1984 Section Two, Part IV Analysis (pp. 136-147)
by George Orwell

The singing "prole" woman in this section represents hope for the future, which lies in the rebellion of the working class. The woman is singing by herself, something a Party member would never do. The fact she is singing underscores how different the working class is from the Party and how much more freedom they have. It is ironic Winston wants most to be in a loving relationship and the main obstacle to that is the Ministry of Love. Also concerning Winston's relationships is the connection between Julia and the prostitute he visited. The two are linked because they wear the same perfume, and Julia is repeatedly portrayed as promiscuous (promiscuous words are even used to describe the room in which their affair takes place.)

The appearance of the rat and Winston's reaction to it are important because they foreshadow how O'Brien will finally break Winston, forcing him to betray Julia: by attaching a cage full of hungry rats to his face. Rats are Winston's greatest fear.

Finally, in this section Orwell reinforces the symbolism of the paperweight and the picture of the churches. The room they are living in is similar to rooms of the past, and the way they are living is as people lived in the past. In this way, the paperweight represents both their relationship and the past. The picture of the churches, which covers a telescreen, represents both the past and Big Brother's control of it. Remember symbols are by nature ambiguous, and are thus open to multiple interpretations.