Sandra Newman’s Julia looks at the world in George Orwell’s1984 through the perspective of Julia. By exploring her story, the audience is able to learn so much more about the expectations of women in Big Brother’s dystopian society. Though it is mentioned in the original story, Artsem (or artificial insemination) is described in Julia to be an essential part in women’s lives. It aims to negate the need for sex altogether, offering an option for women to remain ‘pure’ while still being able to reproduce and keep the population from dipping. Women who become pregnant through Artsem also get more benefits:
“‘She could be getting better rations now, and looking forward to time in medsec, with her feet up and tea being brought by nurses. Oh, it’s jolly work, having a baby…And she’d still be a virgin! Think of that’” (Newman 39).
That being said, a woman’s body is only so useful as long it is serving the Party. This is in part why O’Brien has Julia work with him to condemn men such as Winston, and later casts her aside. The only thing that helps protect Julia in the Ministry of Love is the child she carries, which is potentially the child of Big Brother, according to the distributors of Artsem. She only serves as a means to an end, which is something deep down she already knows, but realizes too late:
“‘No, you’re a toothpick, a tissue—a thing that gets used once and thrown in the bin’” (Newman 381).
This very terrifying concept is not too far outside the realm of reality, and this book does an excellent job of showing readers just how vivid and realistic they feel. There are many instances in which Julia’s experiences are very intense and hard to grapple with, and I found myself processing them along with her.