In 1946, George Orwell wrote an essay in which he outlined the four main reasons for writing. One was egoism, another “aesthetic enthusiasm”. The third was “historical impulse… the desire to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity.” This was closely linked to the fourth, “political purpose”, which he described as “the desire to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other people’s idea of the kind of society that they should strive for.” Sadly, the totalitarianism and dictatorships Orwell railed against are with us still, even if in different shape. In a jingle he dashed off to prod himself into action, he wrote “I wasn’t born for an age like this./ Was Smith? Was Jones? Were you?” It was a direct challenge to writers to make a stand, to heed their consciences, avoid fence-sitting and choose a side.
Orwell Prizes 2021: Ali Smith and Joshua Yaffa win Orwell Prizes
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Nothing to Envy - Chapters 1 - 4 Summary & Analysis
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