Repression
A Thematic Look at 1984
Thematic Statement
The party knew that, to stay focused on a goal, you need to take away anything that may cause an individual to lose focus. The goal, in this case, was to attain loyal citizens and keep this loyalty and love for the party. What the party would take away were the things that gave the citizens pleasure. They were not allowed to have sex, unless it was to reproduce. They could not buy the amount of pleasure goods they desired such as chocolate, tobacco, or coffee because of the rations the party put in place. But why?
The party did these things because they didn't want there to be anything so enjoyable that it would outweigh an individuals love or loyalty to the party. They wanted the citizens to find enjoyment in the fact that they have the opportunity to live under a powerful leader in a society where "Life is significantly better than it was 20 years ago" as the party would claim. Ultimately, the party succeeded in making the citizens believe that the things that would bring them pleasure, such as sex, were not things that they should perceive as desirable. They did not want these people to become comfortable and confident from pleasurable activities and goods. They felt that if the citizens were comfortable and confident then they would rebel against the party.
The citizens may not have realized what was happening, but it seemed to work. The party wanted the citizens to stay focused on their goal of staying loyal to the party, and the party facilitated this by the repression they forced upon the citizens.
Quote
-This quote shows how the party members were suppose to perceive sex. It confirms the idea that the Party as a whole wanted to deter people from having sex.