What is ironic (and even funny) about Winston's thoughts when Julia hands him a note in 1984?

shake99

is a novel about a grim future in which society is controlled by
Big Brother and the Party. One of the Party's chief functions is to eliminate emotional
attachments between people, replacing the need for human companionship with devotion to the
Party and its goals.

At one point in the story a girl passes a note to the
main character . An ironic situation ensues in which Smith, who is flabbergasted by this
unexpected event, tries to process the fact that this person, who he had previously thought of
as an enemy, has made such a dangerous overture toward him.

Thelies in the
fact that the event throws Winston into such a quandary. Normally, such an instance might be
likely to make the recipient happy or curious or expectant. But in the reality of
1984 , it is a cause for worry and caution....