George Orwell: The Most Influential Political Writer

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George Orwell
Eric Blair, also known by his pen name of George Orwell, was one of the most influential political authors of the 20th century. Most of his works reflect or were influenced by events that happened during his lifetime. His most popular works are 1984, Animal Farm, and Homage to Catalonia. In 1996, he was given the Retro Hugo Award and in 2011, he was given the Prometheus Hall of fame award ("1946 Retro-Hugo Awards."; "Prometheus Awards."). His legacy lead to the start of the Doublespeak Award and the George Orwell Award, which according to the National Council of Teachers of English, was given to “writers who have made outstanding contributions to the critical analysis of public discourse” (Orwell Award).His dystopian novel, 1984 …show more content…

His father, Richard Blair was an Indian Civil Service Official. Around one year after his birth, Eric’s mother moved the family to England (Bio.com; Timeline). His father did not join them, as he decided to stay back in India (Bio.com). This caused a gap in the relationship between Eric and his father, which never healed, even when his father retired and returned home (Bio.com). Growing up, Blair was a reserved child. In his spare time, He would read novels, particularly in the category of science fiction, and macabre mystery (Life, Family). Blair went through a remarkable transition in class after moving to england from India. In India, he was born into the sahib social class, a term of respect used in india to describe europeans (Encyclopedia Britannica). When he moved to England he began a life of poverty. When he was sent to boarding school in 1911, the difference in social class was one of the only things separating him from his peers. This difference in social class segregated him from the rest of the students (Encyclopedia Britannica). He was able to find repose in reading, which led to his excellence in academics (Bio.com). His literary prowess led him to secure the King’s Scholarship to Eton College, where he spent the next four and a half years of his