, like you mentioned, she refuses to contribute to organized rebellions against the oppressing party.
ReplyDeleteI'm like the 18th person to say this, but I thought this was a really cool connection that I never thought of while reading. I feel like regarding Julia's sexual desires and gen z, a lot of teenagers will post like really suggestive videos on tiktok, and I think people are just generally more open and expressive about that kind of thing now.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really intriguing comparison; I found it especially true when Julia literally falls asleep whenever Winston starts to analyze Party policy. It almost feels like a scene straight out of an anti-Gen-Z "boomer comic..."
ReplyDeleteI initially saw the differences between Winston and Julia more along the lines of gender stereotypes - for example, from everything I can gather about both characters, Julia is far more defined by her relationship to Winston than Winston is to Julia. This reflects the generally higher for women to be spouses, mothers, and friends, to focus on their relationships to other people, rather than focusing on themselves. That said, a lot of Julia's opinions that drive her arguably simpler personality may arise from generational differences, as you explained.
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