Dialectic Journal #2

“Do you remember, “he said, “the thrush that sang to us that first day at the edge of the wood?”

“He wasn’t singing to us,” said Julia. ”He was just singing. He was singing to please himself. Not even that. He was just singing.”

MEANING: This was a conversation between Winston and Julia. They were looking at why the man was singing to himself. They were looking at why the man was singing and they found that he was because he could. He was doing it because he had the ability to do so. He had the freedom to sing even if it was against the law; he still has the freedom to sing even if it was against the law; he still has the freedom to do whatever he wants on a human standpoint. And it’s saying he doesn’t need any rational or irrational reason to sing—he’s just doing it. I believe this quote is when Winston and Julia realize that as humans they have the ability or freedom to do whatever they want but as a member of society/the party their freedoms are limited.

APPLIES TO MODERN WORLD: This quote applies to our modern world and society because in our country’s society today our freedom is limited but still as humans we can do anything we want. In our modern world people do things sometimes without rational; they do things for no reason like singing or going for a drive or talking with people. They do things because they can; they have the ability to. In 1984 when the society was singing the man was breaking the law, but it didn’t matter; he didn’t care; he just did it. Him singing for no reason in is like someone killing for no reason in our society.