George Orwell Introduction Early Life Early Career Later Works Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist and critic. His work is marked by lucid prose, awareness of social injustice, opposition to totalitarianism, and commitment to democratic socialism. Commonly ranked as one of the most influential English writers of the 20th century, and as one of the most important chroniclers of English culture of his generation. Later Works Personal Life Imperialism

Early Life Eric Arthur Blair was born on 25 June 1903, in Motihari, Bihar, in British India.[7] His great-grandfather Charles Blair was a wealthy country gentleman in Dorset who married Lady Mary Fane, daughter of Thomas Fane, 8th Earl of Westmorland, and had income as an absentee landlord of plantations in Jamaica.[8] His grandfather, Thomas Richard Arthur Blair, was a clergyman.[9] Although the gentility passed down the generations, the prosperity did not; Eric Blair described his family as "lower-upper-middle class".[10] His father, Richard Walmesley Blair, worked in the Opium Department of the Indian Civil Service.[11] His mother, Ida Mabel Blair (née Limouzin), grew up in Moulmein, Burma, where her French father was involved in speculative ventures.[8] Eric had two sisters: Marjorie, five years older, and Avril, five years younger. When Eric was one year old, his mother took him and his older sister to England.[12][n 1] His birthplace and ancestral house in Motihari has been declared a protected monument of historical importance at Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.

Early Career His first major work, Down and Out in Paris and London, (1933) explored his time eking out a living in these two cities. Orwell took all sorts of jobs to make ends meet, including being a dishwasher. The book provided a brutal look at the lives of the working poor and of those living a transient existence. Sometimes called the conscience of a generation, Orwell next explored his overseas experiences in Burmese Days, published in 1934. The novel offered a dark look at British colonialism in Burma, then part of the country's Indian empire. Orwell's interest in political matters grew rapidly after this novel was published.

To support himself, Orwell took on all sorts of writing work To support himself, Orwell took on all sorts of writing work. He wrote numerous essays and reviews over the years, developing a reputation for producing well-crafted literary criticism. In 1941, Orwell landed a job with the BBC as a producer. He developed news commentary and shows for audiences in the eastern part of the British Empire. With World War II raging on, Orwell found himself acting as a propagandist to advance the country's side. He loathed this part of his job and resigned in 1943. Around this time, Orwell became the literary editor for a socialist newspaper.

Later Works Orwell is best known for two novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, both of which were published toward the end of his life. Animal Farm (1945) was an anti-Soviet satire in a pastoral setting featuring two pigs as its main protagonists. These pigs were said to represent Josef Stalin and Leon Trotsky. The novel brought Orwell great acclaim and financial rewards. In 1949, Orwell published another masterwork, Nineteen Eighty-Four (or 1984in later editions). This bleak vision of the world divided into three oppressive nations stirred up controversy among reviewers, who found this fictional future too despairing. In the novel, Orwell gave readers a glimpse into what would happen if the government controlled every detail of a person's life, down to their own private thoughts. .

Nineteen Eighty-Four proved to be another huge success for the author, but he had little time to enjoy it. By this time, Orwell was in the late stages of his battle with tuberculosis. He died on January 21, 1950, in a London hospital. He may have passed away all too soon, but his ideas and opinions have lived on through his work. Both Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four have been turned into films and have enjoyed tremendous popularity over the years

Personal Life Orwell had periods of sickness, and he was officially diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1938. He spent several months at the Preston Hall Sanatorium trying to recover, but he would continue to battle with tuberculosis for the rest of his life. At the time he was initially diagnosed, there was no effective treatment for the disease. Orwell was married to Eileen O'Shaughnessy until her death in 1945. According to several reports, the pair had an open marriage. Orwell had a number of dalliances during this first marriage. In 1944 the couple adopted a son, whom they named Richard Horatio Blair, after one of Orwell's ancestors. Their son was largely raised by Orwell's sister Avril after Eileen's death.

Near the end of his life, Orwell proposed to editor Sonia Brownell Near the end of his life, Orwell proposed to editor Sonia Brownell. He married her in 1950, only a short time before his death. Brownell inherited Orwell's estate and made a career out of managing his legacy. Orwell was in the late stages of his battle with tuberculosis. He died on January 21, 1950, when he was in the late stages of his battle with tuberculosis, in a London hospital. He may have passed away all too soon, but his ideas and opinions have lived on through his work.

Imperialism Among his many accomplished works is the non-fictional story, “Shooting an Elephant,” which boldly established his position on Imperialism. This story is about the time when Orwell went to Burma and served in the Indian Imperial Police as an assistant superintendent in 1922 because of lacking the means to attend a university. During the time of Imperialistic rule, the great empires dominated many subordinate countries to exploit their resources. These European empires believed it was, “the white man’s burden” to civilize the people they called heathens and savages of these countries. However, as Imperialism was broken down, the question of whether or not European conquerors were ever in control remains. In “Shooting an Elephant”, George Orwell first reveals his opposition to the imperialism, then he uses parallel between the British Empire and a Burmese elephant to convey a message about Imperialism: although Imperialism is justified by the European empire, in actuality, its nature is horrendous, and it is the British Empire that has destroyed its own freedoms.

Although the author was working as a police officer for the British Emperor, he strongly opposed to the idea of Imperialism. His opposition is revealed since the beginning of the story.