George Orwell

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[[File:GeoreOrwell.jpg|right|thumb|165px|Not watching you.]]
[[File:1984-Big-Brother.jpg|right|thumb|165px|Keep calm and carry on?]]
{{UKpolitics}}
{{cquote|Every line of serious work that I have written since [[Spanish Civil War|1936]] has been written, directly or indirectly, ''against'' [[totalitarianism]] and ''for'' [[democratic Socialism]], as I understand it.|||"Why I Write" (1946)<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Why_I_Write/0.html George-Orwell - Why I Write] ''george-orwell.org''</ref>}}
'''Eric Arthur Blair''', better known by the [[pseudonym]] '''George Orwell''', {{lived|1903|1950}} was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[journalist]], [[political]] campaigner and author who is best remembered now for his two anti-[[authoritarian]] works&nbsp;— ''[[Animal Farm]]'' (1945) and ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'' (1949), helped along by the fact that these have become mainstays for school reading lists in the Anglosphere. Thus, lines like 'Big Brother is watching you' from ''1984''<ref name=Nineteen>''1984'' by George Orwell (1961 [1949]) Signet. ISBN 9780451524935.</ref> and 'Some animals are more equal than others' from ''Animal Farm''<ref name=AF>''Animal Farm'' by George Orwell (2021 [1945]) MacMillan Collector's Library. ISBN 9780008322052.}</ref> have entered the English lexicon. As such, Orwell has become one of those figures, like [[Adam Smith]] and [[Ronald Reagan]], whom people invoke when they want to [[Argumentum ad populum|win an argument without any effort]].

He is also remembered as an essayist on politics,<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/James_Burnham_and_the_Managerial_Revolution/0.html George Orwell - James Burnham and the Managerial Revolution] ''george-orwell.org''</ref> [[sociology]],<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Boys'_Weeklies_and_Frank_Richards's_Reply/0.html George Orwell - Boys' Weeklies and Frank Richards's Reply] ''george-orwell.org''</ref> and [[literature]].<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Charles_Dickens/0.html George Orwell - Charles Dickens] ''george-orwell.org''</ref> His 'I tell it as I see it' journalism/memoir style is most obvious in ''Down and Out in Paris and London'' (1933) and made him one of the grandfathers of both pop-culture sociology and 'Gonzo Journalism'&nbsp;— influencing people such as [[Louis Theroux]] and [[Hunter S. Thompson]].<ref>[https://www.popmatters.com/hunter-s-thompson-george-orwell How George Orwell Inspired Hunter S. Thompson's Gonzo Journalism] by David S. Wills (10 November 2021) ''PopMatters''.</ref>

==Politics==
It might be that this 'small reference pool' which leads some [[conservatives]] to try to claim Orwell as 'one of their own';<ref>[http://harpers.org/archive/1983/01/if-orwell-were-alive-today/ If Orwell were alive today] by Norman Podhoretz (January 1983) ''Harper's Magazine''.</ref><ref>[http://www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard32.html George Orwell and the Cold War: A Reconsideration] by Murray N. Rothbard, ''LewRockwell.com''.</ref>{{efn|Mainly by noting 'Orwell, the anti-Communist'.}} but this simply ignores all the other 'Orwells'&nbsp;— the anti-[[imperialist]],<ref>[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/shooting-an-elephant/ Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell] by George Orwell (originally published in 1936) ''The Orwell Foundation''.</ref>{{efn|At a time where the possession of colonies was still widely viewed as 'acceptable'/'necessary' by whites.}} the anti-[[poverty]] agitator,<ref>[https://prospect.org/culture/orwell-s-poor/ Orwell's Poor and Ours] by Robert Lieberman (19 November 2001) ''The American Prospect''.</ref> the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POUM POUM] militiaman fighting against [[Fascism|fascist]] General [[Franco]] in the [[Spanish Civil War]],<ref>[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/looking-back-on-the-spanish-war/ Looking Back on the Spanish War] by George Orwell (originally published in 1943) ''The Orwell Foundation''.</ref>{{efn|At a time where much of the British conservative press, establishment and business community were very sympathetic to Franco.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/sep/30/francos-friends-peter-day-review Franco's Friends by Peter Day — review: A compelling account of Franco's British backers] by Francis Beckett (30 Sep 2011 17.55 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref><ref>''Franco's Friends: How British Intelligence Helped Bring Franco to Power in Spain'' by Peter Day (2011) Biteback Publishing. ISBN 9781849540988.</ref>}} the member of the Independent Labour Party,<ref>[https://www.marxists.org/archive/orwell/1938/why-ilp.htm Why I join the I.L.P.] by George Orwell (24 June 1938) ''New Leader'' via ''Marxists Internet Archive''.</ref> editor at the [[left-wing]] ''Tribune'' magazine<ref>[https://orwell.ru/library/articles/As_I_Please/english/ As I Please: George Orwell] ''orwell.ru''</ref><ref>[https://tribunemag.co.uk/about About] ''Tribune''.</ref> or the trenchant critic of [[capitalism]].<ref>[https://orwellsociety.com/the-dirtiest-ramp-of-modern-capitalism/ “The Dirtiest Ramp of Modern Capitalism”] by Richard Lance Keeble (14<sup>th</sup> April 2020) ''The Orwell Society''.</ref> The truth is simple enough; that while Orwell never toed any 'party line' he was consciously an advocate of [[democratic socialism]] by 1936{{efn|As the quote from the top states}} and was generally supportive of the Attlee [[Labour Party|Labour]] Government{{efn|The Attlee government was perhaps the most revolutionary in British history.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/mar/14/past.education 1945-51: Labour and the creation of the welfare state] by Derek Brown (14 Mar 2001 10.30 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref>}} after the [[Second World War]]. And as Orwell was a person who wrote many articles and essays on political subjects, he said these things outright.

