Littérature anglaise George Orwell

Notion 1 : The writer in his time

Personal documents : Part 1-1; 1984, Georges Orwell

The Ministry of Truth-Minitrue, in Newspeak-was startlingly different from any other object in sight. It was an enormous pyramidal structure of glittering white concrete, soaring up, terrace after terrace, three hundred meters into the air. From where Winston stood it was just possible to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the Party:

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

Introduction :

I will talk about the notion : " The writer in his time". Indeed we can see that many authors use their writings to criticize some problems of the society.

So we can ask us this question: how writers can raise societal problems through in their writings?

In based on the 2 extract of Animal farm writing in 1945. The first extract of the novel illustrates the seven commandments created by the pigs and in the second extract we can see the progression of totalitarianism. My personal document is an extract from 1984 written by Georges Orwell. To my mind the extract reflets really well the things that happened in Animal farm cause the context is similar.

We can see first A regim that is not perfect even if it seems to be

and in second a future upset by the installation of a dictatorship.

I) A regim that is not perfect even if it seems to be

- A new ideology. Animalism: Ethical current for the protection of animals.

- Idea of community: extract 1: "Comrade" (l.5) > Gathers. Extract 2: "Comrades" (l.39) > All animals except the pigs => support by the new name : "Animal farm"

- New community governed by 7 commandments mainly gather the ideas of hate of humans, community, reject of the way of living of human beings an equality between all the animals

- 1st problem = Only pigs can read write and read so they can control the others animals

- 2nd problem = At the beginning, 2 leaders (Snowball and Napoleon) but in the 2nd extract Napoleon is the only leader because he previously hunted Snowball

- The dispperance of the milk is a presage of totalitarinism because the pigs from the beginning stole the milk

- In relation to 1984: Animals make a war to win peace. Ministry of truth = Napoleon and the pigs

- So we can suppose that the apigs are going to weaken animalism in breaking an other commandement.

II) A futur upset by the instalation of a dictatorship

- Napoleon is a leader who consider himself like God

- The pigs got some privileges => Broke the commandments which said "All animals are equal" ( L33 ext 1)

- Napoleon takes advantage of the poor intelligence of the animals to do what he wants : L. 30 ext 1 "

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