George Orwell Matters! discussion

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George Orwell
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When did you first discover Orwell?
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At the time I was away from school with sickness so missed the discussions in class. Instead, I hired the movie from the library and in my naive 15-year old mind, it was a clever cartoon about power. About ten years later I read 1984, then AF again and understood. My favourite I think is KTAF, it truly stands out from the rest of his novels.

This Group seems very quiet?!
My first Orwell book was The Road to Wigan Pier. The book probably had more impact on me than any I've read since possibly due to my age at the time (15/16) and was a book that posed questions in a way other books I had read didn't.
My favourite Orwell book is KTAF although Homage to Catalonia (and the first chapter in particular) just stunned and moved me too.
I would suggest that Orwell's influence - on other writers, musicians and campaigners - remains extensive. I constantly see nods to his work in other books and in music.
It was Orwell himself who said he wanted to make 'political writing into art' and his style of writing - where every word used is for a reason - remains a masterful example of making complex issues accessible.
Paul
Hi all,
I can't actually remember when I first read Orwell but I am sure it was when I was in my twenties and starting to form a political outlook in life. I have since read everything he wrote and often re read him just for the sheer pleasure of acquainting myself with an astute political mind and a great writer.
I think the reason I get so much out of Orwell is because he was able to analyse complex political situations in a clear and simple way. That is not to say that he belittled or trivialised events, but that he was able to see into the heart of the matter. How many people, for example, had such a grasp of the events of the Spanish Civil War as he did in 'Homage To Catalona'? He saw at once that events can be falsified and distorted to fit the underlying agenda of a political party, and would be ignored or rewritten by the media in order to uphold an established view of class and privilege.
For me, Orwell was one of the few writers who stood up to lies and humbug. He was not afraid to expose propaganda whenever he saw it, but was also modest enough to realise that it is the duty of all of us to root out hypocrisy whenever we experienced it within ourselves.
I think the main reason I like his books is because they usually depict ordinary people, often from working class backgrounds, who get caught up in events that are bigger than them, and often end up being destroyed by them. Gordon Comstrock, for example, in 'Keep The Aspidistra Flying" was a particular hero for me for trying to live an existence without money! How many writers today would have the courage to tackle a subject that exposes the tyranny of capitalism as he did?
I know I haven't answered the question of when I first read Orwell, but I am glad that he existed and gave us a voice of sanity in a world still not free from exploitation and oppression. The fight for freedom is a constant struggle, but Orwell was one of the greater beacons of sanity in a world that has no place for the everyman.
I can't actually remember when I first read Orwell but I am sure it was when I was in my twenties and starting to form a political outlook in life. I have since read everything he wrote and often re read him just for the sheer pleasure of acquainting myself with an astute political mind and a great writer.
I think the reason I get so much out of Orwell is because he was able to analyse complex political situations in a clear and simple way. That is not to say that he belittled or trivialised events, but that he was able to see into the heart of the matter. How many people, for example, had such a grasp of the events of the Spanish Civil War as he did in 'Homage To Catalona'? He saw at once that events can be falsified and distorted to fit the underlying agenda of a political party, and would be ignored or rewritten by the media in order to uphold an established view of class and privilege.
For me, Orwell was one of the few writers who stood up to lies and humbug. He was not afraid to expose propaganda whenever he saw it, but was also modest enough to realise that it is the duty of all of us to root out hypocrisy whenever we experienced it within ourselves.
I think the main reason I like his books is because they usually depict ordinary people, often from working class backgrounds, who get caught up in events that are bigger than them, and often end up being destroyed by them. Gordon Comstrock, for example, in 'Keep The Aspidistra Flying" was a particular hero for me for trying to live an existence without money! How many writers today would have the courage to tackle a subject that exposes the tyranny of capitalism as he did?
I know I haven't answered the question of when I first read Orwell, but I am glad that he existed and gave us a voice of sanity in a world still not free from exploitation and oppression. The fight for freedom is a constant struggle, but Orwell was one of the greater beacons of sanity in a world that has no place for the everyman.




