# I'm going to try to write the book 1984 from the POV of Julia (full length)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-try-to-write-the-book-1984-from-the-pov-of-julia-full-length/148424>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 14, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-try-to-write-the-book-1984-from-the-pov-of-julia-full-length/148424 "2003-01-14T01:32:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-try-to-write-the-book-1984-from-the-pov-of-julia-full-length/148424/61 "2003-01-18T13:59:57Z")

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_clayton\_e_  
You may well know about this already, but if not, this [searchable online 1984](http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/1984/) ought to be pretty useful for checking biographical details.

Obvious typos apart, I’ve only one broad reaction what you’ve shown us so far; remember that you’re telling this from Julia’s viewpoint and mindset. Julia is young, streetwise, cynical, and doesn’t care about books. She’s going to think about the world in different terms from Winston Smith, and maybe you could reflect this stylistically. For comparison, check out Holden Caulfield, or Alex from _A Clockwork Orange_. Their authors don’t go into expositions like “_Below the title was a drawing of a man’s face, the corners of his mouth … etc etc … of those impressions could exist_”. They concentrate on telling how the character perceives the world, not laying on us great chunks of ‘authorese’ describing at length things the characters would scarcely notice.

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**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-try-to-write-the-book-1984-from-the-pov-of-julia-full-length/148424/62 "2003-01-18T18:16:20Z")

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Thanks, Ray. I’ll be reworking this section a lot and I’ll use that advice.

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**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-try-to-write-the-book-1984-from-the-pov-of-julia-full-length/148424/63 "2003-01-18T19:16:49Z")

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Given her past history of seeking out affairs with Party members, I think she’d most likely be observing the men; and a good point to start her story would be where she spots Winston. As she tells him in Chapter 11: “'_It was something in your face. I thought I’d take a chance. I’m good at spotting people who don’t belong. As soon as I saw you I knew you were against them_”.

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