Great you dug in to Orwell, he is needed now as much as ever. At the risk of being called out for self-promotion, this older e-book of mine on Orwell might be of general interest.
"He leads us deeper into the world we already inhabit." Yep.
Is there a way out or is that light at the end of the tunnel an oncoming train?
I think there is but first we have to start calling spades spades. For example someone recently pointed out if we call public schools what they actually are, government schools, we'll see the present ̶e̶d̶u̶c̶u̶t̶a̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶ indoctrination system in a different light.
Many, of course, are not capable of critical thought but alas, even for those who are, today in most cases and places, the skill is not taught.
I loved "Animal Farm"; you really get to the essence here, and do it beautifully.
(I just disagree abuot Andersen; he has some very complex works. Then I'm not very objective, as I love Andersen so very much, and am still on a hunt for two big tomes of his "Fairy tales and stories", non-adapted.)
By gum, Mister Chen, you shore can spin a fine essay. My hat's off to ya.
I have not read Animal Farm, but I stayed up all night once in my late teens and devoured 1984 in one gulp. It probably did more to turn me into a life-long paranoid, than anything else I can recall having read. It creeped me out so much that I have never read the whole book again, although I still keep a well-thumbed paperback edition as a general refernce to Orwell's thought.
Did Orwell ever compose anything in the way of a sequel to A.F.?
Thank you kind sir. It is a scary tale indeed, both works. As for the sequel, one can argue that 1984, which came 3 years after Animal Farm, is - well, not a sequel but a further exploration of the subject. This time in a more realistic setting. And as you point out so vividly, both are creepy in their own right.
Great post Chen. Read more about how Orwell came to write his next book, 1984 in my novel - ‘Darkness in 1984’ - set in Blaenau Ffestiniog, in North Wales, is out now.
Christmas 1945 - George Orwell, recently widowed, arrives with his baby son to stay with his friend Arthur Koestler at a remote cottage, Bwlch Ocyn, in North Wales.
Orwell has just published ‘Animal Farm’ and mulls ideas with Koestler for his next novel. Koestler had written the acclaimed novel, ‘Darkness at Noon,’ about the Stalin show trials and also spent time in a Nazi prison. Both Orwell and Koestler supported the Republican government during the civil war in Spain and were dedicated to democratic Left causes.
Here for the first time are their imagined conversations in wintry Wales, based on true events, which produced one of the 20th Century’s greatest and darkest books, ‘1984.’
Hi Chen, both Tolkien and Orwell can be considered two expressions of our psyche reflecting our reactions, sometimes human beings need to evade, shrink from the difficulties and hardesses of life, some others they succeed in being realistic, accepting the worst aspects of themselves, their shadow, preferring to face it....Let's think analogically to the two genres of comedy and tragedy of the "goym"....But again ...both ways in art and literature can result prophetic, as in the case of science fiction which can become reality after some time or when it happens that a painting anticipates history in the artist's intuition...(I am thinking of Paul Klee's Angel of history, as Walter Benjamin described it....) So now my question is: Does "escapist literature" exist?
Great question. I am not sure Realist literature exist. Every time we read or write we step out of reality to a world with different laws govern by words...
Orwell was a committed socialist and believed the communists had become authoritarian and betrayed the people and the revolution had failed. He was heavily criticized by many on the left for giving ammunition to their critics. The same is happening now for anyone calling out the disconnect between Democratic party and the majority of Americans. Especially in regards to the trans-cult which is destroying the party and democracy with it.
Great you dug in to Orwell, he is needed now as much as ever. At the risk of being called out for self-promotion, this older e-book of mine on Orwell might be of general interest.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/orwell-stands-glenn-brigaldino/1126171229
"He leads us deeper into the world we already inhabit." Yep.
Is there a way out or is that light at the end of the tunnel an oncoming train?
I think there is but first we have to start calling spades spades. For example someone recently pointed out if we call public schools what they actually are, government schools, we'll see the present ̶e̶d̶u̶c̶u̶t̶a̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶ indoctrination system in a different light.
Many, of course, are not capable of critical thought but alas, even for those who are, today in most cases and places, the skill is not taught.
Great essay, Chen!
Thank you for such a fine essay, Chen.
I loved "Animal Farm"; you really get to the essence here, and do it beautifully.
(I just disagree abuot Andersen; he has some very complex works. Then I'm not very objective, as I love Andersen so very much, and am still on a hunt for two big tomes of his "Fairy tales and stories", non-adapted.)
Thanks Chen. I must give them another read then. Maybe I can to them with over criþical eyes. Where should I start?
I'd need to get those two tomes first))
too many possibilities
some stories are especially haunting
This book has recently made it on to my must read list. I read a piece by CS Lewis and he praised Animal Farm and an amazing book.
By gum, Mister Chen, you shore can spin a fine essay. My hat's off to ya.
I have not read Animal Farm, but I stayed up all night once in my late teens and devoured 1984 in one gulp. It probably did more to turn me into a life-long paranoid, than anything else I can recall having read. It creeped me out so much that I have never read the whole book again, although I still keep a well-thumbed paperback edition as a general refernce to Orwell's thought.
Did Orwell ever compose anything in the way of a sequel to A.F.?
Thank you kind sir. It is a scary tale indeed, both works. As for the sequel, one can argue that 1984, which came 3 years after Animal Farm, is - well, not a sequel but a further exploration of the subject. This time in a more realistic setting. And as you point out so vividly, both are creepy in their own right.
So Animal Farm preceded 1984. I didn't know that. For some reason I had in mind that it was the other way 'round.
Thanks.
Great post Chen. Read more about how Orwell came to write his next book, 1984 in my novel - ‘Darkness in 1984’ - set in Blaenau Ffestiniog, in North Wales, is out now.
Based on true events.
‘Darkness in 1984’ available from Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/4twzftfr
Christmas 1945 - George Orwell, recently widowed, arrives with his baby son to stay with his friend Arthur Koestler at a remote cottage, Bwlch Ocyn, in North Wales.
Orwell has just published ‘Animal Farm’ and mulls ideas with Koestler for his next novel. Koestler had written the acclaimed novel, ‘Darkness at Noon,’ about the Stalin show trials and also spent time in a Nazi prison. Both Orwell and Koestler supported the Republican government during the civil war in Spain and were dedicated to democratic Left causes.
Here for the first time are their imagined conversations in wintry Wales, based on true events, which produced one of the 20th Century’s greatest and darkest books, ‘1984.’
Hi Chen, both Tolkien and Orwell can be considered two expressions of our psyche reflecting our reactions, sometimes human beings need to evade, shrink from the difficulties and hardesses of life, some others they succeed in being realistic, accepting the worst aspects of themselves, their shadow, preferring to face it....Let's think analogically to the two genres of comedy and tragedy of the "goym"....But again ...both ways in art and literature can result prophetic, as in the case of science fiction which can become reality after some time or when it happens that a painting anticipates history in the artist's intuition...(I am thinking of Paul Klee's Angel of history, as Walter Benjamin described it....) So now my question is: Does "escapist literature" exist?
Great question. I am not sure Realist literature exist. Every time we read or write we step out of reality to a world with different laws govern by words...
Orwell was a committed socialist and believed the communists had become authoritarian and betrayed the people and the revolution had failed. He was heavily criticized by many on the left for giving ammunition to their critics. The same is happening now for anyone calling out the disconnect between Democratic party and the majority of Americans. Especially in regards to the trans-cult which is destroying the party and democracy with it.