In a similar act of Reality control, the Party suppresses the desire of sex as a theme, dehumanizing it. Even with his old wife, Katherine, she saw it as a “duty to the party”.

The idea of being together is degraded, too. The sole purpose cannot be to desire physical intimacy. Instead, as a duty to create children to serve the party.

To Winston, the act of successfully performing sexual intercourse was an act of rebellion. To him, being able to “awaken his wife” was just as pleasurable. Through peaking into his character’s desires, the audience understands the dire state of the totalitarian government.

Themes: Individual vs Collective, sex as a theme

He ends up having sex with an old prostitute who was old and toothless. Of course, he feels shameful. His dissatisfaction towards himself may be the intent of the party — looking down upon himself because he is unable to repress his sexual desires.