1. George Orwell’s 1984 and Keep the Aspidistra Flying
Lori Sellers

2. Author Biography Birth name Eric Arthur Blair.
Birthday June 25th in India.
A year after he was born his mother took him to England with his sister.
Was not close to his father.

3. Author Biography Wrote his first poem at the age of four.
First poem published in a newspaper when he was eleven.
In 1911 he was sent to boarding school.
Realized that the school treater the richer kids better.

4. Author Biography Joined the India Imperial Police force in 1922.
Did not like it so returned to England five years later to write.
When his first book was published he used the pseudonym George Orwell.

5. Author Biography Joined Spanish Civil War in 1937.
was shot in the throat and arm and could not talk.
Convicted of treason in spain.
Fled country and diagnosed with tuberculosis.

6. Author Biography Offered a job as a producer for BBC.
Eventually got a job in propaganda, urging on his country in WWII.
Hated the job so he quit.
Died January 21st battling tuberculosis.

7. Novel 1: Keep the Aspidistra Flying
Gordon Comstock
Poor
a poet, with only one book published.
Despises the money world.
Loves Rosemary
locked in an endless battle with Aspidistras.

8. Summary: Keep the Aspidistra Flying
Gordon gets a job offer for a “good” job in creating ads.
Takes it, then quits
Falls into poverty because of it.
Constantly complains about his poverty.

9. Summary Continued
Constantly saying how no one really loves him or likes him because he is poor.
Goes on a day stroll with Rosemary.
Gets a letter back from newspaper saying they want to publish his novel.

10. Summary Continued
Invites Rosemary and his rich friend Ravelston to dinner.
moves in with Ravelston
Breaks up with Rosemary
Rosemary and Gordon sleep together
buys an Aspidistra

11. Novel 2: 1984 Winston Smith. Futuristic world of “1984”.
Telescreens in every house.
Anti-sex.
No rules, but very strict.
Constantly at war.
Ministry of Truth, Love, Plenty, and Peace.

12. Summary: 1984 Winston works for the Party in the Ministry of Truth
He meets a girl named Julia
They begin secretly seeing each other
Constantly speak of revolting

13. Summary Continued
Winston confides in O’Brien, an inner party member who he believes wants to revolt
O’Brien betrays them, and takes them to the ministry of love.
Keeps them in jail for months.

14. Summary Continued
O’Brien, through torture, teaches Winston that the government is always right.
Releases them both. They live the rest of their lives obeying the government.

15. Literary Device 1: Similes
Simile: A figure of speech in which two essential unlike things are compared using like or as.
1984: “It gave off a sickly, oily smell, as of chinese rice-spirit.” (1984, 8).
Keep The Aspidistra Flying: “A dejected, round shouldered, lower class woman looking like a draggled duck nosing among garbage” (KTAF, 10).

16. Literary Device 2: Symbolism
“Many a time he had furtively attempted to kill it- starving it of water, grinding hot cigarette-ends against its stem, even mixing salt with its earth. But the beastly things are practically immortal. In almost any circumstances they can preserve a wilting, diseased existence.” (KTAF 28)
Symbolism: The practice of recognizing things by symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships.
Keep the Aspidistra Flying: The Aspidistra is a symbol of the lower class continually struggling to make more money.

17. Symbolism Continued
1984: Big Brother is a symbol of the party in its public manifestation.
“It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about as you move. Big Brother is watching you the caption beneath it ran.” (1984 5).
name - Security
Caption - cannot escape the government

18. Literary Device 3: Theme
Theme: A common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work.
Keep the Aspidistra Flying:
The Alienation and Loneliness of Poverty
“They’d changed the day and hadn’t even bothered to tell him! Told everyone else, but not him. That’s how people treat you when you’ve no money!” (KTAF 69).

19. The Control of History and Information.
Theme Continued
1984:
The Control of History and Information.
“The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts.” (1984 8).

20. Other Work by George Orwell
Burmese Days
A Clergyman's Daughter
Coming up for Air
Animal Farm
Down and Out in Paris and London
The Road to Wigan Pier
Homage to Catalonia

21. Personal Review: Keep the Aspidistra Flying
Well written
Frustrating main character
Not much happens
Orwell’s style of written kept it interesting
conclusion was irritating, although happy
Sense of humor in the novel
Contradicting himself constantly (Rosemary, money)
Irresponsible (money)

22. Personal Review: 1984 Very Interesting
Liked main character for most part
Corrupt government interests me
constant war
betrayal
torchure
psychological manipulation
descriptive language
creative idea

23. Work Cited
"Simile." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 29 Dec
"Symbolism." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 29 Dec
"Theme." Glossary of Literary Terms. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec
Orwell. Orwell, George Ed. Erich Fromm. New York: Harcourt, 1949.
Orwell, George. Keep the Aspidistra Flying. [1st American ed.]. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1956.
"Biography." // George Orwell // N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Dec
"External Conflict." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 29 Dec
“George Orwell.” BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 22 Dec
"George Orwell." - Biography and Works. Search Texts, Read Online. Discuss. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec