Similarities Between Baldwin And Orwell

Second Part
Baldwin and Orwell found themselves in foreign countries surrounded by strangers in a time of personal crisis. How did these experiences help transform their views of themselves and where they came from? Baldwin left America on an identity search. Baldwin didn’t want to be subjected to American labeling by color. Instead he stated that he wanted to find out in what way the specialness of his experience could be made to connect him with other people instead of dividing him from them. Baldwin was trapped in the illusion that he hated America. For him to be free from this illusion he had to be separated from America. He states “I do not think that I could have made this reconciliation here. Once I was able to accept my role---- as distinguished …-- in the extraordinary drama which is America.” (138). As he is in Europe he realizes a certain freedom that may be because of the lack of what may roughly be called
social paranoia. He states that “the American writer, in Europe, is released, first of all, from the necessity of apologizing for himself.”(141). In Europe he is able to drop the pretense he’s been holding up, in his life as an American writer. He is able to comfortably fit in and make acquaintance with people of all walks of life and live in all parts of Paris. Whereas in America he only lived in pockets of it. During this time he realizes how different it is for him as foreigner living in Europe opposing to someone born there. This helps him to realize that “ .. the freedom that the American writer finds in Europe brings him, full circle, back to himself, with the responsibility for his development where it always was: in his own hands”(141). He basically realizes that his identity lies in him being an American. Baldwin’s experience helps him to feel, so to speak, his own weight, his own value. He is able to reconcile being a “nigger” by opening his mind to new possibilities and listening to Bessie Smith whom he has never listened to in America. Bessie Smith helped him to begin the process with self discovery through his past. He also realizes that America is not bad as he thought in that his development of himself was in his own hand. Orwell on the other hand working as a police officer in Burma under the British Empire found himself subject to the hatred of the Burmese people.
Orwell hated the British Empire but sympathized with the Burmans because of how they are being treated by them. After killing the elephant Orwell’s thoughts seemed to be like that of the British. He was selfish in decision to kill the elephant. Orwell did not want to kill the elephant at first but there were many opposing forces that made him do it. He was faced with obligation. The Burmese population’s expectation of him to follow through, fear of acceptance, the repercussions of going against his own feelings and will. In the end he states “that [he] was very glad that the coolie had been killed because it put [him] legally in the right and gave him a sufficient pretext for shooting the elephant” (4). He also states “... i had done it solely to avoid looking a fool” (4). Orwell was a product of where he came from. He acted upon his feeling, on what he felt compelled to do with no remorse
whatsoever. Both Orwell and Baldwin left their country to find themselves only to realise that their identities lied in their country itself. While in Europe Baldwin figures out the reason he bashes America and the people is the very reason he is able to reconcile with America. Stating “but nothing will efface his origins”(141). The place that you were born in is what makes you the person you are. No matter how far you try to go from it, it’s mark will follow you. While in Burma Orwell’s decision to kill an elephant unveils his trait of a british person. Making decisions by force and being satisfied with the effects of it. Just like the British Empire has no remorse toward the Burmese people. Orwell has no remorse for shooting an innocent elephant solely to avoid looking a fool. Then being satisfied with the coolie dying to cover up his selfish actions. They both went against their normal feelings and way of doing things to discover themselves. Baldwin never listened to Bessie Smith in America but deciding one day to listen to her helped him dig back to way he was. Orwell’s initial thought was to observe the elephant making sure he did nothing wrong then go home because he simply did not want to kill it. He then went against his own feelings to save himself from looking stupid and giving satisfaction to the Burmese people. In a sense Baldwin is more satisfied with his finding of his identity and learns how to usefully adjust and wisely use the information to make better his life. Unlike Orwell, Baldwin was not forced into finding himself. He had more of a smooth path into his discovery. For Orwell his discovery was quite uncomfortable resulting in him killing an animal and suffering through their torments. He didn’t quite discover himself, he just found himself giving into pressure to satisfy others. His discovery proved him to be naturally harsh. With Baldwin on the way to his discovery he travel around a lot and looked into his origin. Both men discovered themselves in different situations with different outcomes.