George Orwell
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hi there. i'm doing a talk in class about the moral dilema "in the fight against evil do the ends ever justify the means?"
i have to somehow tie this into homage to catalonia... any ideas?
>>By matt_uk (Saturday, 25 Jan 2003 12:57)
Hey, Animal Farm is a cool book. I'm reading it for English class with a couple of other kids.
>>By Izabelle (Thursday, 6 Feb 2003 03:13)
George Orwell was one of those writers who could criticise in the most subtle and creative ways.
Reading 1984 was one of the best fun I've ever had sitting down, and, along with Hemingway, he is what inspired me to write.
>>By Menios Constantinou (Sunday, 23 Feb 2003 11:32)
Seems like it has become part of our everyday life..
>>By Julle (Wednesday, 19 Mar 2003 21:51)
1984 that is..
>>By Julle (Wednesday, 19 Mar 2003 21:52)
Hi
I've been a self-confessed Orwell nut since I was 15!
At the moment I'm privileged to be teaching a course on the great man in this his centenary year.
IIf anyone out there would like to talk Orwell with me, please contact me at:
mckingis@hotmail.com
>>By Michael (Friday, 2 May 2003 23:00)
Question for Matt who wrote in on 25 JAN 03 about in the fight against evil moral dilemna with regards to homage to catalonia?
''hi there. i'm doing a talk in class about the moral dilema "in the fight against evil do the ends ever justify the means?"
i have to somehow tie this into homage to catalonia... any ideas?
>>By matt_uk (Saturday, 25 Jan 2003 12:57)''
I have to do exactly the same talk tomorrow and was wondering if you had any response or ideas on the mattter? if so please email me on jag17@le.ac.uk would be appreciated.
>>By gili (Wednesday, 19 Nov 2003 15:30)
I read "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" in about 1966 when I was about 15, all I remember is it made me really depressed, can recent readers tell me why?
>>By flamencoprof (Monday, 24 Nov 2003 09:35)
I've read "1984" when I was 17/18 years old.
After that book I've read "Animal Farm". Liked this one better.
"1984" :I didn't get depressed,but I didn't became a fan.
I've never read " Keep the Aspisdistra Flying".
I suppose that Orwell has a very depressing point of view of socity,
but maybee I need to read him again.Maybee one of this days....
>>By theodoramaffat (Monday, 24 Nov 2003 10:58)
My favourite book is "Coming Up For Air"
>>By turkeytop (Tuesday, 20 Jan 2004 01:18)
Orwell's own name is synonymous with "row" well; he urged us to pull together to achieve greater clarity in English writing. His classic essay "Politics and the English Language" is still taught at most universities. I, myself, teach it at the high school level, and it serves me well alongside "1984" as an admonition against the dangers of Newspeak... jargon laden language infiltrates our English every day... we need only look at the most recent fiasco involving Janet Jackson and the sudden use of the term "wardrobe malfunction"! Bodice clutchers beware, the bad boys are back--Justin Timberlake has ushered in a new age! Orwell would have had a wry grimace at these shenanigans.
>>By cerebrator (Monday, 16 Feb 2004 10:57)
My only Orwell book was "Homage to Catalunya". It certainly gave me another aspect of the civil war. A little heavier than the goings on of Laurie Lee. Perhaps more political and wordier. I gave myself a pat on the back for finishing it.
>>By hiflydi (Monday, 16 Feb 2004 19:09)
I am in my early/mid teens and finished reading 1984 a week ago.
My english teacher was talking about projections and he mentioned the book so I borrowed it off him.
1984 made me feel a bit depressed, because it was sad to see that in the end, the protagonist became like the rest of Oceania.
It was a fantastic read, more challenging than anything else I've read, and so I enjoyed it heaps.
Newspeak would mean the end of me, cos I wouldn't bear saying things like nondoubleplusgood.
Frankly, I'd prefer to be one of the richer plebs, not a member of the party.
>>By just_slightly_insane (Monday, 12 Apr 2004 08:43)
I found George Orwells "masterpiece" to be, at times, bland. The narrative had no "va va voom". The storyline, was that of a genius, and at times I did feel myself slipping into the rebellious Winstons mind, however for a great part of the novel, i found myself reading with no enthusiasm and character. I'm sorry to say, I didn't feel 1984 received fair judgement. As it was a unique plot, created by a fantastic mind, i feel it received biased reviews. Sorry fans.
>>By Eat_the_Rich (Monday, 12 Apr 2004 15:23)
Oh, by plebs I meant prole...just a little confused with another book.
My english teacher let my friend and I raid the book store room, and I got Animal Farm.
I don't think the ends justify the means. The critiscism of Communism is very obvious. The animals' goal was to have a farm that worked solely for the animals. In the end the pigs became just as bad as humans themselves, if not worse.
"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." That is such a stupid commandment.
