drama - 1984 - costume

Winston costume — fabric & fit

Loose, baggy polyester → mass-produced, cheap, dehumanising

Winston costume — condition

Worn, creased, tired → constant fatigue under Party

Winston costume — colour

Flat grey (low value) → uniformity, hopelessness

Winston nametag — meaning

Navy blue (Outer Party) → identity cannot be escaped

O'Brien costume — fabric & fit

silk cashmere, tailored → control, authority, extreme wealth

O'Brien costume — colour

Dark grey / charcoal → power without need for force

O'Brien nametag — meaning

Purple (Inner Party) → untouchable status

O'Brien overall effect

Calm, intellectual, threatening → danger is silent

Julia costume — fit

fitted, but not neat→ appears conforming, but really not to the oppressive norms, but not under the surface

Julia costume — hidden detail

Red sash → secret rebellion

Julia costume — colour

Dark greys/black → surface obedience, blends into everyone else

Julia nametag — meaning

Navy blue (Outer Party) → identity cannot be escaped, however is is scratched and worn --> silent rebellion nonconformity

Julia overall meaning

Rebellion is hidden, not visible

Charrington before reveal - colour

Warm browns, → trust, nostalgia, inviting

Charrington before reveal - fit

baggy, worn in --> symbol of his awareness of life before the party / memories

Charrington after reveal

Stronger posture, colder look → surveillance unmasked

Charrington - name tag

brown - lower proles, dirt like, very little value to the party

Charrington overall meaning

Freedom is an illusion

Syme costume — fit

Tighter, neat → intellectual pride, feels above others for liking newspeak

Syme costume — colour

Grey-blue → cold logic, nothing special, just another comrade

Syme - name tag

Navy blue (Outer Party) → identity cannot be escaped

Syme overall meaning

Conforming Intelligence does not protect you

Parsons costume — fit

Oversized, clumsy → lack of awareness of his corruption / blind trust of party

Parsons costume — condition

Untidy — blind conformity

Parsons overall meaning

Enthusiastic supporter, not thinking

Parsons - name tag

Navy blue (Outer Party) → identity cannot be escaped

Mrs Parsons - fit

Faded, ill-fitting → domestic exhaustion, regardless of her loyalty to the party

Mrs Parsons - name tag

brown - lower proles, dirt like, very little value to the party

Mrs Parsons overall meaning

Fear in everyday life

Martin costume — fabric

Stiff uniform → indoctrination, following without question

Martin - name tag

grey - surveillance, solid, reliability, even in a high position still a value to the party, not a person

Martin overall meaning

above others in social status but still not treated as human individual

Voice/Host appearance

Faceless, uniform → non-human power