Why I Write: The Art of Writing

George Orwell in his essay “Why I write”, written in 1946 and published in London, addresses the reasons that made him become a writer and eventually sets four main general principles that are the main drive force for every piece of writing. “I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” By showing his inner drive to write he portrays a greater picture about writing as he shows how one writes consciously about what concerns one’s feelings and subconscious thinking. The four main principles of writing that Orwell presents in his essay are sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse and political purpose.

In addition for each of these principles the author gives a thorough explanation. Sheer egoism stands as a principle for all the writers that tend to show off their ability to write and to express in a high fashion of writing. Aesthetic enthusiasm stands as a principle for writers which have the desire to share an experience and feelings. Historical impulse stands as a principle for writers which tend to make an important point for the next generations. Political Purpose stands as a principle to show political background to the occurring situation in a broader context of meaning. The principles of writing that Orwell presents in his essay “Why I write” are exemplified in his two stories “A Hanging” written in 1931 and “Shooting and Elephant” written in 1936 where both reveal the experience of the author as a police officer in Burma, a political purpose which is imperialism and its effects on humans, a historical impulse which is British colonies period and the aesthetic enthusiasm as the author reveals his feeling a...

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...imal. “A white man mustn’t be frightened…the crowd grew very still, and a deep, low, happy sigh…breathed from innumerable breaths. They were going to have their bit of fun after all. The rifle was a beautiful German thing with cross-hairs sights.” By referring to the rifle the narrator implies that he has to kill the animal as the mass of people expects him to act that way. As he is white and he does not want to be humiliated by a ‘yellow crowd’ as referred in the story he goes through catharsis and decides to kill the animal just for the sake of authority and power that he has to show off to that Burmese mass of people.

The principles of writing as analyzed and presented in Orwell’s essay “Why I Write” are specific reasons for which many writing is made and as well main perspectives of writers besides any differences in gender, race, belief or age. (continued…)