The book shows that even though all might start out with one vision, eventually the ones who rule will become bigheaded and betray that vision.
>>By just_slightly_insane (Saturday, 8 May 2004 07:42)
1984 is a masterpiece of science-fiction, political-philosophy book, and a great piece os psichological fear too. I recommend it to all fans of good literature.
>>By Meliadus (Sunday, 9 May 2004 14:13)
This is Big Brother, could Winston Smith please come to the dairy room
>>By Talvez (Saturday, 17 Jul 2004 12:16)
If you liked 1984, then i strongly recommend "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. It is another dystopian novel except in comparison to the bleakness of 1984, it offers a more vivid portrayal of an individual struggling against oppressors. Flashbacks have more character and dialogue, you do not feel as isolated as Winston Smith since the "Commander" in this novel (equivalent of O'Brien) provides much more missing information, and this society (Gilead) is ironically based on religious values rather than socialism.
I read both together for my coursework and really enjoued both. As contextual aid with either of these writers, i would sugges:
“Brave New World” – Aldous Huxley
“The Island of Dr Moreau” – Herbert George Wells
“Animal Farm” – George Orwell
“Collected Essays” – George Orwell
“Bodily Harm” – Margaret Atwood
“Versions of History” – Mark Evans
“Brutal Choreographies” – J. Bouson
“Women Writers – Margaret Atwood” – B. Rigney
George Orwell: A Life” – Bernard Crick
“Orwell and the shooting-stick: sex, sadism and biography” – Richard Webster
Enjoy!
>>By mathu (Tuesday, 3 Aug 2004 12:00)
1984 is so very very clever. I loved it...the third part especially brings the whole book together and more importantly the political essay in the middle of the book - genius. Absolute genius. I found the idea of Newspeak so unbelievable chilling, its a unique idea that i'd never really thought of before - its the ultimate control, reducing your range of thought by reducing your range of language so that you are simply UNABLE to think freely - there would be no words to express any thought that isnt approved by the party. Its frightening.
I also thought 'doublethink' was genius as well. And we practice it in every day life. How often does the government claim to reduce crime, unemployment etc by statistics and how many people actually believe that without a second thought. Yet, its not true - crime is NEVER reduced, it almost always rises...spin is 'doublethink', we just, like the characters in 1984, don't think about it. The goverment only fiddles figures to make it seem like crime or unemployment etc is reduced, and we all drink it in. Frightening.
Orwell was a genius.
>>By sileas451 (Tuesday, 8 Feb 2005 20:22)
i read animal farm it is great garbage at best i will not be wasting my time reading any more of his works
>>By MetalBladeRecords (Monday, 14 Feb 2005 20:03)
A fabulous writer. Well crafted work which offers insight into society today. I think his works are an easy way into understanding some of the problems with capitalism and offers a clear picture of the human condition in the current political and economic climate.
>>By Jo_Pink (Thursday, 3 Mar 2005 23:41)
Im a fan.
It always amazes me that this author was able to write about "the future" in 1976, in such a way as it reflects real time. Read it again and you realise that this is not old-fashioned nonsense, but that it is actually applicable in every day life. Thats a good writer. And more importantly - thats a timeless book.
Well done to George!
>>By Honey Bunny (Friday, 16 Jun 2006 11:34)
What was I saying??? I meant 1949....
I was probably on something when I wrote that.
>>By Honey Bunny (Wednesday, 21 Jun 2006 23:11)
Are you sure you don´t mean "1984"...?
=(
>>By mathu (Wednesday, 28 Jun 2006 03:51)
AHHHHH I get it now - 1949, as in when he wrote the book.
Sorry! *gets off high horse*
>>By mathu (Wednesday, 28 Jun 2006 03:53)
I loved Animal Farm, metalbladerecords can go home and stop staring at everyone. I enjoyed 1984 alot too, although I was maybe too young to appreciate it properly.
>>By Flagg (Wednesday, 28 Jun 2006 19:50)
There was a animated cartoon film of "Animal Farm" doing the rounds in the mid 1950's. It focused on the anti-Communist aspects of the book, and had a happy ending - Mr Orwell would have been spinning in his casket. Although Orwell was anti-Communist, he was a Socialist but had very little faith in the Working Class creating the imputus for Social Revolution (see "The Road to Wigan Pier"). We're 50 years on, and I still see his point only too well. But that's not to say that we are all doomed just yet.
>>By nouveau_prole (Saturday, 1 Jul 2006 17:05)
You wouldn't know where to find that film, would you? Is it on any torrent sites?
>>By Just Jon (Friday, 7 Jul 2006 19:19)
I loved both 1984 and Animal Farm.
>>By raspberry_juice (Thursday, 13 Jul 2006 05:00)
a paradox as in a realistic dreamer or a dreamy realist.
what a poet
>>By sutcliffe (Saturday, 5 Aug 2006 11:57)
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