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For the first time in his life he did not despise the proles or think of them merely as an inert force which would one day spring to life and regenerate the world. The proles had stayed human.

This quote from Book Two, Chapter 7 shows how Winston’s thinking about the proles is evolving. While he still sees them as a potential threat to the Party due to their superior numbers, previously he’d thought of them simply as a force, and not as individuals—or even necessarily humans. What has changed his thinking is that he has come to realize that the Party’s lack of concern over the proles means that they are not subjected to constant scrutiny and psychological manipulation to the degree that the non-working class is. Thus, the proles have held onto their innate humanity while members of his class are quickly losing theirs.

‘If they could make me stop loving you—that would be the real betrayal. They can’t do that…They can make you say anything—anything—but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you.’

This bold declaration made by Julia to Winston in Book Two, Chapter 7, exhibits the vibrant spirit that helps to make her such a dynamic presence in 1984. However, it will prove to be a vow that she cannot fulfill when she is confronted with the full force of the brutal power that the Party exerts over its citizens. Read more about this quote in Quotes by Character: Julia (the seventh quote) and in Quotes by Theme: The Impact of Totalitarianism (the fourth quote).

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