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Individuality In George Orwell's 1984

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Sex creates an extremely exclusive bond between two individuals; it’s an unspoken contract of trust and love. Not only are sexual experiences private, but they also fulfill humanity’s instinctual desire and promote individuality. However, when this intimacy is either erased or condemned by society, individuals lose touch with that vital part of their humanity and individuality. In 1984 by George Orwell, sexuality plays an important role in both Oceania’s totalitarian government and Winston’s rebellion against his oppressors; as he explores his sexuality, Winston revolts against the Party’s manipulative political control, the destruction of individuality, the absence of human connection, and the practice of sexual puritanism.
Within Oceania, the Party strives for sexual puritanism in order to eradicate true humanity and demonize sex. Actual sexual acts are portrayed as filthy deeds to the citizens of Oceania since young childhood. Organizations such as the Anti-Sex League work to exalt individuals who choose to remain chaste rather than to partake in sex. According to Gorman Beauchamp in his essay “Of Man’s Last Disobedience: Zamiatin’s We and Orwell’s 1984,” these societies are comparable to “medieval monks and nuns” who demonstrate “their superior love for and loyalty to their God” and are in turn treated with a greater degree of respect and are given a higher position in their society (11). The Anti-Sex League functions similarly, but instead of growing in faith or

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