Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
Amazon Essentials Women's Heeled Sandals Buy Now
SAMSUNG Galaxy S24 Ultra Cell Phone Buy Now
10.1" Octa-Core Tablet with Keyboard & Mouse Buy Now
Plus Size Colorblock Tank Top Buy Now
Anne Klein Bracelet Watch Buy Now
Smartwatch: Answer/Make Calls, Fitness Tracked Buy Now
Cremo Italian Bergamot Body Wash Buy Now
Two-Button Tweed Sport Coat Buy Now
Banarasi Art Silk Saree Buy Now
Vintage Printed Linen Shirt Buy Now
ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix Buy Now
Comfywear Supersoft Boxy T-Shirt & Sleep Shorts Buy Now
4K Dual Screen Camera with 18X Zoom Buy Now
3-in-1 Charger for iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch Buy Now
Mens Golf Pants Buy Now
Wide Brim Straw Panama Hat Buy Now
Womens Originals Long Sleeve Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt Buy Now
Men's Casual Blazer Buy Now
Michael Kors Oversized Runway Watch Buy Now
Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt Buy Now
MoreBack to News Headlines
Review | ‘Julia’ by Sandra Newman is a sparkling take on Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’

Review | ‘Julia’ by Sandra Newman is a sparkling take on Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’

The Hindu
Friday, January 12, 2024 4:23 AM GMT

Sandra Newman's "Julia" is an imaginative and empathetic retelling of George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four" from the perspective of the lover of Winston Smith, the protagonist from Orwell’s 1984.

The clocks don’t strike 13 at the beginning like in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, but Sandra Newman’s Julia, a retelling of the dystopian classic from the perspective of “the girl from the fiction department”, is imaginative, full of empathy, and a wonderful companion novel to the original.

Critics have taken on Orwell for not having etched out his women characters better, and this lack is evident in Nineteen Eighty-Four as well, with the protagonist Winston Smith’s story taking centrestage. Coincidentally, a recent biography, Wifedom, by Anna Funder shines a light on ‘Mrs. Orwell’s invisible life’. Eileen O’Shaughnessy, married to Orwell from 1936 until her death in 1945, did many things at once for Orwell, but was never given enough credit either by her husband or his biographers. The real girl from the fiction department, however, is the dazzling Sonia Brownell, who was married to Orwell for three months before he died of tuberculosis in 1950. In 2021, it was announced that the Orwell Estate had given its nod to an American writer to retell Nineteen Eighty-Four through the eyes of Julia, Winston Smith’s lover. 

It’s 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic, repairing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth in Oceania. Newman goes straight to the point when she begins to narrate Julia’s story: “It was the man from Records who began it, him all unknowing in his prim, grim way, his above-it-all oldthink way.” He was the one people called ‘Old Misery’ but “Comrade Smith was his right name, though ‘Comrade’ never suited him somehow”.

Newman’s description of the totalitarian state, and what it is like for women, is perceptive, particularly the way she recreates the various organs that spread the messages (war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength). Her sketches of the Ministry of Truth building, the room above the junk shop where Winston and Julia catch their breath before the dreaded Thought Police catches up with them, the place in the forest where they meet with the bluebells blooming, the Ministry of Love’s O’ Brien (who is full of Hate) and his intimidating home, and the torture chambers, especially Room 101, are atmospheric. Though it will be fair to say that Orwell’s depiction of what transpires at the Ministry of Love is more chilling and utterly hopeless.

In Newman’s reworking, Julia is adept at staying alive, against all odds. She goes off in a new direction in Chapter 2 of Part One when she signs herself out for two hours on a ‘Sickness: Menstrual’, “a privilege all the girls used and abused”. We get a glimpse of her relationship with the other girls in their dormitory, her depressing childhood, her sexual desires, and her positivity in the face of adversity. When Smith tells her, “I’m thirty-nine years old. I’ve got a wife that I can’t get rid of. I’ve got varicose veins. I’ve got five false teeth,” she responds, “I couldn’t care less,” and is soon in his arms in a “savage embrace”.

Smith, on the other hand, has “a taste for negativity”, what Julia calls ‘bloodythink’, a Newspeak word. He abominated the Party, but was sure its reign would last for generations. “If there is any hope — I don’t say that there is — it must lie in the proles [proletariat],” he loved to say. He kept a diary in which he wrote down all his “forbidden thoughts and deeds: his hatred of the party, his visit to a tart, his idea of killing his wife. One day he’d even found himself writing ‘Down with Big Brother’ over and over.” This strikes Julia as madness — “what fool made a note of such things, which were of interest only to police?”. Winston often talked about joining the rival Brotherhood and taking part in arson, bombings, assassinations.

Part Two and Part Three are about their incarceration in the depths of the Ministry of Love for “betraying” the cause of Big Brother, and its aftermath. Julia, who is 26 years old, wants to live in hope — she goes off to join the Brotherhood, but isn’t it another side of the same coin? — and that is perhaps the biggest departure from the original, which ends with Smith declaring his love for Big Brother, winning the victory over himself.

