1984

Was Winston's relationship with Julia worth it?

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I suppose this depends on how much torture one can take. Winston has a small window of life in exchange for some brutal re-education sessions with O'Brien later on. This is a dystopia that forbids unions in the outer party. Winston always knew his relationship with Julia was pure "folly". He knew it was only a matter of time before they got caught. I think certainly, in the short term, she was good for Winston. For the first time in his life, he felt alive. He had positive feelings: he felt like a man. One has to way this short bit of life against the price he paid for it. In the end, O'Brien turns Winston's brain into "scrambled eggs". Winston is a shell of his former self. So was Julia good for Winston? I suppose the short bit of life well lived might have been worth it for Winston.