In his famous essay "Why I Write," George Orwell explains how he first got interested in writing, and he argues that there are four possible motivations that authors have for writing. After you have taken time to read the essay and to consider his life experiences, his philosophy on writing, and his reasons for writing, I want you to use this space to respond however you wish. You may decide to highlight interesting arguments, puzzling portions of the essay, identify relatable experiences you have had, or ask questions to which your peers and I can respond in a class discussion. You may even want to use the essay and what you know of 1984 so far to make some predictions about themes or issues in the text. My only requirement for this response is that you clearly show you have read and intellectually pondered the essay (Hint: Quoting the essay demonstrates that you have taken time to consider it in your response).
For those of you up for a challenge, consider posting an analysis of his poem that is within the essay: "A Happy Vicar I Might Have Been." This task will take some time because it requires you to do some connotative and historical research to understand the layers of meaning, but it's well worth the effort it takes!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
I think that Orwell made a lot of good points in his essay. I want to respond to each of his Four Motives. I agree with the first argument, and thats ego. I do feel that sometimes people write just because they "think" they are clever and witty. That may be the fact but some people just try to hard.. On the second motivation he listed he was talking more about enthusiasm. By that he explained that some writers want to make their writings deep and have an impact on the reader. This is also a very good motivation but for me, I'ts a difficult challenge. Orwell says that this motive is "very feeble in a lot of writers." I don't have much to say about the Historical impulse because I've never written anything that way.. I dont really use true facts because I mostly write fictional stories.
-Emelzie
it kind of surprised me when Orwell revealed that he was already writing at a very young age. Personally, i just think he was a clever and different child. It may be because he was lonely and didn't really have anyone to talk to or he didn't have anything better to do. I think that Orwell's four motives are very true and i agree with them. In the first motive which is sheer egoism, Orwell says " It is humbug to pretend this is not a motive, and a strong one." I like the quote because people don't like to admit things that aren't positive and will effect how others veiw them. When someone is known to have a big ego, it's usually not in a posotive way. Another thing that i like about Orwell is that he likes to tell unpleasant things or stories with unhappy endings. Personally i'd rather read a abook with a bad ending rather than a happy ending. When we are younger and we read, stories almost always end with happy endings. As you get older, realizations are different. You mature, look at things different, ect. So i'd rather rather read a book with a unhappy ending with truth than a happy ending with dishonesty.
-K.S.W
"Why I Write" by George Orwell explains a lot about him as a writer than I think he intended and more than that you can tell that writing is what he eats, breathes, and loves. Writing was his outlet, something that he had control over. I feel that he lacked control over most of his life. A quote that I think really shows what writing did for him is, "I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing unpleasant facts, and I felt that this created a sort of private world in which I could get my own back for my failure everyday life." Orwell goes on to talk about how his life was a story, but he tried to write the pages. This thought really captured me, I am always the one that wants to write my own story, I want to be the writer and have that control. I am learning that I don't have that control for my story has already been writer by my Creator.
Orwell's four points for why writers write I thought were very accurate. To me, his best point was his first: Sheer Egoism. He goes on to say, "Desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on the grown-ups who snubbed you in childhood, etc.". I think those thoughts motivate most of us throughout our whole life, we all want to leave a legacy behind. We all want to change the world. We all want to be on top. I thought his first point was a very good depiction of human life and motivation in general.
H. Johnston
I think that George Orwell has a good reason to write. I really liked the part where he said, "I barely saw my father before I was eigth. For this and other reasons I was somewhat lonely." I personally think writing got his mind off of being lonely and gave him something to do. I do find it interesting that he wrote his first poem at the age four or five. Most kids at that age, you would think playing was a big role in their life, but George was writing his first poem. I also think its interesting that he would look up and search for right words to write. It's not easy to always to sit down and write a story and it have a good meaning to it. In my opinion it takes time. "Why I Write" by George Orwell was interesting to read and now I realize why he enjoys to write.
M.Rogers 2White
Many of the points made in Orwell's "Why I Write" really hit home with me. Orwell said but if he escapes from his early influences altogether, he will have killed his impulse to write" and to me that means that where you come from and who you are will always determine not only how you write but what kind of person you are. If you try to escape who you are then you wont be able to express yourself. His first reason why people write i think was the most accurate. He said people write out of sheer egoism. I think that is very true about every aspect in everyones life. Everybody wants to be remembered after they die and want to make a mark in history before they leave this earth. Writing is one way you can do that. Orwell also said, "I had the lonely child’s habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons." This is so true. Every kid, including me, made up stories and had imaginary friends. You have your biggest imagination when you are a child.
~a.boone 4w
"I had the lonely child’s habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons." Every kid has an imaginary friend in their lives. Your biggest stories and most memories arrive from your childhood, and when you finally get the chance to express them to everyone it's like a dream come true. "Why I Write" had four major points. One of his points stated that "people write out of sheer egoism" Most people want somehow to be remebered in life, and by some that would writing. When writers write they want to make a point, and they want to reach out to others in a way that words can express.
jnmaddox
hey mrs. robinson, its grant. the time is approximately 11:45 and i am preparing to create an insightful response to george orwell's "why i write". wow. why did grant get that personal? is he sucking up? no, i was just demonstrating the first of the four listed reasons conjured up by george orwell to why we write. that explanation was "sheer egoism". that means that as one writes, they attempt to appear clever or intellectual, and make themselves noted and their life worthwhile. this is what i believe is the most conscious reason next to the act of persuading on political or other views. one statement i enjoyed from the passage was in "the happy vicar" in which he reveals that his life had not begun in the right place or right time to fulfill his dream of a clergyman. when he mentions the shakespearian term, "i am the worm who has not turned", what pops in to my head is a scene from the oliver stone movie platoon in which willem dafoe tells charlie sheen that phrase, but in a positive manner. i greatly enjoyed animal farm and i like how george orwell seems to be almost proud of his rebellious and unorthodox life and thoughts. this reminds me of the rush song,"tom sawyer".(that band rocks). lastly, id like to say that i can almost relate to george in that way and that i believe i fit that profile. i have strong and well thought out political views, i enjoy and am also a tad proud of my occasionally brash and rebellious nature. i like taking a ride on the wild side every other day!B) george orwell, along with ayn rand(inspired rush song "2112") and jd salinger, are the writers that i most admire. i have all of these creative ideas in my head that i cannot wait to get down on paper someday!
oh yeah: gdh 2w
Post a Comment