George Orwell: A Writer Who Spoke the Truth
George Orwell was born in 1903 in India, which was part of the British Empire at the time.
His real name was Eric Arthur Blair, but he used the name George Orwell when he wrote.
He is best known for his famous books Animal Farm and 1984. These books are still read all
over the world today and have had a strong influence on how people think about politics
and power.
When Orwell was young, he moved to England with his family. He went to very good
schools, but he often felt like an outsider. After finishing school, he joined the police in
Burma (now Myanmar), but he didn’t enjoy the job. He didn’t like the way the British Empire
controlled other countries, and he soon returned to Europe.
In the 1930s, Orwell began to write seriously. He spent time living in poor areas of London
and Paris and wrote about his experiences in a book called Down and Out in Paris and
London. He wanted to understand how poor people lived and show the world their daily
struggles.
Orwell believed that writers should tell the truth, even if it made people uncomfortable. In
1936, he went to Spain to report on the Spanish Civil War. He even fought in the war
himself. He saw how different political groups lied to people and used fear to control them.
This had a strong effect on his later writing.
His book Animal Farm, published in 1945, is a short story where farm animals represent
human leaders and revolutions. It seems simple, but it gives a powerful message about how
revolutions can become just as bad as the governments they replace. Then, in 1949, Orwell
published 1984, a novel about a future world where the government watches everyone and
controls every part of life. The book introduced the idea of “Big Brother,” a name people still
use today when talking about government surveillance.
Orwell’s writing style was clear and direct. He believed that language should be simple so
that everyone could understand important ideas. In his essay Politics and the English
Language, he warned that dishonest language was a tool used by bad governments to hide
the truth. He thought that words mattered, and that good writing could protect people from
lies and propaganda.
His health was always weak. He had tuberculosis, a serious disease of the lungs, and often
worked while he was sick. Sadly, he died in 1950 at the age of 46. Even though he died
young, his writing had a huge impact.
Today, Orwell is remembered not just as a great writer, but also as a brave thinker. He used
simple, clear language to tell deep truths. His books warn us about the dangers of losing our
freedom, and they encourage people to think for themselves. Many of the ideas he wrote
about - like fake news, censorship, and government control - are still part of our world
today, which makes his work more relevant than ever.
Vocabulary List
1. Empire (n.) – A group of countries controlled by one ruler or government.
2. Outsider (n.) – A person who does not feel part of a group or society.
3. Poverty (n.) – The state of being very poor.
4. Struggle (n./v.) – A difficult time or effort to do something.
5. Revolution (n.) – A big change in government, often with violence.
6. Surveillance (n.) – Watching people closely, often by the government.
7. Lung (n.) – The organ in the body that helps us breathe.
8. Propaganda (n.) – Information, often false or misleading, used to influence people’s
opinions.
9. Censorship (n.) – When the government or another group controls what people can
read, see, or say.
10. Relevant (adj.) – Still important or connected to what is happening today.
Comprehension Questions
1. What was George Orwell’s real name, and where was he born?
2. Why did Orwell decide to leave his job with the British police in Burma?
3. What did Orwell learn while living in poor areas of London and Paris?
4. How did Orwell’s experience in the Spanish Civil War influence his writing?
5. What is the message behind Animal Farm?
6. What is 1984 about, and what does “Big Brother” mean in the book?
7. What did Orwell believe about the role of language in politics?
8. What disease did Orwell suffer from, and how did it affect his life and work?
9. Why are Orwell’s ideas still considered relevant today?
10. How is Orwell remembered today, beyond being just a writer?
