What does the smashing of the coral paperweight signify in 1984?

The
coral paperweight not only symbolically represents the beauty of the past and a time before the
totalitarian regime, but also representsand 's intimate, secluded affair and loving
relationship. Similar to the coral enclosed in glass, Winston and Julia have created a unique,
transparent world, where they enjoy each other's company and share their intimate feelings in
the "privacy" of their rented apartment above Charrington's antique shop. The
attractive, colorful coral symbolically represents Winston and Julia's unique love for each
other in the midst of the dystopian society, which is completely controlled and regulated by the
agents of Big Brother. When the Thought Police raid Winston and Julia's apartment, they smash
the glass paperweight and Winston notices the tiny fragment of coral as it rolls onto the
floor.writes, "How small, thought Winston, how small it always was" (281). Winston's
observation is telling and corresponds to the symbolic significance of the paperweight. Similar
to the tiny, delicate nature of the coral, Winston and Julia's affair was never meant to last
and was always threatened by the massive government, which controls every aspect of society.
Therefore, the smashing of the coral paperweight symbolically represents the end of Winston and
Julia's love affair and the inability to recreate the past before Big
Brother.