Concetti Chiave
- George Orwell, born Eric Blair in 1903, developed a disdain for traditional English public school values and British imperialism, which influenced his independent mindset and socialist views.
- Orwell engaged in social experiments to experience poverty firsthand, living among outcasts in London and Paris, which informed his early non-fiction work.
- His literary works, including "Down and Out in Paris and London" and "Burmese Days," reflect his experiences with poverty and colonialism, while "Homage to Catalonia" recounts his involvement in the Spanish Civil War.
- Orwell's employment at the BBC during WWII and his role as a literary editor at Tribune highlight his engagement with media and socialist ideas, culminating in his famous works "Animal Farm" and "1984."
- His writing often grapples with social themes, advocating for justice and human decency while criticizing totalitarianism and the artificiality of urban life.
George Orwell
Life
Born Eric Blair in India in 1903, Orwell was the son of a minor colonial official. He was educated first at the school of St. Cyprian's at Eton. Here he could not stand the lack of privacy, the humiliating punishments, the pressure to conform to the values of the English public school tradition(such as competition or the rigid adherence to discipline).
As a consequence he began to develop as independent-minded personality, indifference to accepted values and professed socialism and atheism. On leaving school he passed the India Office examinations for the Indian Imperial Police. However 5 years later he left it and decided not to return because he wanted to breast away from British Imperialism(he could stand the dominion over other men).
First hand experiences
Back in London, he started a social experiment: he spent short periods living in common lodging-houses, looking for the company of outcasts(down-and-outs) in order to directly experience poverty and learn about the institutions of those people.
Then he travel to Paris when he decided to publish his works with the pseudonym of George Orwell. He chose:
•the name George because it was English and so suggested plain speaking and common sense;
•the surname Orwell because it was the name of a river he liked.
After the publication of works and their travel in Spain, the Orwells adopted an infant child and called him Richard, but they died soon because of their poor health.
Works
- "Down and Out in Paris and London"(1933) was the 1st non-fiction narrative about the description of his experience among the poor;- "Burmese Days"(1934)a book about his colonial experience;
- "The Road to Wigan Pier"(1937)a report he was commissioned to investigate conditions among the miners, factory workers and unemployed;
- "Homage to Catalonia"(1938), a recall of his experience in Spain: in 1936 Orwell went to Catalonia with his wife to report on the Spanish Civil War. In Barcelona he joined the Workers's Party of Marxist Unification;
- when the II World War broke out, Orwell, in London, joined to the BBC(broadcasting cultural and political programmes to India). In 1943 he became literary editor of Tribune(socialist weekly);
- he also began writing "Animal Farm" published in 1945*;
- Orwell's last book, “1984” was his most original novel: it was published in 1949 and soon became a best-seller.
Social themes
Grateful to Dickens in the choice of social themes, Orwell expressed a vision of human fraternity and misery caused by poverty and deprivation. He insisted on tolerance, justice and decency in human relationships. On the other hand he was against the increasing artificiality of urban civilization and he helped his readers to recognize totalitarianism which violated any form of liberty.
Domande da interrogazione
- Quali esperienze personali hanno influenzato la visione di Orwell?
- Perché Orwell scelse il nome "George Orwell" come pseudonimo?
- Quali sono alcune delle opere principali di Orwell e i loro temi?
- Quali temi sociali sono centrali nel lavoro di Orwell?
Le esperienze di Orwell, come la sua educazione a Eton e il suo lavoro nella Polizia Imperiale Indiana, lo portarono a sviluppare una mentalità indipendente e una critica verso l'imperialismo britannico.
Orwell scelse "George" perché era un nome inglese che suggeriva semplicità e buon senso, e "Orwell" perché era il nome di un fiume che gli piaceva.
Tra le opere principali di Orwell ci sono "Down and Out in Paris and London", "Burmese Days", "The Road to Wigan Pier", "Homage to Catalonia", "Animal Farm" e "1984", che trattano temi come la povertà, l'imperialismo, la guerra civile spagnola e il totalitarismo.
Orwell si concentrò su temi sociali come la fraternità umana, la miseria causata dalla povertà, la tolleranza, la giustizia e la decenza nelle relazioni umane, opponendosi al totalitarismo e all'artificialità della civiltà urbana.
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