Some cleverer advocates side-step this by stating that Orwell was a ''social'' conservative and conventionally 'bohemian'; that like his character 'Ravelston' in ''Keep The Aspidistra Flying'' (1936),<ref name=aspidistra>[https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.475736/page/n5/mode/2up ''Keep The Aspidistra Flying'' by George Orwell (1954 [1936]) Secker and Warburg.</ref> Orwell might show his disdain for 'convention' by turning up to parties and events in shabby tweed and minus a hat,{{efn|Both serious social faux pas at the time.}} but he was merely showing his disdain in a conventional manner&nbsp;— a modern parallel could be of an male office worker deliberately snubbing the traditional 'suit/tie/brogues' uniform and doing 'chinos/turtleneck/loafers' instead. In that he was 'conservative where it counted'; he was conventionally married, held traditional views on women's roles, desired children etc. Others go even further; calling him a 'Tory by temperament', based on the shaky argument (that Orwell himself noted) that it's assumed that any person who has an appreciation for tradition, a fondness for 'the past' and rural pursuits, a sense of aesthetic taste, finding value in '[[cultural Christianity]]'<ref>[https://covenant.livingchurch.org/2023/05/31/george-orwell-closet-anglican/ George Orwell: Closet Anglican?] by David Goodhew (31 May 2023) ''Covenant''.</ref> or being [[patriotic]] would be instantly at odds with being a supporter of socialism. After all, what other situations would one find a British Conservative [[John Major|Prime Minister]] referencing Orwell in a speech?<ref>[https://johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1993/04/22/mr-majors-speech-to-conservative-group-for-europe-22-april-1993/ Mr Major’s Speech to Conservative Group for Europe – 22 April 1993] by John Major (April 22, 1993) ''John Major Archive''.</ref>

More convincingly, Orwell's works are littered with examples of dislike or even outright hostility to then-fashionable causes with the progressive left; latter chapters of ''The Road To Wigan Pier'' (1937)<ref>''The Road To Wigan Pier'' by George Orwell (1937) Victor Gollancz.</ref> has him complaining about the '[[crank magnetism]]' in left-wing parties&nbsp;— and his list is both large and now somewhat dated, including (but not limited to) [[vegetarian]]s, [[Teetotalism|teetotalers]], [[feminists]], [[yoga]] practitioners, [[sex-positivity]] advocates, proponents of [[alternative medicine]] and similar.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/timreuter/2018/05/24/why-socialists-are-despised-as-explained-by-george-orwell/ Why Socialists Are Despised, As Explained By George Orwell] by Tim Reuter (24 May 2018) ''Forbes''.</ref><ref>[https://www.george-orwell.org/The_Road_to_Wigan_Pier/10.html ''The Road to Wigan Pier'':  Chapter 11] ''The Complete Works of George-Orwell''.</ref> It doesn't take the most active imagination to visualise an Orwell today sneering against '[[transgender]] fanatics', 'militant vegans' or 'creeping Jesus [[social justice]] campaigners'&nbsp;— right up to the point that one recalls that he was a staunch anti-imperialist and a 'fair in his day' anti-racist; two of the most proto-[[woke]] causes of his era. Which is perhaps the most important thing to remember; Orwell was a man born and raised in an England before and during the [[First World War]]; a land where [[women's suffrage]] has not yet been won, [[eugenics]] and [[scientific racism]] was mainstream, [[colonialism]] was held to be a beneficial setup for the 'natives', rigid social [[class]] was believed to be 'natural' and a strong sexual prudishness was '[[Christian]]'. An inhabitant forged in that most alien of lands&nbsp;— the past.

