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Although Katharine is a minor character who never appears directly, Winston’s memories of her play an important role in establishing how the Party’s doctrines impact families and emphasizing the significance of his relationship with Julia. The reader first learns of Katharine’s existence in Part One, Chapter 6, and the very casual way in which Winston reflects on his marriage to her suggests right away that he was never particularly fond of her. More details about their tense relationship emerge as he attempts to recount his time with a prostitute in his diary, and these memories reveal that no authentic emotional connection existed between them during their fifteen months of marriage. Although he admits that Katharine was conventionally beautiful, Winston emphasizes that she did not possess a single quality that he found attractive. She was a committed Party devotee without an original thought in her head, she seemed resistant to physical intimacy, and she insisted that they try to have children to fulfill their “duty to the Party.” If Katharine represents the type of woman that Party doctrine breeds, then the Party has largely succeeded in ensuring that relationships and families serve a practical purpose rather than an emotional one.
Winston’s history with Katharine inevitably makes his relationship with Julia even more meaningful to him. Having experienced a cold and loveless marriage, the energy and passion that Julia gives him fills his soul in a way that nothing else could. The differences between Katharine and Julia, including their feelings about the Party and their attitude towards sex, render them foil characters for one another, a dynamic which calls attention to the risks Winston is willing to take. He walks away from the Party’s ideal woman, even going so far as to admitting regret that he did not kill her when he had the chance, and instead embraces complete and undeniable rebellion. Winston’s unpleasant memories of Katharine ultimately push him closer to Julia despite the dangers that come with such a choice.
