George Orwell's writings were highly influenced by his boyhood in India and what he witnessed as a class system in England and while traveling in France and Spain. Without his first-hand knowledge of Imperialism, Socialism and Communism, he would not have had the desire to use his wit and satire to promote social reform.
This famous modern author was actually named ‘Arthur Blair’ by his parents Richard and Ida Mabel Blair (“George Orwell”). Born in Bengal, India, Arthur’s, referred to as George Orwell, father was employed in the Indian Civil Service as a customs official, which was not necessarily a position of honor (“George Orwell”). The family relocated to England when Eric was a toddler and yet he felt ostracized during his early years because “he was not from a wealthy family” (“George Orwell”). Living in a poor section of London, “this experience made him sensitive to the cruelty of social snobbery” (“George Orwell”). Even though he entered university classes in England as a young man he did not complete his education before he joined the Indian Imperial Police stationed in Burma (“George Orwell”). One can infer that what education he received aided in the development of his views on English politics. He eventually tired of his role as an imperialist, someone enforcing control over the native population, and returned to his English roots in 1927 (“George Orwell”). His plan was to become a writer and this was the first time he had voiced any interest in that career path.
In 1936, when the Spanish Civil War broke, out Orwell moved to Spain, first to write about the war but later joining the militia (“George Orwell”). Orwell was wounded a year later and he returned to England as a revolutionary socialist. When World War II broke out George Orwell tried to enlist but was rejected as physically unfit (“George Orwell”). Orwell’s time spent in the militia and his opinions towards both the Spanish War and WWII have been the most influential factors in his writing. He simply could not tolerate some of the actions that he saw taking place in England and the world. I believe the intended audiences for his writings were those that were not involved in politics. In his writings, Orwell brings to light (in satirical, reader-friendly methods) the brutality and realistic issues of the time. He wrote to invoke questions of morality and question previous “truth”. He wrote to “those who entirely accepted assassinations, and even those who clamored for more; there were those who looked away when assassination was spoken of; and finally, there were those who always managed to be elsewhere when the trigger was pulled” (Sollers). Orwell had experienced first-hand how imperialism and communism affected humanity, and it was upon these experiences and opinions that he centered his writings.
One of Orwell's most famous books, Animal Farm, is a fable using animals to portray characters following the Russian Revolution. He initially had trouble getting his story published “because the work was a disguised criticism of Russia, England's ally at the time” (“George Orwell”). Once the war was over, however, the critics and the public decided Animal Farm was a smashing success. In Animal Farm, Orwell describes a political caste system in fable form. In simple terms, “when the animals rise in revolt against the tyrannical Farmer Jones, Orwell wins our sympathies for them, and we remain on their side throughout their subsequent struggles with humanity, accepting the fact that no matter what the pigs may do, no animal wants to be ruled again by Farmer Jones or his kind” (Woodcock). One reviewer wrote that Animal Farm “had given him great pleasure to read because it broke down some of the artificial reserve with which Russia is written about, or not written about and it deserves a wide sale and a lengthy discussion” (Connolly). Animal Farm is a captivating story that can easily be understood by anyone. When I studied Animal Farm my freshman year, I could easily grasp the different plot elements and characters. At the time, I was not aware that the story was a satire of what was going on in Russia. In order to gain appreciation for much of Orwell’s works, one must be informed of social and moral issues going on in England and in the world during the early 1900s.
The money Orwell made from Animal Farm allowed him to write his final novel, 1984. At this time he was stricken with tuberculosis and doctor's orders allowed him to work only one hour per day (“George Orwell”). Some critics believe that Orwell's failing health caused him to make 1984 very pessimistic (Sollers). He did plan to write other books, according to his friends, but “died at the age of 47, and would have had much more to tell us had he survived” (Sollers). George Orwell by no means lived a life of luxury. He was always battling illness, serving his country in war, or having his ideas repudiated by publishers. It is because of his first-hand experience that he is able to criticize the upper class and analyze the political turmoil of the time. The 1900s were a time when previous understandings were questioned. George Orwell brought these questions to surface through his many essays and his novels. By reading these often clever and witty works, we can gain insight into many of the issues that were at hand during England’s modern age.
Works Cited
Connolly, Cyril. "Criticism by Cyril Connolly." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 7 May. 2011."George Orwell." EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 7 May. 2011.
Sollers, Philippe. "George Orwell: Leftward All!" Queen's Quarterly 117.1 (2010): 34+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 7 May. 2011.
Woodcock, George. "Criticism by George Woodcock." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 7 May. 2011.
Pictures:
"Orwell, George." U*X*L Biographies. Detroit: U*X*L, 2010. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 8 May. 2011.
"Production of Animal Farm." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 8 May. 2011
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