==Works==
In a creative lifespan of eighteen years (1931-1949), Orwell produced six novels, three non-fiction books, ''at least'' fifty 'standalone' essays,<ref name=fifty>[https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0300011h.html Fifty Orwell Essays] ''Project Gutenberg Australia''.</ref>{{efn|That is, not excerpts/deleted sections/book addendums etc.}} over a hundred pieces of 'serious' journalism (such as his {{wpl|London Letters}} and {{wpl|As I Please||,}} several hundred shorter pieces (such as book reviews), and an unknown number of radio scripts for the [[BBC]] Eastern Service during the Second World War.<ref>[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/articles/george-orwell-at-the-bbc-a-reflection/ George Orwell at the BBC: A Reflection] ''The Orwell Foundation''.</ref> Works [[:RationalWiki:Mission|missional to RationalWiki]] are described below.

===''Down and Out in Paris and London'' (1933)===
{{cquote|It is curious how people take it for granted that they have a right to [[Evangelism|preach at you]] and [[pray]] over you as soon as your income falls below a certain level.|||''Down and Out in Paris and London''<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Down_and_Out_in_Paris_and_London/32.html ''Down and Out in Paris and London'': Chapter 33] ''The Complete Works of George Orwell.</ref>}}
Orwell's first major work focused on poverty; as experienced in the two named cities — at this point the capitals of the third-largest and largest empires in the world<ref group=note>The second-largest being the [[Soviet Union]].</ref>. A mix of memoir, anecdote, travelogue, psycho-sociological musings and exposé; covering both the 'Down' (the lives of the wage-slave on the margins of society) and 'Out' (the existences of the truly destitute, such as the homeless). While generally believed to be a ''true'' account, there is debate to how ''accurate'' the account is, from the ordering of the events to the existence of the characters. Orwell himself admitted later in ''The Road to Wigan Pier'' that 'nearly all the incidents described there actually happened, though they have been re-arranged' and in the French introduction that the individual characters within were 'intended more as representative types'&nbsp;— leading to the inference that they did not in fact exist as persons, or at least were composite characters.

===''The Road to Wigan Pier'' (1937)===
[[File:The Road to Wigan Pier.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Front cover of a later edition of the book]]
{{cquote|It is only when you meet someone of a different culture from yourself that you begin to realise what your own beliefs really are.|||''The Road to Wigan Pier''<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/The_Road_to_Wigan_Pier/9.html ''The Road to Wigan Pier'': Chapter 10] ''The Complete Works of George Orwell''.</ref>}}
Orwell reprises his role as an chronicler of poverty at the behest of his publisher; this time of the [[working-class]] in the North of England (at this point suffering from severe unemployment due to the [[Great Depression]]). This time, he was more systematic; the first part of this book is a fairly straight sociological study (mainly based on participant observation and in-depth interviews) with the occasional bit of secondary evidence thrown in (such as newspaper reports) while the second part is more akin to a series of tangentially-connected essays (including but not limited to) 'supplementary material' for ''Down and Out'', autobiographical sketches, the mismatch between 'societal value' and 'pay/conditions' for many key workers,<ref group=note>In Orwell's example, coal miners.</ref> the obsession of the Communists worshipping the [[Soviet Union]]<ref group=note>As [[Stalinism]] was coming into full force.</ref> and left-wing movements having a tendency to contain too many middle-class '[[crank|cranks]]' and to be obsessed with [[Technocracy|technocratic]] solutions and [[dialectical materialism]] in particular. The numbers of 'pissed off' people included the very instigator of the work, who ended up shoving in a 'dissociation' forward which he questioned the second part and later on, re-printed ''Wigan'' minus it entirely.

===The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius (1941)===
{{cquote|England is the most class-ridden country under the sun. It is a land of snobbery and privilege, ruled by largely the old and silly.|||''The Lion and the Unicorn''<ref name=fifty />}}
Standing at 23,000 words, it is either the longest essay Orwell wrote, a series of three related essays ''or'' a short work of nonfiction which continues some of the themes he earlier touched on in ''Wigan'' as well his thoughts on the ongoing [[Second World War]]. Amongst other things, it is the clearest 'Orwell Manifesto' he produced (a kind of 'democratic socialism with British characteristics'), along with a indictment of both British ruling class ''and'' people for not spotting the threat of fascism until it was very ''nearly'' too late and that the whole [[British Empire]] had stagnated for a decade due to political inertia, complacency and incompetence.

