{ George Orwell The life and times of a political writer George Orwell ( ) Born Eric Blair to aristocratic parents in India Sent to school in the UK; failed out of college Joined the Indian Imperial Police, sent to Burma (modern Myanmar) Felt the British were oppressing the Burmese, limiting economic development Returned to the UK in 1927, began writing and teaching Orwell: the early years While conducting research for The Road to Wigan Pier, exposed to depressed working class of UK Experience made Orwell a democratic socialist 1936: Spanish Civil War begins Orwell leaves for Spain to support socialist efforts and fight against Franco Allied himself with the Workers Party of Marxist Unification Orwell: the socialist System of social organization which places resources in the control of the community as a whole Socialism is mainly economic while communism is both economic and political Should benefit whole community Active in Europe post-WW II Socialism: Just the facts Orwell saw action in numerous places, including street fights in Barcelona May, 1937, Orwell shot in throat by sniper Voice is damaged and declared medically unfit for service Orwell in action Returns from Spain in 1938, just as UK is entering WW II Takes job a BBC; does programming for India to combat Nazi propaganda Becomes a member of the Home Guard, which he sees as the peoples militia Leaves after two years, in part to finish Animal Farm Published in UK August, 1945 Nineteen Eighty-Four published in 1949 Orwell: the political writer Novel imagines the future modern world as Western recovers from WW II Set in Airstrip One, Oceania, new name for London, UK Novel depicts socialism distorted into corrupt dictatorship (common theme for Orwell) Novella Animal Farm (1945) takes on the corruption of communist Russia under Stalin 1984: The novel The geography of 1984 Social structure of Oceania