History Brief: George Orwell

The following video provides a brief biography of the author known as George Orwell, including his childhood, young adult life, and writing career. For an educational unit on Orwell, click here: http://bit.ly/2l2IScW

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In this video:

One of the most highly regarded authors of the 20th Century was George Orwell. What novels did Orwell write? How are his works viewed today?
George Orwell’s real name was Eric Blair, and he was born in India in 1903. At the age of one, his mother took him and his two sisters to live in England. He spent the remainder of his childhood in a town called Henley-on-Thames.
Eric was a poor student in college, and he eventually joined the Imperial Police. As a part of this organization, he lived and worked in Burma where he was responsible for the safety and security of more than 200,000 people.
During his young adult life, Blair also lived in Paris for two years before returning to England and living in his family home for five years. He became a private tutor and eventually a teacher.
At the outbreak of World War II, Eric was deemed unfit for military service because of poor physical health. However, he did join the Home Guard, a volunteer organization that was intended to serve as a secondary defense in the event of a Nazi invasion of Great Britain. Blair also worked for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) by supervising broadcasts to India, which were intended to act as a counter to Nazi propaganda.
As his life progressed, Eric found a career as a writer. He began using the pseudonym George Orwell and wrote several works of non-fiction. These books usually described the living conditions of the poor or related his experiences traveling in different parts of the world. He also wrote a large number of hard-hitting political commentaries which appeared in newspapers and magazines. Additionally, he reviewed many books and became a notable influence on literary criticism.
Orwell became best known for two works of fiction. Animal Farm, published in 1945, and Nineteen Eighty-Four, published in 1949, are both highly regarded works of fiction. Animal Farm tells the story of a group of pigs that lead a revolt and take over their farm. It serves as an allegory for Joseph Stalin’s rise to power in the Soviet Union. Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian tale of a society completely controlled by its government. It is viewed by many as one of the most influential novels of the 20th Century.
Eric Blair (Orwell) died in January of 1950 at the age of 46. He had long suffered from poor physical health and had been diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1947. His death was caused by a burst artery in his lung. He was buried with a simple headstone which bears the name Eric Arthur Blair, and the marker makes no reference to the name George Orwell.
Orwell is remembered today as one of the world’s greatest authors. His influence reached far beyond the world of literature. Terms that Orwell created, such as “doublethink,” “thought police,” and “Big Brother” are all used in popular culture today. Additionally, he was the first modern author to use the phrase “cold war.” Also, even his name has entered the common language. When someone is attempting to describe an oppressive, overreaching government, the individual might use the term “Orwellian.”
George Orwell’s books are required reading in high school classrooms around the world. His impact on society will surely continue to be felt for years to come.