WHY ORWELL WROTE



"Good prose is like a windowpane."

Eric Blair, pseudonym George Orwell, was a master writer and story teller. He wrote his first poem at the age of four or five, by dictation to his mother. In the last sixteen years of his life (born in 1903 - died in 1950) he wrote nine major books and 700 essays and articles.

In the essay WHY I WRITE, published in 1947, Orwell says:

"...In a peaceful age I might have written ornate or merely descriptive books, and might have remained almost unaware of my political loyalties. As it is I have been forced into becoming a sort of pamphleteer. First I spent five years in an unsuitable profession (The Indian Imperial Police, in Burma), and then I underwent poverty and the sense of failure. This increased my natural hatred of authority and made me for the first time fully aware of the existence of the working classes, and the job in Burma had given me some understanding of the nature of imperialism: but these experiences were not enough to give me an accurate political orientation. Then came Hitler, the Spanish Civil War, etc. By the end of 1935 I had still failed to reach a firm decision. The Spanish war and other events in 1936-37 turned the scale and thereafter I knew where I stood. Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism , as I understand it. It seems to me nonsense, in a period like our own, to think that one can avoid writing of such subjects. Everyone writes of them in one guise or another. It is simply a question of which side one takes and what approach one follows. And the more one is conscious of one's political bias, the more chance one has of acting politically without sacrificing one's aesthetic and intellectual integrity.

"...I write because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing . ...Of late years I have tried to write less picturesquely and more exactly. ANIMAL FARM was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole . I hope to write another fairly soon. It is bound to be a failure, every book is a failure, but I do know with some clarity what kind of book I want to write...."

As we all know, the book Orwell went on to write was " 1984 ". It has since been translated into 62 languages and it, along with ANIMAL FARM, had sold more than 40 million copies by 1984. In the USA it sold 1,000 copies a day that year. Quoting Orwell again from WHY I WRITE:

"...All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery . Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand. For all one knows that demon is simply the same instinct that makes a baby squall for attention.... Good prose is like a windowpane ...."

Not only figuratively but also literally was the writing of "1984" like a bout of some painful illness for George Orwell. Throughout its writing he was fighting tuberculosis and was at times admitted to the hospital where his typewriter was taken away from him. Undaunted he sat in bed, propped up on pillows, and wrote in longhand with ball-point pen . He was administered a newly developed drug to which he developed a severe allergic reaction. His skin flaked, his mouth became painfully ulcerated, his hair and nails fell out . After several months recuperating in the sanitorium Orwell returned to his home on the remote Scottish island of Jura, one of the most inaccessible spots in the British Isles, and finished writing "1984" in December 1948 . He then went immediately back into hospital and was never again healthy enough to be discharged. "1984" was published in June 1949 and Orwell died seven months later on January 21st, 1950, at the age of 46.

In "1984" George Orwell describes how a hierarchical world tyranny is set up, how it stays in power, how it treats its people , and what life is like living under such a system. "1984" is in fact a coded blueprint for world tyranny, laying bare its structure and exposing its components.

Orwell wrote "1984" for us, the future , in the hope we would recognize the signs and symptoms of tyrannical world government and prevent its establishment in our world. Let's make sure he did not write in vain.

All the best,

Jackie Jura

Note to readers: The cover of The London Times Magazine (the newspaper Winston Smith wrote for in "1984"), August 15, 2004 edition -- wherein I found the article about Orwell being a writer wronged -- had a photo of Tom Cruise behind a windowpane of shattered glass. To create the image of Orwell at the top of this page, I cut out Tom Cruise's face and substituted Orwell's and cut-and-pasted the ORWELL A WRITER WRONGED headline from the article. ~ Jackie Jura

ALL ABOUT ORWELL and HOMAGE TO ORWELL and PILGRIMAGE TO ORWELL

WHY I WRITE, by George Orwell, 1947

1984 & MICROSOFT BORN ON APRIL 4

watch TALKING COVID & ORWELL 2020

HEART SURGEON ADMIRES O'SHAUGHNESSY

ORWELL DOC O'SHAUGHNESSY LETTER

ORWELL'S DOC O'SHAUGHNESSY'S GRAVE

ORWELL AIMS RIFLE AT COLONEL BLIMP

DID WIFE EILEEN MAKE ORWELL?

WALKING GEORGE ORWELL'S LONDON

HATING BIG BROTHER IS FREEDOM

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING CLERGYMAN'S

CHALK FARM ORWELL'S ANIMAL FARM

WILLINGDON ANIMAL FARM TOURISM

ORWELL & POLO INDIA ORIGINS

MOTIHARI DOC & NEWBORN ORWELL

1984 NOT AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL

THE ORWELL TAPES OF INTERVIEWS

ANIMAL FARM 1947 RADIO DRAMA

SOCIALIST PEER ORWELL SOUTHWOLD PIER

ORWELL DOC O'SHAUGHNESSY HEART OMEN

HOLIDAY TO ORWELL SCOTLAND HOUSE

HOW ORWELL DOC O'SHAUGHNESSY DIED

ORWELL SPOKE TO INDIA ON BBC

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING ASPIDISTRA

WINSTON & JULIA WOODS LOCATION

ORWELL'S WALLINGTON HOUSE FOR SALE

TOUR ORWELL'S SPANISH TRENCHES

SOLDIER ORWELL AT SPANISH FRONT

ORWELL BULLET THRU NECK

WATCH BBC 1984 ORWELL BIO

WALT WHITMAN/PAUL POTTS & ORWELL

ORWELL DOC O'SHAUGHNESSY GIANT IN FIELD

CRYSTAL SPIRIT ORWELL BBC FILM

ORWELL ETON FRIEND KING-FARLOW

KILLAMARSH COAL IN LINCOLN STEEL

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING WIGAN

BIG BROTHER INDIA ABANDONS ORWELL

ORWELL TODAY BOOK NOT WEBSITE

ORIGIN OF CARICATURES OF ORWELL

POONA & MOTIHARI ORWELL MEMORIES

MOTIHARI MOOKHERJEE DEFENDS ORWELL

THE ORWELL PLACE TIME FORGOT

ORWELL & THE TIMES AT MOTIHARI

UNDERNEATH ORWELL'S CHESTNUT TREE

ORWELL WALKED WILLINGDON DOWNS

ORWELL'S WALLINGTON ROYAL MAIL DELIVERY

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING CATALONIA

ORWELL'S 1984 LONDON LOCATIONS

ORWELL ARCH-ENEMY OF MARX

ONE GEORGIE ORWELL RAVE REVIEWS

SIGNED COPY OF 1984 ANYONE?

ORWELL BROTHER-IN-LAW DIED AT DUNKIRK

ONE GEORGIE ORWELL LONDON MUSICAL

CHEERS TO ORWELL'S PINT

WINSTON'S DIARY IS ORWELL'S BOOK

ESCAPE TO ORWELL'S BARNHILL

ORWELL MOTIHARI BIRTHPLACE MILLIONAIRE

KITE'S EYE VIEW OF ORWELL'S BARNHILL

POSTCARD FROM ORWELL'S JURA

watch WHAT IS TWITTER?

TWITTER IS ORWELLIAN NEWSPEAK

listen JACKIE JURA INTERVIEW ALL ABOUT ORWELL

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING COMING UP

1984 CHERISHED BOOK COVERS

ORWELL'S PAL PAUL POTTS

THANK GOD WE DO HAVE ORWELL

DUGGIE & ARAM IN ORWELL POEM

ORWELL HOMAGE-PILGRIMAGE APPRECIATION

ORWELL BIRTHPLACE NOT FORGOTTEN

ORWELL TODAY ETON POEM GENUINE

ORWELL'S ETON REPORT CARD

ORWELL MEMORIAL MISSING FACE

HAPPY ST GEORGE ORWELL DAY

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING ANIMAL FARM

1984 A LOVE STORY

DAILY ORWELL 1984 READINGS

ORWELL BIT APPLE 1984 AD

ORWELL VS BIG BROTHER CASE

ORWELL LIVE AT GREENWICH

ORWELL TELESCREEN C-U MASCOTS

ORWELL COPYRIGHT COURT CASES

WHO CAN SPOT ORWELL AT ETON?

PRESTON HALL ORWELL ANIMAL FARM

ORWELL'S TB DOC O'SHAUGHNESSY

ORWELL COMMON FRIEND TRESSEL

ORWELL ETON POEM DISCOVERED

ORWELL ASPIDISTRA NOT GERANIUM

ORWELL WROTE TO THE FUTURE

CABARET COMING UP FOR ORWELL

ORWELL MOTIHARI MEMORIAL MATERIAL

ORWELL TODAY & TOMORROW

COMPLETE ORWELL COMPLETE WORKS

ORWELL STATUE IN MOTIHARI

ORWELL TODAY BIRTHDAY TYPING

BIRTH OF GEORGE ORWELL NAME

ORWELL'S ANIMAL FARM PREFACE

ORWELL BIRTHPLACE NO ANIMAL FARM

INDIA PROTECTS ORWELL BIRTHPLACE

WORKING FOR ORWELL & JFK

ORWELL LIKES A PINT

ANIMAL FARM DRAWINGS COLLECTION

ANIMAL FARM COMIC IN MAURITIUS

EVIDENCE WINSTON FIGHTING BB

ORWELL DIDN'T GIVE UP GHOST

NIT-PICKING ORWELL'S HOPELESS

1984 A GIFT FIT FOR A QUEEN

LONDON BANKER BEHIND BIHAR

READING WINSTON'S DIARY

WINSTON NEVER LOVED BIG BROTHER

COMPUTERS OUR 1984 TELESCREEN

WHY SO MANY 3s IN 1984?

ORWELL THE HAPPY VICAR

ORWELL RIFLE QUOTE BOOK

ANGEL ORWELL NEIGHBOUR POWELL

ORWELL LAST MAN IN EUROPE

ORWELL'S RIFLE ON WALL

ORWELL'S PUNISHING SCHOOL DAYS

COMING UP ON UK STAGE

BIT BY ORWELL BUG

1984 A HOPELESS ENDING?

ORWELL STATUE & SONG

ORWELL THE FAMILY MAN

VISITING ORWELL'S BIRTHPLACE

RFK ON MLK ON APRIL 4

MORE APRIL 4 DIARIES

ORWELL DIARY APRIL 4TH

ORWELL TRIBUTE SONG

ORWELL ANGEL POWELL WALKS

WINSTON HID HIS HATE

ORWELL & THE ANARCHISTS

1984 VICTORY GIN FILMS

ORWELL'S IDEAL PUB

SLEEPING IN ROOM 101

WINSTON SMITH NOW WONG

ORWELL OUTSIDE THE BOX

ORWELL 2 + 2 = 1984 EXPOSURE

HITCHENS NOT LIKE ORWELL

ORWELL NOT COMMIE, DUH

TEMPTED TO VISIT ORWELL

WHY NO ORWELL BOOK SET?

ORWELL JURA WINNER A LOSER

EUREKA ORWELL'S MOTORCYCLE!

ORWELL'S BARNHILL VISITORS

GOOD PHOTOS OF ORWELL

A DAY IN ORWELL TODAY

ORWELL'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

DOWN & OUT ON RADIO

DAVID NIVEN AS WINSTON SMTIH

1949 RADIO PLAY OF 1984

ORWELL COINED "COLD WAR"

WHAT ORWELL IS FOR ME

ORWELL ON & IN LATIN

MEETING ORWELL THROUGH BOOKS

ORWELL TYPING MANUALLY

ORWELL PROPHECY FULFILLED

HAY-ON-WYE NOT HEREFORD

ORWELL NOT SEXUALLY LIBERAL

ORWELL & LENIN DIED & HISS JAILED

NEWSPEAK ENGLISH IN CAPTIVITY

FINDING ORWELL IN BURMA

JFK WIT & ORWELL SONG

ESSENCE OF WE & 1984

ANIMAL FARM 1954 MOVIE GOOD

DIANA SAINT MARTIN'S BELLE

ORWELL MOTORCYCLE MEMORIES

ANIMAL FARM 1954 MOVIE

ORWELL'S FIRST WIFE'S GRAVE

ORWELL'S MOTIHARI NEIGHBOUR

PETER PICS ORWELL'S WHIRLPO0L

ORWELL FOR NONE & ALL

ORWELL ROLLS AT ORWELL ROLLS

HOW ORWELL NAMED "1984"

ORWELL NOT A FABIAN

CHESTNUT TREE & DIARY SYMBOLISM

PLAYING ORWELL THE MAN

DESTROY LANGUAGE, DESTROY REBELLION

WHAT WAS ORWELL'S SONIA LIKE?

ETON COLLEGERS REMEMBER ORWELL

JOHN WINSTON LENNON SMITH

ORWELL'S TRIBUNE WAR WRITINGS

ORWELL SVENGALIAN ANTI-SEMITISM

ORWELLAN ANTI-SEMITISM

ORWELL VIEWS ON JEWS?

MAJOR'S SPEECH IN ORWELL SPEAK

WHAT DOES INGSOC MEAN?

ORWELL ON TROTSKY ON STALIN

IGNORANCE STRENGTH FREEDOM SLAVERY

EASTENDERS "1984" EPISODE

ORWELL OUTS THE SCHEMERS

ORIGIN OF ORWELL TODAY LOGO

ORWELL SPEAKS THRU MAJOR

TAXMEN ROBBED ORWELL

CHICKEN RUN & ANTZ BEAT 1984

THE PROLES ARE HOPELESS

GEORGE ORWELL'S PEN NAME

ORWELL & HARRY AT ETON

ORWELL TRULY A GLOBAL FIGURE

ORWELL GREATEST ETONIAN OF ALL

WHO'S THE GREATEST OLD ETONIAN?

ORWELL'S TYPEWRITER A REMINGTON

ORWELL'S TYPEWRITER MY GRANDFATHER'S

ORWELL EXPLAINS DUCKSPEAK

ORWELL MUSEUM A HAPPENING

O'BRIEN'S A BIG BROTHER HOOD

O'BRIEN A MEMBER OF BROTHERHOOD?

ORWELL ANTI-LEFT & RIGHT

ORWELL & TRESSELL ASPIDISTRAS

ORWELL'S LANGFORD COURT FLAT

WINSTON HATES BIG BROTHER

WINSTON EXISTED, STILL EXISTS

ORWELL 1984 FLAT FOR SALE

ORWELL MOTIHARI MUSEUM PROGRESS

STASI GERMANY ROOM 101

SAINT GEORGE ORWELL IN TREES

ORWELL INTERVIEWS JONATHAN SWIFT

WE NEED NEW ORWELLS

1984 ON RADIO & BOOK-TAPE

INDIVIDUAL A THREAT TO THE PARTY

ORWELL'S CUFA ON STAGE

KITCHENER'S FACE BIG BROTHER

IGNORANCE = FREEDOM LOST

ORWELL REVIEWS ZAMYATIN'S "WE"

ORWELL DEFINITIVE OBITUARY

ORWELL & THE NEW STATESMAN

COAL SCRAMBLING IN WIGAN

PENNSYLVANIA COAL IS WIGAN PIER

ORWELL ON METRIC CONVERSION

ORWELL RESISTS NU SPELING

COMMUNIST CAPITALIST ORWELL MOVIES

ORWELL SAW GOD IN MAN

JURA MEANS JUSTICE

BOBBY FISCHER A WINSTON SMITH

OF ALL HORRORS - A RAT!

ORWELL'S INEZ WROTE NEWSPEAK

WHY O'BRIEN WATCHED WINSTON

RECOMMENDED READING ON ORWELL

DUCKSPEAKING DOUBLETHINKERS

ORWELL A WRITER WRONGED

ANIMAL FARM A BAD MOVIE

ORWELL TODAY ON WAR

ORWELL WIFE EILEEN GRAVE

BLUE EYED ORWELL

BEYOND ARMCHAIR ANALYSIS

GENESIS OF COMING UP FOR AIR

ORWELL DESCRIBED INTERNET

ORWELL'S PROLES

ORWELL'S VOICE & BLUE EYES

THE SPIRIT OF MAN

1984 A BAD MOVIE

MY ORWELL CONVERSION

WINSTON'S JULIA'S FATE

ANTI-METRIC MARTYRS

INDIA, ORWELL, JFK & CHINA

SHRINE TO ORWELL

ORIGINS OF ROOM 101

BIG BROTHER BUGGERS

WAS WINSTON SMITH GERALD SMITH?

SPAIN REMEMBERS ORWELL'S CENTENNIAL

ORWELL'S LESSONS

HUXLEY & ORWELL POINTS OF VIEW

AN ORWELLIAN PURGE

GOLDSTEIN IS NOT TROTSKY

WHO CONTROLS WINSTON'S MIND?

I STAND WITH ORWELL

WINSTON DIES INSIDE

WHO IS EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN?

WINSTON & JULIA

ORWELL WOULD BE PROUD!

CLARIFYING BIG BROTHER

DOUBLESPEAK IS NEWSPEAK DOUBLETHINK

ORWELL VISION STILL ALIVE IN 2003

ORWELL'S "CRYPTO-COMMIE" LIST

ORWELL'S PUBLISHING PROBLEMS

ORWELLIAN FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

ORWELL'S UTOPIA DEMOCRATIC SOCIALSIM

ORWELL WAS ARMED

ORWELL AGAINST ABORTION

GEORGE BUSH CHANNELS GEORGE ORWELL

HAPPY NEW YEAR: IT'S 1984

TERROR BILL IS TERROR

ORWELLIAN CORPORATE COMMUNISM