of the Party was not merely to prevent men and women from
forming loyalties which it might not be able to control. Its real,
undeclared purpose was to remove all pleasure from the sexual act. Not love
so much as eroticism was the enemy, inside marriage as well as outside it.
All marriages between Party members had to be approved by a committee
appointed for the purpose, and -- though the principle was never clearly
stated -- permission was always refused if the couple concerned gave the
impression of being physically attracted to one another. The only
recognized purpose of marriage was to beget children for the service of the
Party. Sexual intercourse was to be looked on as a slightly disgusting
minor operation, like having an enema. This again was never put into plain
words, but in an indirect way it was rubbed into every Party member from
childhood onwards. There were even organizations such as the Junior Anti-
Sex League, which advocated complete cel