Saint Sebastian

“He would tie her naked to a stake and shoot her full of arrows like Saint Sebastian.” (15)

Saint Sebastian was a Roman soldier who remained firm in his faith despite being threatened with death. According to records and legends, Saint Sebastian was ordered to be executed for being a Christian. He was shot full of arrows and left to die, but a widow known as Saint Irene found his body and nursed him back to health. Religion and its important figures are rarely mentioned in 1984. Orwell uses allusions to religion to show that Winston is detached from his society. While others around him either know nothing or very little about religion and ignore whatever knowledge they might have, Winston uses his knowledge of religion to express his feelings; in this case, he uses Saint Sebastian’s attack to represent his hatred for the dark-haired woman sitting behind him.

Works Cited: "St. Sebastian." Catholic Online. 31 Mar. 2009 http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=103.

Image Credit:  http://www.saintsebastian.us/