Almost one month ago, precisely on 25th of June, the British writer George Orwell would complete 120 years old. He showed us the reality of totalitarian regimes, the suffering of the victims of abuse and injustice. We all must fight for democracy, justice and human rights. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at https://waldina.com/2023/0/25/happy-120th-birthday-george-orwell/. The second was published at https://www.wjpitch.com/opinion/2021/11/15/george-orwells-1984-is-still-relevant-today/. The third was published at https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/what-we-can-learn-from-the-works-of-george-orwell/
Today is the 120th birthday of the little boy who became George Orwell. They showed the animated version of Animal Farm in school. I remember finding it exceptionally disturbing, which is the correct response, but I also remember thinking that it was strange thing to show grade school children. The first time I read 1984 was in 1984. I have read it since. The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss than he left. George Orwell created some of the sharpest satirical fiction of the 20th century with works such as Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-four. He was a man of strong opinions who addressed some of the major political movements of his time, including imperialism, fascism and communism. After completing his schooling at Eton, Orwell found himself ay a dead end. His family did not have the money to pay for a university education. Instead he joined the India Imperial Police Force in 1922. After five years in Burma, Orwell resigned his post and returned to England. He was intent on making it as a writer. After leaving the Imperial Force, Orwell struggled to get his writing career off the ground. His first major work, Down and Out in Paris and London, (1933) explored his time eking out a living in these two cities. The book provided a brutal look at the lives of the working poor and those living a transient existence. Sometimes called the conscience of a generation, Orwell next explored his overseas experiences in Burmese Days, published in 1934. The novel offered a dark look at British colonialism in Burma, then part of the British empire. Orwell's interest in political matters grew rapidly after this novel was published. Orwell is best known for two novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen eighty-four, Both of which were published toward the end of his life. Animal Farm (1945) was an anti-Soviet satire in a pastoral setting featuring two pigs as its main protagonists. The novel brought Orwell great acclaim and financial rewards. In 1949, Orwell published 1984. This bleak vision of the world divided into three oppressive nations stirred up controversy who found this fictional future too despairing. In the novel, Orwell gave readers a glimpse into what would happen if the government controlled every detail of a person's life. 1984 proved to be another huge success for the author, but he had little time to enjoy it. By this time, Orwell was in the late stages of his battle with tuberculosis. He died on January 1950, in a London hospital. In W.J. High School English curriculum, we read many great old books. Some of these books, though written 50 to even hundred years ago, are still very significant to this day. One book that connects to our present day is 1984, written by George Orwell in 1949. It is a dystopian novel about a powerful, corrupt government taking control of the people, manipulating them and constantly watching them. It is a book that deserves especially close reading today for the way in which it captures many worrisome current trends. One of the themes in 1984 concerns the rewriting of history. The Party would rewrite history in order to maintain power over the people. Orwell's novel also introduced the idea of "thought crime" which involves believing in something other than whatever the party line happens to be. Cancel culture is another example of this in our day. Big Brother and the Party also devised a monitoring system, known as the 'telescreen,' so that they could watch the people constantly. The telescreens in 1984 collected all sorts of information and data about people's whereabouts, etc. In 1984, Orwell presents our society with an important warning about the loss of freedom and democracy. It is crucuial that people today heed Orwell's warning. It may sound silly that a book written 72 years ago could predict the future, but the truth is that Orwell's dystopia has become, in certain ways, a reality in our own days. It is our responsibility, to learn from books, like 1984, and prevent this from happening nowadays. Can you imagine living your life controlled by oppressors? Of course not! George Orwell was determined to raise public awareness of the dangers of extremism and autocracy, which he did through his novels and short stories. Living in the shadow of the two world wars, Orwell wrote with a conviction bred from an insight and personal knowledge of the nightmarish atrocities committed by some political regimes. Orwell's famous Animal Farm is a must-read novel, It is written in the style of one of Aesop's fables, and uses animals om an farm to tell the story of the Soviet communism. It is a real eye-opener. You will be enchanted with the character of Boxer, the horse, who is depicted as one who has made a huge contribution to the prosperity of Animal Farm and the building of the windmill. But in his naivety he trusts all the leaders even though he is being starved and exhausted. This is the most powerful and poignant lesson Orwell has taught us in Animal Farm. It scrutinises Joseph Stalin's Communist Party and his cruelties and hypocrisies during 1920-1947 government. Orwell believed that corruption lies within the leaders who destroy or drive away anyone who dares to think differently. This is a lesson taught to readers not to bow down to dictators. 1984 is Orwell's ultimate novel. Read it again and again, and each time you will find a new political message. It is considered to be Orwell's best work. Why? Because it deals with humanitarian issues and remains one of the most powerful warnings against the dangers of a totalitarian society. Nobody was safe, and that was a frightening fact. In 1984 normal people, represented by the characters of Winston and Julia, are forbidden to have sex, eat illicit foods, or commit any thoughts or feelings to writing. Everything in a totalitarian regime is completely wiped out. Expect 'Big Brother' to watch you 24/7, whether you are eating, sleeping or playing. In this world there is not privacy, only torture.
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