George Orwell

[Bry]

Following up on my sincere fascination with the history of Spain, particularly with regard to the Spanish Civil War, I picked up Homage to Cataluña by George Orwell which was a fascinating account of the struggle for power by the various leftist factions that participated in the defence of the Republic against Franco. (This is perhaps one of the most important moments in what has become the history of leftist political / social movements to date, hence my interest.) I had to put that reading on hold, as the cheap edition I had acquired had by some freak accident ommited 50 of the most important pages from the middle. As a consequence I picked up the more well known Animal Farm, which I found tremendouly relevant, particularly as it included an introduction which Orwell decided not to publish with the original edition, about the "voluntary" censorship prominent in England around 1945. I thought this was a tremendously germane to some of the trends we are seeing now in the US, and I highly recommend it if anyone can find a copy.

Cheers,
Bry

 

[winston churchi]

Didn't you love what GO was trying to express in Animal farm? Everyone is equal but some are more equal.

1984. Big Brother.


I must admit I have not read them since - quite a long time - I should read them again to familiarize....

 

[Dan]

Animal Farm is a good one. 1984 is one of those books that I've always wanted to read, but never get around to.

 

[William Joyce]

AF is great. Wonder why Orwell chose the pigs as the ones who said we're all equal, but we are more equal? Hmmm. He wouldn't have been talking about a certain group we're not supposed to talk about, now would he?

 

[Bry]

If, by "certain group we're not supposed to talk about", you mean politicians, then yes. Those are the ones he was talking about. Animal Farm was specifically written about the revolution in Russia. The pig, Napoleon, was directly modeled after Stalin, while Snowball was modelled after Trotsky. In the end of the book, the pigs sit down with humans, and this event was a reflection of the meeting of Stalin with Churchill and Roosevelt at Teheran. In later commentary, however, Orwell was clear that it was not just a fable about the Russian Revolution, but a fable about all revolutions, it was a warning to the people that they not allow their leaders to use the sentiments of the revolution to create a new and equally egregious hegemony in place of the hegemony which was to be replaced.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by Bry
If, by "certain group we're not supposed to talk about", you mean politicians, then yes. Those are the ones he was talking about. Animal Farm was specifically written about the revolution in Russia. The pig, Napoleon, was directly modeled after Stalin, while Snowball was modelled after Trotsky. In the end of the book, the pigs sit down with humans, and this event was a reflection of the meeting of Stalin with Churchill and Roosevelt at Teheran. In later commentary, however, Orwell was clear that it was not just a fable about the Russian Revolution, but a fable about all revolutions, it was a warning to the people that they not allow their leaders to use the sentiments of the revolution to create a new and equally egregious hegemony in place of the hegemony which was to be replaced.

Funny that's exactly what libs want. A government funded elite class, themselves.

 

[Semper Fi]

George Orwell is a genious. I'm reading 1984 right now, Im about a quarter of the way through it, and the way he deplicted the radical totalitarian and the thought-criminals is just awesome. It also shows how a well-established government can gain complete control over a country, and with aggressive militarism, can run the entire world in the best intrest of the Party alone. But with the single minded aspect of totalitarianism, you would think it's perfect, also.

 

[Palestinian Jew]

I am also reading 1984 right now and it is one of the greatest books I've ever read. The book is so well written you really feel what winston feels. I can't look at a tv without feeling pissed off.

 

[Semper Fi]

Exactly! Then after I am finished reading it for a while I kinda feel differant, you know? The more I think about it, I realize how ingenious the Party is, and how much they could control. Thats the scary thing, it could be real, with only a bit of very negative propaganda to begin with.

 

[opewon]

Even though I really enjoyed George Orwell's works I was really not impressed with his personal outlook on life....Gotta say though 1984 and Animal Farm are the kind of books you will read over and over again.....