George Orwell on Writing

[pegkerr]

Here's an intriguing essay on George Orwell, and his insights on writing. I've read his two most famous novels, Animal Farm and 1984, but none of his essays on writing. Must look them up.

In a way, it's oddly reassuring to consider that Orwell couldn't support himself by writing novels either--and he also often feared the loss of his creative powers.

Comments

[oracne.livejournal.com]

The part about the TB sanatorium, where they wouldn't let him write because he was supposed to rest?

[shudder, shudder]

Good article, except I was a bit traumatized by that bit. I wonder if they let him listen to music or anything? Oh, well. It's long over!

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper."

[tinymich.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link -- I just read it, and found it (if you'll pardon the pun) quite creep-y. ;-) but... this is embarrassing to say, but I don't get it. what's going on with her? *feels very stupid*

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Mental illness, basically. I think that Gilman was in fact diagnosed as being "nervous" at one point and was forbidden to write, so she was speaking partly from experience. But you also have to remember that in the 19th century, women could be deemed mad or "hysterical" if they didn't embrace their "designated womanly role" with enough conviction; they could also be confined indefinitely to sanitariums on a husband's-say-so. The husband in this story is depicted as "wanting what was best" (or what he thought) was best for his wife, but that wasn't always the case. Sanitariums were also a great way to get rid of a wife you didn't want anymore: just say she's insane, and you could easily get her out of the way. Gilman is considered to be an early feminist writer.