Orwell and "Why I Write" - a brief analysis of what Orwell means in this short story.

No book is genuinely free from political bias," Orwell wrote. The idea that "art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude." Political purpose, George Orwell claims, is inherently present in all works of literature. Orwell states this as one of the four great motivations for all writers to have, and even his own pieces explicitly contain his own political opinions. Within "Why I Write", George Orwell inputs his own beliefs and tries to sway the audience over to his side with his past experiences.

In the beginning of "Why I Write", it seems to be a miniature biography to the reader on the Orwell's writer origins. However, as one progresses through the pages it is clear to see that the author's style becomes subjective itself. Orwell talks about his younger days with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, poverty and failure. During those times his "natural hatred of authority" increased greatly, he became painfully aware of the growing middle class, and he realized the effects of imperialism. In the mid 1930s, Orwell comes to the belief that his writings were and are against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism. The author came to the conclusion that the masses needed to know the ill deeds of the government and the wrongs they have committed against innocent men. A clear instance is Homage to Catalonia, of which a critic told Orwell that it could have been a good book but he turned it into journalism. Orwell implementation of his views and knowledge of the current events overpowered the book. However, he did not care for what other people thought. He wanted to shine light upon the truth and various aspects of the situation.

Orwell strongly affirms his confidence in what he writes is moved by his own political purposes. To him where he "lacked a political purpose" his books were lifeless and basically sub par. His writings clearly contain his personality, opinions and emotions. Orwell supports the idea of all writers incorporating the use of their own views. He seems to desire knowledge and the spread of that knowledge to the public. Strangely, Orwell claims that his writing is not for the public in the sense that it's just for superficial purposes. His work is for people to better understand the events occurring around them and learn of the hidden truths. He wants the people all around to be exposed to the truth - no matter how harsh and unkind it seems. In his works, he expresses his ideas in the simplest and straight forth manner possible. He doesn't attach any frills or is circumlocutions about his writings - which is probably why he doesn't like to write novels anymore and sticks to prose/short stories. Anything possibly long and drawn out is mainly filled with utter nonsense. Orwell claimed that for a majority of works, he wrote with passion - whether that be of anger, love or sadness - he wrote from within him and his own mind.

To Orwell, the idea that a book without a single trace of political bias is not a book at all and a complete lie in itself. All writers input their own perspectives in their writing and, most certainly, write to sway the reader to the side they most desire. The tools a writer has are words and their passion for what they believe in. George Orwell deeply believe when one is writing, that individual has a purpose set in my mind. Without a clear cut definition of that purpose, their words are "without meaning" and just "humbug generally."