Perhaps backing up his main claim that 'England will always be England' is his bio-socio-psychological sketch of 'the English' themselves; tendencies which can be spotted in the modern English themselves during events such as the whole [[Brexit]] fiasco, which makes it more of simple historical interest (it was from this work that John Major quoted from in 1993).<ref>[http://www.johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1990-1997/mr-majors-speech-to-conservative-group-for-europe-22-april-1993/ Mr Major’s Speech to Conservative Group for Europe – 22 April 1993]. John Major Archive.</ref>

===Notes on Nationalism (1945)===
{{main|Nationalism}}
{{cquote|All nationalists have the power of not seeing resemblances between similar sets of facts… Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits, but according to who does them.|||''Notes on Nationalism''<ref>[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/notes-on-nationalism/ Notes On Nationalism], Orwell Foundation.</ref>}}
At the other end of this brutal war, and with the horrors of [[The Holocaust]] now visible to all Orwell returns to the topic of patriotism - or more correctly, the unthinking, patently partisan variant (which he terms 'nationalism') which ignores scientific facts, logical arguments or simple common sense to produce a warped vision of reality. In a world of [[fake news]], [[identity politics]] and '[[Appeal to emotion|feels over facts]]', this is more relevant than ever - even more so than you'd think, as Orwell also talks about 'transferred nationalism' which fits perfectly groups like the [[Religious Right]] and [[MAGA]]. These tendencies were put more succinctly by professional 'gob on a stick' {{wpl|James O'Brien (broadcaster)|James O'Brian}} as 'the footballification of politics', in which the only thing which matters is 'winning' or 'losing',<ref>{{a|https://twitter.com/mrjamesob/status/1142684304742453248|James O'Brien on X}} 23 June 2019</ref> which explains the more stupid end of the '{{wpl|owning the libs||!}}' mentality which involves the torching of stuff which hurts target, perpetrator ''and'' bystanders indiscriminately.

===''Animal Farm'' (1945)===
{{main|Animal Farm}}
[[File:Pigs,_Perivale.jpg|thumb|right|220px|All pigs are [[Stalinism|Stalinist]], but some pigs are more Stalinist than others...]]
{{cquote|The creatures outside looked from [[pig]] to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.|||''Animal Farm''<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Animal_Farm/9.html Animal Farm], chapter 10.</ref>}}
Having experienced both informal [[censorship]] and a general disinclination of the wider public to read outright political tracts with his ''Homage To Catalonia'' (on the [[Spanish Civil War]]) a decade previous, Orwell decided to 'spill the beans' on the history of the [[Russian Revolution]] and the rise of [[Joseph Stalin]] by using the 'beast tale' format (used by {{wpl|Aesop's fables}}) and writing it as a satire to effectively smuggle in political debates under the nose of the readers (used by {{wpl|Gulliver's Travels||).}} Half a million English-language copies printed in four years, enough white fivers<ref group=note>A £5 note, a middle-class weekly wage in 1945</ref> to allow Orwell to retire from 'hack work' ''and'' making him a household name rather proved his experiment was a success.

===Politics and the English Language (1946)===
{{cquote|The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.|||''Politics and the English Language''<ref>[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/politics-and-the-english-language/ Politics and the English Language] ''The Orwell Foundation''</ref>}}

Perhaps the most preachy of Orwell's essays; in which he criticised (then) current political writing for their 'pretentious' use of [[jargon]] and foreign terms to infer greater weight, a lazy resorting to clichés and stale metaphors to slap together content quickly, the addition of 'meaningless words' to bamboozle the reader and lastly, the habitual hiding behind [[Euphemism|euphemisms]] to avoid being truthful. He also notes that this has spread into other realms of human life; for example he states that 'in literary criticism it is normal to come across long passages which are almost completely lacking in meaning'. In this current world, anyone who has experience of government, academia or business knows that these flaws are more prevalent than ever – from turgid academics to buzzword laden business leaders, via the [[Dogwhistling|dogwhistling]] politician or unintelligible encyclopedia entry. 

His theory as to the ''why'' such things have arisen are threefold; that while some people have deliberately used this style in an attempt to deceive the audience (or at least allow them some 'plausible deniability' by for example, claiming to have taken the [[Code word|code]] at face value) others have adopted this style because they believe (or have been taught) that this is the 'correct' manner to communicate – for example, in academia.<ref>[https://davidlabaree.blog/2021/07/08/pinker-why-academics-stink-at-writing/ Pinker — Why Academics Stink at Writing] ''David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing'' 8 July 2021</ref> His last option is the most simple; that a lot of it is mere filler, used to disguise the fact they have nothing to say at all (or worse, they are ''unaware'' of the fact they have nothing to say).

Part of his remedy – his 'Six Rules' for writing – are still cited today to help the production of clear, concise writing,<ref>[https://www.openculture.com/2016/05/george-orwells-six-rules-for-writing-clear-and-tight-prose.html George Orwell’s Six Rules for Writing Clear and Tight Prose] (20 May 2016) ''Open Culture''.</ref> which is something much more vital in a world of social media.

===''Nineteen Eighty-Four'' (1949)===
[[File:Future.gif|thumb|right|165px|The future…]]
{{main|Nineteen Eighty-Four}}
{{cquote|If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.|||O'Brien, ''Nineteen Eighty-Four''<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/1984/19.html George-Orwell - 1984 - Part 3,Chapter 3] ''george-orwell.org''</ref>}}
''Nineteen-Eighty Four'' is a [[dystopian]] novel set in the year 1984.<ref group=note>Except the main character admits he's not sure of the date. This is one of the main 'running themes' of the work; Winston Smith is aware he doesn't really know for sure much at all, and the few things he ''is'' are psychologically assaulted later on.</ref> It was ''intended'' as a satire/cautionary tale of what a future totalitarian state<ref group=note>Implied to have arisen after a nuclear war in the 1950s.</ref> burdened by a unwinnable 'forever war'<ref group=note>Again, if the war is real, and not simply a ruse done by the Oceanian state to justify the poor living standards and to keep them under control.</ref> could look like, though the existence of [[North Korea]] shows Orwell was at least correct on the theoretical possibility of such a society arising/sustaining itself.<ref group=note>Which leads to the 'Oceania is a tiny hermit state comprising of Great Britain alone' fan-theory, as there is no reliable evidence within the novel that the described 'Oceania' — not to mention the book's other nations — actually existed beyond British shores.</ref>

The main character, 'Winston Smith' is a middle-class,<ref group=note>As in, a member of the Outer Party.</ref> middle-aged Everyman; who dislikes his life even though he lacks either 'points of reference' or an imagination that things ''could'' be different, attempting to retain his individuality and spirit against the monolithic 'Party' which demanded everything. One of the most famous novels of the last century and one which assured Orwell of immortality, even though the production of it undoubtedly drove him into an earlier grave (as he delayed getting treatment for his tuberculosis until he had finished it).<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/may/10/1984-george-orwell The masterpiece that killed George Orwell] ''The Guardian'' 10 May 2009</ref> The coiner of many a line, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime' and 'doublespeak' and leading the term 'Orwellian' becoming associated with authoritarianism ways of thought and in particular, totalitarian systems (though [[Isaac Asimov]] read it as being about Communism alone, apparently<ref>[http://www.newworker.org/ncptrory/1984.htm REVIEW OF 1984 By Isaac Asimov] ''The New Communist Party of Britain''</ref>).

==Criticism==
Despite (or because of) his importance to the left and democratic socialism Orwell has been accused of several things over the decades; assisted by the fact that being dead meant he could neither answer back or (even better) sue anyone for libel. Due to his popularity (and presence on Anglopshere school reading lists), it can also be fairly safely assumed that a lot of the wider public know at least of him, which means he's fair game for the production of evergreen 'filler content' which can kept in reserve for slow news days. Some of these accusations have merit, others don't; some ''do'' impinge on the relationship we have with Orwell the writer, others don't.

===Anti-Catholicism===
The Orwell before the Second World War was a fairly strident [[Anti-Catholicism|anti-Catholic]], and even afterwards still considered it a malign force (for example, in his ''Notes on Nationalism'' he lists it under 'tranferred loyalties'). He clearly considered the [[Catholic Church]] of the era to be generally 'opposed to modernity', noted its general 'anti-left' stance<ref>[https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/why-socialism-is-immoral Why Socialism Is Immoral] by Trent Horn (22 December 2019) ''Catholic Answers Magazine''.</ref> and more critically, noted its support for Franco in the Spanish Civil War<ref>[https://europeanacademyofreligionandsociety.com/news/an-unresolved-past-the-spanish-catholic-church-and-francos-regime/ An unresolved past – the Spanish Catholic Church and Franco’s regime] (21 January 2022) ''European Academy on Religion and Society''.</ref> and its 'accommodations' with both [[Benito Mussolini|Fascist Italy]] and [[Nazi Germany]]. However, his stance was mainly against the Catholic Church as an organisation, as well as the proponents of what he termed 'political Catholicism' which were often displaying variants of [[zeal of the convert]]<ref>[https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Orwell+and+Catholicism.-a0151379349 Orwell and Catholicism.] (22 June 2006) ''The Free Library''/</ref> rather than the everyday believer (which he positively described as "[often] insufficiently under the thumb of their priests").

