30th April 2020 by
George Orwell and Fatherhood: Part One
The most important influence on George Orwell was probably his father. This essay, then, explores the crucial theme of fatherhood in a number of contrasting ways. It first examines the responses of both Orwell and his contemporaries to his father. It then looks at the many fascinating representations of fathers in his novels. Orwell’s own strikingly progressive attitudes as a dad are highlighted as are, finally, the responses of his son, Richard Blair, to having the celebrated author of
Nineteen Eighty-Four as a father.
Richard Walmesley Blair – Long Due a Re-Assessment