Read full story on The Hindu
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Samosa to get a reality check with government order on sugar and fat boards at offices

Ministry of Health mandates 'Sugar and Fat Boards' in government offices to promote healthier eating habits.

Bureau of Indian Standards southern region gets its first woman Deputy Director General

Meenakshi Ganesan appointed as first female Deputy Director General of BIS Southern Region, overseeing operations in multiple states.

St Stephen's College receives bomb threat, search operation under way

Emergency services respond to bomb threat at St Stephen's College in Delhi, prompting thorough search operation by authorities.

Samosa to get a reality check with government order on sugar and fat boards at offices

Ministry of Health mandates 'Sugar and Fat Boards' in government offices to promote healthier eating habits.

CPI leader shot dead during morning walk in Hyderabad’s Malakpet

CPI leader Chandu Nayak shot dead in Hyderabad park, police investigate; suspects and motives being probed, CCTV footage reviewed.

Sign language as art: Dialogue on sign language and accessibility in the arts

The recently concluded photo and art exhibition, Anaivarum - Echoes of Heritage: A Celebration of Past & Inclusivity by Madras Photo Bloggers, and jointly organised by the British Council, Nam Veedu Nam Oor Nam Kadhai, and the Madras Literary Society, held a panel discussion titled Sign Language as Art, focussing upon the importance of using sign language and the need for greater inclusivity in the arts. 

P.V. Anvar plans Trinamool Congress revamp in Kerala; district meet in Kasaragod on July 19

Trinamool Congress Kerala State convener P.V. Anvar plans party revamp in Kerala, starting with district-level meeting in Kasaragod.

Insurance companies urged to pay interest on delayed crop insurance claims in Karnataka

If the insurance companies fail to settle claims within the stipulated period, they are liable to pay the insurance claim, along with the 12% interest to distressed farmers under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), according to senior advocate and farmer activist Vajnath Zhalki.

Two SpiceJet passengers try to enter cockpit forcefully, offloaded at Delhi airport

SpiceJet offloads unruly passengers from Delhi-Mumbai flight after attempted cockpit breach, causing delay in departure.

‘Online communication has become accepted as a way of doing things after COVID’

Interview with Rishikesha T. Krishnan, outgoing IIMB director.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meets Chinese President Xi Jinping

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meets Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss recent developments in India-China bilateral ties.

Gates fixed at Panchamasali Peetha at Kudala Sangama and locked, but seer has no idea who did it

Iron gates have been put in the front, back and on the way to the staircase, and they have been locked.

Maharashtra to enact anti-conversion law in December, will be stricter than other States: Minister

Maharashtra government to introduce strict anti-conversion law in winter session, more stringent than other states.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
ENG vs IND 3rd Test: Stokes reveals Archer’s hilarious mixup of dates involving Ganguly’s shirt swinging at Lord’s

England captain Ben Stokes recalls Jofra Archer's confusion between England's 2019 World Cup win and Sourav Ganguly's iconic Lord's moment.

Final rites of Saroja Devi will be conducted with full State honours: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah pays tribute to legendary actress B Saroja Devi, highlighting her contributions to the film industry.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala raises more questions on Anert solar pump tender

CWC member Ramesh Chennithala questions irregularities in ₹240-crore solar pump tender under PM Kusum scheme.

LinkedIn settles antitrust lawsuit, agrees to contracting changes

LinkedIn has agreed to make temporary changes to its contracting practices to settle a lawsuit by U.S. users.

Tourist dies in paragliding crash near Himachal's Dharamshala

Tourist dies after paraglider crash in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, adding to the state's paragliding fatalities.

Hope rises in saving Malayali nurse Nimisha Priya facing execution in Yemen as talks progress

Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram intervenes to save Malayali nurse Nimisha Priya facing execution in Yemen, discussions ongoing for reprieve.

Telangana refuses to discuss ‘Banakacherla’ project at Revanth-Naidu meeting in New Delhi on July 16

Telangana government refuses to discuss 'Banakacherla' project with Andhra Pradesh in crucial Chief Minister-level meeting in Delhi.

The Sandal Scandal: Of Birks, Crocs, and Fakes | Part 2 | In Focus podcast

In Part 2, we explore the cultural and fashion angles of the sandal scandal with Rosella Stephen, editor of The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

Old bridge collapses during repair in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, no casualties reported

Bridge collapses in Junagadh and Vadodara prompt construction of new high-level bridge over Mahi River.

Farmers in Kerala’s Kannur to stage protest against fertilizer price hike, subsidy cuts

Karshaka Sangham protests against Central government's anti-farmer policies in Kannur, Kerala, over fertilizer price hikes and subsidy cuts.

35 IPS officers transferred in Karnataka, Karthik Reddy replaces M. N. Anucheth as Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Bengaluru

Karthik Reddy replaces M. N. Anucheth as Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Bengaluru.

Bhil traditions and rituals come alive in Lado Bai’s charcoal paintings displayed at Ojas Art Gallery in Delhi

Explore Lado Bai's indigenous Bil art art at Ojas Art Gallery, showcasing her evolution and cultural narratives through coal paintings on paper and cloth.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us