An Overview of George Orwell’s ‘Why I Write’

‘Why I Write’ is considered a declaration of Orwell’s philosophy on writing. It clarifies how his great works like Animal Farm and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ were not merely fiction or literature, but powerful political tools.

‘Why I Write’ is a famous essay by George Orwell first published in 1946. In this essay (which turned into a book), Orwell does not just offer a personal answer to the question posed in the title, but deeply analyzes the motivations that drive writers in general, and sheds light on his own specific motives. This work serves as a unique window into the mind of one of the 20th century’s most important writers.

Orwell begins by asserting that writing was something inevitable for him from a young age. He describes how he was inclined to create fictional stories and compose poetry, indicating that this desire was an integral part of his personality. He then moves on to identify four main motives that drive writers to practice their profession:

1. Sheer Egoism: Orwell acknowledges that this motive is very common among writers — the desire to be thought clever, to be talked about, or to have one’s work remembered after death. He sees this motive, though it might seem superficial, as necessary.

2. Aesthetic Enthusiasm: This is the love of writing itself, the enjoyment of the beauty of words, the power of sound and rhythm, and experimenting with different tones. It is the motive that makes a writer focus on crafting the perfect sentence and the masterful paragraph.

3. Historical Impulse: This is the desire to see things as they are, to find and store facts, and to transmit them to future generations. This motive reflects the urge to document reality and portray it truthfully.

4. Political Purpose: This is the motive that Orwell stresses particularly. He believes that writing can be a tool to influence the world, change ideas, and stand up against injustice. He explains that this motive became dominant in his work after he witnessed injustice in the Spanish Civil War.

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Orwell’s Personal Experience and its Motives

Orwell emphasizes that these four motives are not mutually exclusive, and their intensity varies from one writer to another. For him, writing was initially driven by the individual motives (egoism and aesthetic enthusiasm), but it quickly transformed into a political means after his experiences in Spain.

Orwell states that his experience in Spain made him realize that “good writing is a political act in itself.” He saw how history could be distorted and reality manipulated by totalitarian regimes, which made him feel a great responsibility to use his pen to defend truth and freedom.

Style and Values

Orwell does not confine himself to analyzing motives, but also addresses style. He believes the goal of writing is to clarify the truth without embellishment or ornamentation. He advocates for a clear and direct style and warns against misleading and vague language used to conceal facts.

Ultimately, Orwell concludes his essay by stating that his fundamental motive for writing is “to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other people’s idea of the kind of society that they should strive after.” (Note: I have used a slightly more common English translation of the closing idea for maximum clarity and accuracy to Orwell’s known words).

The Importance of the Essay

The essay ‘Why I Write’ is considered a declaration of Orwell’s philosophy on writing. It clarifies how his great works like Animal Farm and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ were not merely fiction or literature, but powerful political tools aimed at totalitarian systems and the defense of liberty. The essay gives the reader a deeper understanding of his works and illustrates that everything he wrote was intended to serve a cause greater than mere art.