===Antisemitism===
Accusations of [[antisemitism]] rest on the reading of Orwell's earliest works; mainly ''Down and Out in Paris and London''. These were mainly of a 'casual' nature; that if a negative character appears within who happens to be a [[Jew]] (or Orwell ''assumes'' to be), he shall mention it. More importantly, the much more virulent antisemitism said by a character ('Boris', the emigré White Russian officer) is not challenged, which gives the impression that Orwell (as the narrator) agreed or at least didn't disagree with the view. On the other hand, it needs to be also noted that there were at least two other disgusting characters within the work who ''could'' have ticked the negative Jewish tropes, but were not identified as such.

However, by the outbreak of the Second World War Orwell had at least expurgated his own comments, and by the end of it he was calling out the casual and habitual antisemitism in British society in an essay<ref>[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/antisemitism-in-britain/ Antisemitism In Britain] by George Orwell (April 1945) ''Contemporary Jewish Record'' via ''The Orwell Foundation''.</ref> and in his ''Tribune'' editorials. It could be said in the twelve years between ''Down and Out'' and 1945, Orwell became 'woke' to the issue.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/lets-talk/the-ever-present-antisemitism-of-george-orwell-mk2pu7e9 The ever-present antisemitism of George Orwell] by Ian Bloom (22 June 2023) ''The Jewish Chronicle''.</ref> This evolving didn't extend to [[Zionism]]; of which he apparently considered to simply be another form of [[colonialism]], tinged with a racial angle. In this current era, whether this counts as 'antisemitism' is strongly related to one's own political position rather than Orwell's.<ref>[https://www.thenation.com/article/world/antisemitism-zionism-nikki-haley/ For the People in the Back: Anti-Zionism Is Not Antisemitism] by Dave Zurin (31 October 2023) ''The Nation''.</ref>

===Factual accuracy===
Orwell had from the start been accused of inaccuracies, omissions and on occasion outright fabrications in his work. He 're-arranged' the story in ''Down and Out In Paris and London'' (giving the impression it was a solid series of events when in reality they were individual incidents) that he had 'shot the script' for ''The Road To Wigan Pier'' (looking for slums, unemployment and despair he clearly found it, ignoring those in decent employ or positive attributes of working-class life) and that he never 'shot an elephant' in [[Burma]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/18/did-george-orwell-shoot-an-elephant-his-1936-confession-and-what-it-might-mean Did George Orwell shoot an elephant? His 1936 'confession' – and what it might mean] by George Orwell, introduced by Gerry Abbott (18 March 2017) ''The Guardian''.</ref> Perhaps the worst offender was the essay 'Such, Such Were the Joys' (on his experiences at prep-school); which was judged 'too libellous' to print in Britain until 1968 and several contemporaries retorted that the narrative was somewhere between 'exaggerated' to 'complete pack of lies'<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/08/george-orwell-such-such-schooldays George Orwell's schooldays] by Sam Leith (8 February 2014) ''The Guardian''.</ref> to the point it caused Orwell's literary executor to fall out with Orwell's widow over its inclusion in his ''Collected Works''.

===Homophobia===
Less evolution occurred with his view on [[Homosexuality|homosexuals]]. Or perhaps ''nil'' evolution. Epithets such as 'nancy' and 'pansy' litter his writings and disparaging remarks towards 'effeminate behaviours' turn up enough to be noted; most obviously in his novel ''Keep the Aspidistra Flying''<ref name=aspidistra/>{{rp|19-20,22,24,26,43,96,185}} in which one scene is quite obviously a personal tirade against an effeminate, monied customer who he'd encountered when working in a bookshop. His disgust of 'situational homosexuality' (such as in prison) is also clear; describing an alleged approach in a Casual Ward<ref group=note>What we would now call a homeless shelter.</ref> as an assault and assuring us readers that 'it was common between tramps of long standing', or the surprise he had on meeting a fellow student of his prep school (expelled for early-teen sexual experimentation) and discovering he wasn't ashamed.<ref group=note>Though this could have meant 'shame for failing to get into a 'proper {{wpl|Public_school_(United_Kingdom)|Public School}}' due to being expelled', which was held to be the only way a boy could 'get on in life' at the school.</ref> Some have made the argument that Orwell was in fact in "[[Haggard's Law|closeted denial]]" towards something which in this period was still firmly illegal.<ref group=note>Though haphazardly enforced.</ref> — but [[Occam's Razor]] suggests that his homophobia was genuine.<ref>[https://orwellfoundation.substack.com/p/orwell-and-the-nancy-boys Orwell and the Nancy Boys] ''The Orwell Foundation - Substack'' 22 May 2023</ref>

