Opinion of George Orwell

[Cubby]

I barely remember reading Animal Farm, but I know I liked it more than 1984, which is dated and slightly boring. A few parts of it have always stuck with me (having the TV tuned into Big Brother at all times, the blue helicopters that look like dragonflies, 2 Minutes Hate)  Brave New World was much better than than 1984. Its actually closer to what life is like now (in place of soma, put drugs, both illegal and prescription) and it was written 18 years before Orwell's book!

[Gabu]

Positive, if only for the excellent look he gave at the nature of language and the way in which manipulating language can restrict the masses' ability to conspire against rulers.  I'm a language buff; I find the subject fascinating.

[Platypus]

Positive, if only for the excellent look he gave at the nature of language and the way in which manipulating language can restrict the masses' ability to conspire against rulers.  I'm a language buff; I find the subject fascinating.

Indeed. We had a federal politician talking in 'Laborspeak' today, which was an amusing mix of newspeak and Ruddisms.

[Gustaf]

Only a Commie or a Fundie would have major problems with Orwell.

Commie? Orwell was a socialist.

FF

Now there is no difference between the two?  Damn.  I've been hearing all these years that socialism and communism were two seperate things, guess all those socialists were wrong.  That isn't suprising

There is, it's just not that large.

That's a bit of an odd opinion.

[minionofmidas]

LOL. I'm flipping through an Orwell text I had'nt read yet from the city library right now. The English People. Pretty old book, printed in 1972.
And Orwell claims, "the peculiarities of the English language make it almost impossible for anyone who has left school at fourteen to learn a foreign language after he has grown up. In the French Foreign Legion, for instance, the British and American legionaries seldom rise out of the ranks, because they cannot learn French, whereas a German learns French in a few months." Now let's ignore the fact that there's quite a few problems with that statement... because somebody's written with pencil in the margins, in English and in all caps - and in a very nicelooking handwriting too - "BRITISH ARROGANCE! GERMANS ARE BETTER SOLDIERS, THATS THE FACT!"

[Filuwaúrdjan]

[GMantis]

Lewis, I also think that 1984 has its weakneses (especially the language part - to imply that dissent is immpossible in highly agglutinative languages is absurd), but isn't it a bit too much to imply that he was senile when he was writing the book?
As for my opinion generally positive, though his writing on Burma and his attitude towards the Irish make me slightly ambivalent.

[minionofmidas]

Lewis, I also think that 1984 has its weakneses (especially the language part - to imply that dissent is immpossible in highly agglutinative languages is absurd), but isn't it a bit too much to imply that he was senile when he was writing the book?

"Senile" may be not the right word, but he was losing it a little towards the end. He was, basically, old beyond his years ... and not in the positive sense of the word.

[Iosif is a COTHO]

Brilliant man. I don't think it would be hyperbolic to call him the best political commentator of the century.

Forget 1984 and Animal Farm, just read his journalism.

[Iosif is a COTHO]

Only a Commie or a Fundie would have major problems with Orwell.

Commie? Orwell was a socialist.

FF

Now there is no difference between the two?  Damn.  I've been hearing all these years that socialism and communism were two seperate things, guess all those socialists were wrong.  That isn't suprising

There is, it's just not that large.

I dare you to go back in time to 1930's Europe and tell that to a Trotskyist or member of the Socialist International.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Positive, of course. But, and I've said this before, his best work can usually be found in his essays.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Also I second Lewis in describing 1984 as "Intellectually lazy".

[afleitch]

Positive, of course. But, and I've said this before, his best work can usually be found in his essays.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Also I second Lewis in describing 1984 as "Intellectually lazy".

Not to mention he slammed P.G Woodhouse for being a 'good bad writer; Though he did defend him against the whole Nazi sympathiser thing. Orwell didn't really mix his literature with his politics.

[Proud Paleoconservative]

FF

[minionofmidas]

Positive, of course. But, and I've said this before, his best work can usually be found in his essays.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Also I second Lewis in describing 1984 as "Intellectually lazy".

Not to mention he slammed P.G Woodhouse for being a 'good bad writer;

That's not "slamming", that's undeserved praise.

[afleitch]

Positive, of course. But, and I've said this before, his best work can usually be found in his essays.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Also I second Lewis in describing 1984 as "Intellectually lazy".

Not to mention he slammed P.G Woodhouse for being a 'good bad writer;

That's not "slamming", that's undeserved praise.

Ironically I suppose it is.

[minionofmidas]

Positive, of course. But, and I've said this before, his best work can usually be found in his essays.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Also I second Lewis in describing 1984 as "Intellectually lazy".

Not to mention he slammed P.G Woodhouse for being a 'good bad writer;

That's not "slamming", that's undeserved praise.

Ironically I suppose it is.

Orwell *liked* what he called 'good bad' writing.

[useful idiot]

I read Homage to Catalonia recently(in addition to having read 1984 and Animal Farm in high school) and enjoyed it immensely. FF

[opebo]

Positive, of course. But, and I've said this before, his best work can usually be found in his essays.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Also I second Lewis in describing 1984 as "Intellectually lazy".

Not to mention he slammed P.G Woodhouse for being a 'good bad writer;

That's not "slamming", that's undeserved praise.

Ironically I suppose it is.

Orwell *liked* what he called 'good bad' writing.

Come on, Wodehouse is highly enjoyable.