Oranges, lemons, and the decline of the traditional mother figure in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, 2012

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Car

Identifier: b5596203

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate English program. The holdings are primarily bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Arts or Master of Fine Arts degrees.

From the Collection:

Students become eligible to pursue the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree if they have obtained a Master of Arts (M.A.) in English from Monmouth University and demonstrate a proficiency for creative writing through a thesis or equivalent work.

From the Collection:

After completing their 30-credit M.A. in English with a Creative Writing concentration, Monmouth’s M.F.A. students take an additional 18 credits of intensive creative writing study that includes the completion of a book-length Creative Thesis.

From the Collection:

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2012

Creator

Carroll, Erin A. (Erin Anne) (1988- ) (Author, Person)
Bluemel, Kristin, 1964- (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 39 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

In my thesis, I examine the use of the British nursery rhyme, "Oranges and Lemons," in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four in relation to the decline of the "traditional" mother figure in Oceania. George Orwell felt that if women continued to work after World War II, then the traditional family would be destroyed and children would not have the moral upbringing that only a mother could provide. In the fascist society of Oceania, good, virtuous mothers do not exist and children are educated by the State. In an attempt to destroy Big Brother, Winston begins to learn the lines of "Oranges and Lemons" from various characters that are not his mother (who has been vaporized), and this will eventually be his downfall. By examining different feminist theories, as well as scholarship on nursery rhymes and women's role in twentieth century Great Britain, I argue that Orwell is making a commentary on what would happen if women continued to work in the public sphere after World War II, ignoring their more important duties of the household and children. I will also examine feminist critics's views on Julia and Winston's relationship, and how they have defined Orwell as a mysogynist through the famous line that Winston tells Julia: "You're only a rebel from the waist down." I will examine this scene and others, and conclude that Orwell was not a misogynist and even wrote Julia as an intelligent character. However, whether women were intelligent or not did not matter to Orwell, as he still saw their primary duty as wives and mothers in the private spheres of their homes.

Keywords