George Orwell was an english journalist and novelist born 1903. He was privately educated at a few schools including Eton. This influenced him in many ways. He formed many strong opinions about major political movements of his time, including imperialism, fascism and communism (George Orwell Bio, 2009). This, of course, found it’s way into his novels and article pieces. He was a socialist and strongly disagreed with communism as he believed all communists to be “greedy of power” (George Orwell, 1937).
Orwell did not go to university after finishing Eton, but instead joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, 1922. It is here, where the most of his strong political opinions were influenced. Upon arriving in Rangoon harbor , Orwell was greeted with a white officer beating a ‘coolie’ whilst passengers applauded and cheered loudly (Orwell Web, 2005). He was not only shocked by the brutal treatment of the ‘coolie’ but the reaction the beating provoked. This opened his eyes to imperialism and it’s effect on people. Orwell began to sympathise with the oppressed (Storgaard, 2001). Orwell's ‘A Hanging’ and ‘Shooting an Elephant’ talks of disgust in a ruler having power over life and death and being able to treat people as things. This links into his themes in Animal Farm of the pigs making themselves the dominant race and Napoleon being responsible for all the farm animals lives. He had a hold over the farm, allowing him to manipulate and terrorise the animals- giving him the ability to end their life in a second.
George Orwell communicated his political opinions through his works. Animal farm, for example, was an allegory of how communism is corrupt and that greed, wickedness and indifference can destroy any chance of a ‘Utopia’. The book was written in World War 2 in Europe and at this time, the British Government‘s policy was to discourage anything that may cause conflict between Allies (Russia, or example). This forced George Orwell to write an allegory ‘fairy story’, convincing the government it was just a harmless fairy story for children, where in reality, it has strong satire themes and symbolism (Johnson, 2006).
Orwell did not go to university after finishing Eton, but instead joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, 1922. It is here, where the most of his strong political opinions were influenced. Upon arriving in Rangoon harbor , Orwell was greeted with a white officer beating a ‘coolie’ whilst passengers applauded and cheered loudly (Orwell Web, 2005). He was not only shocked by the brutal treatment of the ‘coolie’ but the reaction the beating provoked. This opened his eyes to imperialism and it’s effect on people. Orwell began to sympathise with the oppressed (Storgaard, 2001). Orwell's ‘A Hanging’ and ‘Shooting an Elephant’ talks of disgust in a ruler having power over life and death and being able to treat people as things. This links into his themes in Animal Farm of the pigs making themselves the dominant race and Napoleon being responsible for all the farm animals lives. He had a hold over the farm, allowing him to manipulate and terrorise the animals- giving him the ability to end their life in a second.
George Orwell communicated his political opinions through his works. Animal farm, for example, was an allegory of how communism is corrupt and that greed, wickedness and indifference can destroy any chance of a ‘Utopia’. The book was written in World War 2 in Europe and at this time, the British Government‘s policy was to discourage anything that may cause conflict between Allies (Russia, or example). This forced George Orwell to write an allegory ‘fairy story’, convincing the government it was just a harmless fairy story for children, where in reality, it has strong satire themes and symbolism (Johnson, 2006).