First Impressions In George Orwell's 1984

When navigating through the banalities of human life, there are a number of inescapable experiences one must undergo in order to appear normal and function adequately. Especially essential is the ritual of “first impressions”, which sets the tone and dynamic of one’s future relationships. Every twitch of the eye, every hint of connotation and slighted remark must be considered and evaluated to commence a favorable relationship. Because of this, some consider first impressions to be frustrating and delicate rituals. Trapped in the confines of their own perspective, however, these people forget there are plenty more ways to make this seemingly common ritual more complex. George Orwell takes this challenge of the complex first impression to the extreme in his dystopian novel 1984. Trapped in the confines of a totalitarian regime, Orwell’s characters

This courtyard is packed with curious and enraged spectators and is monitored constantly by the government. Both characters express very different reactions to these circumstances. “Winston, at normal times the kind of person who gravitates to the outer edge of any kind of scrimmage, shoved, butted, squirmed his way forward into the heart of the crowd” (Orwell 144), whereas Julia “nipped nimbly round the lions at the base of the monument and joined in the rush” (Orwell 144). Even before the two exchange verbalities, their reactions to tension and pressure begin to characterize their interactions. Winston is skittish and hesitant, the more reserved figure in the relationship, whereas Julia is agile and astute, the physical leader. The two are not be able to express these traits through direct dialog or action due to the totalitarian regime, however their attributes still subtly show