George Orwell, may have changed the world with his book "1984", but what is it that brought him to the point where his writing reflected such deep political insight? Has his books changed the world?
The book, "Why I Write,” answers these questions and is useful in understanding the author’s works. Orwell gave four reasons for writing. When he talked about the reason writing for a Political Purpose. He said that no one is free from political bias, and he defined politics as:
"Desire to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other people's idea of the kind of society that they should strive after".........
An example of the political bias of his book, 1984, is clear right now with a group of independent movie theaters across the country showing the movie"1984" as a Presidential protest. Orwell's thoughts about governments out of control resonate just as much today as in 1946 when the book was published.
Orwell was born in India, and he served with their Imperial Police and also in the Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. Knowing that and also his thoughts about why to write add a lot to his book’s messages and conclusions.
Orwell gave four good reasons in his book: "Why I Write.”
1. Sheer egoism. This is probably obvious, but he also suggested that writers share this with scientists, artists, politicians, lawyers, and others.
2. Aesthetic enthusiasm. This has to do with the beauty of the world.
3. Historical impulse. This is the need to let folks know the facts.
4. Political purpose. This, in part, is "the desire to push the world in a certain direction, to alter people's idea of the kind of society that they should strive after.”
Another Important thought from the book is expressed in this quote:
The difficulty of literature is not writing but writing what you mean."
-Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850 - 1894.