I first read 1984 in my twenties. I think I'd seen a TV dramatisation of it, thought it was brilliantly inventive Science Fiction and really enjoyed the book. Then Animal Farm of course, which must be one of the best short novels in the English language. The Road to Wigan Pier just about broke my heart - perhaps because my family comes from there - as did Down and Out in Paris and London.
I want to read more of his essays, and it constantly surprises me that when I mention George Orwell a glazed expression comes over people's faces. He's phenomenal - and continually relevant!
I want to read more of his essays, and it constantly surprises me that when I mention George Orwell a glazed expression comes over people's faces. He's phenomenal - and continually relevant!

I was first introduced to George Orwell in Grade 9, with Animal Farm. The teacher belaboured every word used, kept referring to revolutions I hadn't heard of and twaddling on about things I wasn't interested in. Sadly, this put me off of George Orwell's writings.
When I took a University English course and 1984 was in the curriculum, I was dismayed and grateful that it was a slim book. I LOVED it!!!! So much so, that I had to go back to revisit Animal Farm and I loved that one, too. Imagine my surprise. It must have been the teaching style of the teacher in Grade 9 English and not George Orwell's writing that I didn't like.
After that I went on quite a George Orwell reading period. I don't recall every book I read and would need to reread them all to have any kind of a decent discussion but his writing is wonderful in all his books.



It's such a shame that reading Animal Farm at school has spoiled the work for so many. Perhaps it's chosen because of its deceptive simplicity, but from what you say Petra, when it is badly taught, it can seem dry and almost irrelevant to a teenager without the background knowledge. Thank goodness that those here gave George Orwell another chance! I came to him a bit later, as I said.
bluewizard - that's a really quirky connection! And a fantastic way in, if I might say so :)
bluewizard - that's a really quirky connection! And a fantastic way in, if I might say so :)


In later life I reread these and read more of his essays and non fiction. For some reason, I hadn’t read 1984 until a year or so ago, although I felt I already knew it well from the amount it appears in all kinds of popular culture.

But my brother had a paperback of 1984. I still remember it.

It was worn out from him reading it many times. When I was in college and started to appreciate these things more, we talked about Orwell and he encouraged me to read more. I read 1984 then (before the actual year 1984). He had a way of helping me get started with an author by steering me to books he thought would suit me, and recommended Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and after that I was a complete fan.

This Group seems very quiet?!
My first Orwell book was The Road to Wigan Pier. The book probably had more impact on me than any I've read since possibly due to my age at the time (15/16..."
KTAF is also my personal fave. Brilliant book!

He gave me his copy of 1984, saying he had another at home, as we were getting off the plane.
He told me that I would thoroughly enjoy it and that it was such a powerful novel and that everybody should read it.
I still have the book and I did thoroughly enjoy it. I've, since, read all of his books and have been completely hooked ever since that chance encounter on that flight!
Books mentioned in this topic
Keep the Aspidistra Flying (other topics)The Road to Wigan Pier (other topics)
Animal Farm (other topics)
Down and Out in Paris and London (other topics)
1984 (other topics)
More...
Not a lot of activity here for awhile, so I thought I'd post.
The first Orwell book I ever read was 1984 when I was 16 years old it made such an impact on my life. It shook me out of my youthful ignorance that you can trust the state because it has your best interest at heart and that if you are good and comply by the rules you will be rewarded. It made me stop and question and look deeply at the system of controls around us. He may have written many decades before my birth, but everything he wrote about is immortal, nothing changes. Where there are humans there is a system corrupt, violent, controlling and motivated by the agenda of a few. So started my love of Orwell and his work. Since then I have read "Animal Farm" (a piece of genius and my fav) "Down and out in London and Paris" and "Keep the Aspidistra flying" Every novel a piece of literary and intellectual genius, I've never been fanatic about people I don't know, but I'll make an exception for Orwell. I haven't read his other books yet because he had limited work and once I have read them there is no more, so I'm saving them a year at a time.....a little eccentric but who can replace him?
So how was everyone else introduced to Orwell?