===Misogyny===
{{main|Misogyny}}
This hatred of homosexuals didn't extend to lesbians, mainly on the basis that Orwell didn't appear to notice their existence. Nor any woman, really (at least not in a manner he would notice a man). It can be argued that most of his works are in a place of mild, casual misogyny; the main female characters, for example are fairly flat{{efn|Flat characters are two-dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated and do not change throughout the course of a work}} who mainly exist for the purpose of the male main character to react to; be it the 'middle-aged nag' (Hilda, ''{{wpl|Coming Up For Air}}''), the 'kind loyal girlfriend' (Rosemary, ''Keep the Aspidistra Flying''<ref name=aspidistra/>) the 'young shallow snob' (Elizabeth, ''{{wpl|Burmese Days}}'') or the 'dull drudge' (Dorothy, ''{{wpl|''A Clergyman's Daughter}}'')&nbsp;— the last one managing to achieve this while being the ''main'' character. Even the most well-rounded character, that of Julia in ''Ninteen-Eighty Four''&nbsp;— is fairly flat; she is a superficially-good 'bad girl', but there are more lines about her physical appearance than what she is actually ''thinking''.{{efn|Though this might be more 'deliberate indifference' than 'lack of intellect'; for example, what is the point in watching the [[Fake news|news if you know in advance it is all lies]]?}} Tellingly, it is ''Winston'', not Julia who is the instigator of their fall (though it may simply be that Oceania didn't regard her 'fleshy' Sexcrime and black-market dealings as a threat, but ''did'' regard his 'Thoughtcrime' as such).<ref>[https://medium.com/@Meia/it-was-always-the-women-misogyny-in-1984-5bb9228545da ‘It was always the women’: Misogyny in 1984.] Meia (22 September 2017) ''Medium''.</ref>

The accusations of 'misogyny' extended to Orwell the man; the consensus is he was a bit of a horny [[goat]]. In fact, most of surviving evidence shows that if you'd been a remotely attractive female within his orbit he'd have tried to bed you (marital status being irrelevant), if applicable propose to [[marry]] you and if rebuffed, have no shame.<ref>[https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/march-2020/brief-encounters-and-romps-in-the-park/ Brief encounters and romps in the park: George Orwell pursued women with enthusiasm and varying degrees of success] by D.J. Taylor (March 2020) ''The Critic''.</ref> Other, much ''stickier'' mud{{efn|Being a practitioner of '[[free love]]' is hardly a bookable offence in this case, unless Orwell demanded strict monogamy from the women, in which you can get him on [[hypocrisy]].}} is flung at him; that he was a frequent visitor to [[prostitutes]] (at least when younger), that he was an overbearing, selfish tyrant who treated his first wife like crap<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/10/eileen-the-making-of-george-orwell-sylvia-topp-review Eileen: The Making of George Orwell by Sylvia Topp – review] by Rachel Cooke (10 March 2020) ''The Guardian''.</ref><ref>''Eileen: The Making of George Orwell'' by Sylvia Topp (2020) Unbound. ISBN 1783527080.</ref> and pursued women who were not interested<ref>[https://archive.is/qLAUB Was George Orwell just a dirty old man? Craig Brown explains why the novelist would probably have got himself in trouble in the current climate] by Craig Brown (14 February 2018) ''The Daily Mail'' (archived from 1 Jun 2023 19:05:07 UTC).</ref>&nbsp;— for example, alleged in the biography ''Eric & Us''.<ref>''Eric & Us: A Remembrance of George Orwell'' by Jacintha Buddicom (1974) Frewin. ISBN 0856320765.</ref><ref>{{wpa|Eric & Us|''Eric & Us''}}</ref> It is difficult to refute the view that a man who in their private life appeared to treat women as either maids, nurses or sex objects probably didn't have a very high view of the female sex in general.

