George Orwell Biografy+1984, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica George Orwell Biografy+1984 e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! GEORGE ORWELL  Was born: originally Eric Blair in India in 1903, was the son of a minor colonial official.  Childhood: as a child, he was taken to England by his mother where he started his education at St Cyprian prepatory school then compleated at Eton College.  His relation with school: He could not stand the lack of privacy and the humilating punishments of the English public school tradition. At Eton he began to develop an independent-minded personality, and professed atheism and socialism.  His first job after school: he passed the India Office examinations for the Indian Imperial Police, opting to serve in Myanmar he remained for some years.  He quitted his job: and decided not to return, he wished to escape from every form of man’s dominion over man (like British imperialism) -“Road to Wigan Pier”-.  His social experiment: back in London he started a social experiment: wearing second- hands clothes, he spent some time living in common lodging-houses in the East periphery. He directly experienced poverty and how bad institutions for poor people was (hostels, prisons, hospitals).  In Paris: after a period of work as a dishwasher, he decided to begin publishing his works under the pseudonym of George Orwell. (George is a common English name, Orwell because it was the name of a river he was fond of.  His wife: He married Eileen O’Shaugnessy, they shared the love for literature and socialism.  Journey in Catalonia: in 1936 Orwell went to Catalonia with his wife to report on the Spanish Civil War. In Barcelona he joined the workers’ militia (marxist) and fought in the trenches. In “Homage to Catalonia” he recall this experience as the time of his true conversion to socialsm.  Their return to England: the Orwells adopted a child called him Richard. They both had poor health.  Durind the WW2: Orwell moved to London where he joined the BBC.  His carreer as editor: in 1943 he resigned and became the literary editor of the “Tribune”  His death: Orwell died of tubercolosis in 1950, one year after publishing his last work “1984”. The artist development While having a deep knowledge of the British character, Orwell, thanks to his experiences abroad, was also able to see his country from the outside, so he slowly rejected his English background and accepted new ideas and impressions. The conflict between middle-class education and emotional identification with the working class is the distinguishing feature of his life. He also rejected the modernist writers attitude of withdrawal from the contemporary world. According to Orwell, the role of the artist was to inform, to reveal facts and draw conclusions from them, so he had a social function (socialism- social aim of art). Social themes As Dickens did also Orwell choose to represent social themes with a realistic and factual language, he delivered a vision of human fraternity and of the misery caused by poverty and deprivation. He presented a devastating critique of totalitarism, warning against the violation of liberty and helping his readers to recognise tyranny in all its forms. 1984 The novel describes a future world divided into three blocks: Oceania, an Empire of which England, “Airstrip One”, is no longer the head but just an outpost: Eurasia, including Russia and Europe; and Eastasia, that is, Asia and Far East. The regimented, oppressive world of Oceania is ruled by “the Party”, which is led by figure called “Big Brother”, and is continuously at war with the other two states. In order to control people’s lives, the Party is implementing “Newspeak”, an invented language with a limited number of words, and threatening them through the “Thought Police”. Free thought, sex and any expression of individuality are forbidden, but the protagonist, Winston Smith, illegally buys a diary which he begins to write his thoughts and memories, addressing them to the future generations. At the ”Ministry of Truth”, where he rewrites historical records to suit the needs of the Party. Winston notices an attractive dark-haired girl staring at him, and is afraid she might be an informant who will prove him guilty of “thoughtcrime”. The girl’s name is Julia; she proves to also have a rebellious attitude, and they begin a secret affair. One day O’Brein, a member of the powerful “Inner Party”, summons them to his luxury flat and tells them that he too hats the Party and works against it as a member of the “Brotherhood”, led by Emmanuel Goldstein. This mysterious group is trying to overthrow The Party. O’Brien gives Winston a copy of Goldstein’s book, the manifesto of the Brotherhood Winston is reading it to Julia in their room when some soldiers suddently break in and arrest them. He is taken to the “Ministry of Love”, where he finds out that O’Brien is a Party spy. O’Brien tortures and brainwashes Winston for moths, but he struggles to resist. At last, O’Brien sends him to “Room 101”, the final destination for those who oppose the Party. Here, Winston is forced to confront his worst fear rats on his head, ready to eat his face. Winston’s will is broken and he is released to the outside world. He meets Julia, but no longer loves her. He has completely given up his identity and has learnt to love Big Brother.