===State Informer===
{{main|Red-baiting}}
In 1949, Orwell produced and handed over {{wpl|Orwell's list|a list}} of people he suspected of either being communists or [[fellow traveller]]s{{efn|Formally independent, but 'reliably' sympathetic to them.}} to an official at the {{wpl|Information Research Department}} (IRD), a sub-section of the British Foreign Office which was tasked to produce [[propaganda]] to aim against the [[Eastern Bloc]]. When this finally came to light in 2003 the reactions were mixed; some saw it as a betrayal from a man who himself had been under surveillance by the British state for years,<ref>[https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/george-orwell-surveillance-and-the-state/ George Orwell: Surveillance and the State] by Mark Dunton (6 June 2019) ''The National Archive blog''.</ref> while others wrote it off as the ravings of a dying man.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jun/24/highereducation.books Blacklisted writer says illness clouded Orwell's judgement] by Fiachra Gibbons (24 June 2003) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

The truth shall never truly be known, but it could be argued that it was a simply an 'exchange of information' with a friend of persons Orwell believed would be unsuitable to employ at the IRD, perhaps with a hope that if ''he'' did it, said list would be a damn sight more accurate than the 'obtuse Special Branch officer' who stated Orwell was a communist partly on the strength of his 'bohemian attire'. Though if such actions were done to keep the existence of the IRD secret from the [[Soviets]], it was fairly pointless a task, as the {{wpl|Cambridge Five}} spy {{wpl|Guy Burgess}} had worked for it a year previously.

==See also==
{{collist|2|
*{{wpl|Margaret Atwood}} — writer of the dystopia ''[[The Handmaid's Tale]]''.
*{{wpl|Ray Bradbury}} — writer of the dystopia ''[[Fahrenheit 451]]''.
*[[British Empire]] / [[Imperialism]] - Officer within, then first 'enemy'.
*[[Communism]] / [[Stalinism]] - Orwell's final 'enemy'.
*[[Fascism]] / [[Nazism]] — His second 'enemy'.
*
[[Censorship]]

*[[Cognitive dissonance]]
*[[Cold War]] - Orwell's final years overlapped with the opening moves of it.
*[[Christopher Hitchens]] — Wrote a book on Orwell<ref>''Why Orwell Matters'' by Christopher Hitchens (2003) Basic Books. ISBN 0465030505.</ref>
*[[Aldous Huxley]] — writer of the dystopia ''[[Brave New World]]''.
*[[Juche]] — How to construct a nation using ''Nineteen-Eighty Four'' as a blueprint.
*{{wpl|Sinclair Lewis}} — writer of the dytopia ''{{wpl|It Can't Happen Here||.}}''
*{{wpl|Jack London}} — writer of the dystopia ''{{wpl|The Iron Heel}}'' and a chronicler of poverty in ''{{wpl|The People of the Abyss||.}}'' One of Orwell's 'mentors', so to speak.
*[[Nationalism]] — Not exactly an 'enemy', but something Orwell wasn't a fan of.
*[[Post-truth]] — Nothing new under the sun?
*[[Ayn Rand]] — writer of the dystopia ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]''. Could be described in many ways as the inverted mirror of Orwell. And a worse writer.
*[[Second World War]] — The most important event in Orwell's adult life, professionally, politically and personally.
*[[Spanish Civil War]] — Perhaps the single pivotal event in Orwell's adult life.
*{{wpl|H.G. Wells}} — writer of the dystopia ''{{wpl|The Sleeper Awakes}}'' and ''much'' more; Orwell's 'literary hero', which developed into a feud.<ref>[https://kulturapress.com/2023/11/05/george-orwells-row-with-h-g-wells/ Orwell's row with Wells] ''Kultura Press'' 5 November 2023</ref>
}}

==External links / Further reading==
*[https://www.orwellfoundation.com/ The Orwell Foundation] - Official 'tender of the flame', so to speak.
*[https://www.george-orwell.org/ George Orwell.org] - Most complete (and well-organised) collection of his works.

Of the crop of biographies, perhaps 'Orwell – Wintry Conscience of a Generation' (Jeffrey Meyers, 2001) stands out as the shortest, easiest to read and (perhaps most vitally) easiest to get hold of. 

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note|2}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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Categories: Anti-Catholicism, Authoritarianism, Authors, British people, Cold War, Government surveillance, History of communism, Homophobes, International relations, Journalists, Language, Left-wing activists, Literature, Neologisms, Political terms, Russian history, Science fiction, Sexists, Socialists, Totalitarianism