Why We Need to Call a Pig a Pig (With Or Without Lipstick)

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He was extraordinarily tough-minded, most of all toward himself, vigilant against sentimentality or self-aggrandizement. In "A Hanging," about an execution he witnessed in Burma, he allows himself a few grace notes ("the Indians had gone grey like bad coffee") but never at the expense of brutal honesty: after the hanging, the Indians regain their color, Orwell finds himself "laughing quite loudly" at a joke, and soon thereafter "we all had a drink together, native and European alike, quite amicably. The dead man was one hundred yards away."

Though many of Orwell's essays describe single incidents, his concerns are political, in the largest sense: the way human dignity is corrupted by false phrases. He was less interested in what motivates people to act without integrity than in the words they use to camouflage and perpetuate their dishonesty: for Orwell, bad language and bad politics were one and the same. Yet for all his penury and despair, his faith in the power of clear, strong language can only be read as optimistic.

Today, the writer's name is invoked to describe anything involving surveillance, paranoia or even books about animals. Orwell's ideas have been bastardized and simplified over time, so that "Big Brother," the totalitarian, state-run citizen-control mechanism of "1984," is now the name of a reality-TV show that bears little resemblance to the book, except for the fact that contestants are watched by cameras. "When writers use the word 'Orwellian,' you can be pretty sure they've read very little of him," says Packer. Rather than describing surveillance devices, or pig farms, a more accurate application of the adjective would mean something that aspires to the lucidity and integrity of Orwell's writing. In that case, it would be the highest praise.

Correction (published Nov. 11, 2008): The original version of this story incorrectly listed Orwell's birthplace. He was born in Motohari, India.

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Posted By: mrhistory @ 12/09/2008 7:54:10 PM

Orwell was absolutely correct about political language, and the relevance today is especially apt. Unfortunately, in the current environment, every faction is convinced that it is a disease of the "others". Few seem willing to analyze how they themselves, or their political allies are abusing language, or manipulating it for propaganda. These are frightening times.
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Posted By: ok4u @ 12/09/2008 2:29:54 PM

Animal Farm was also about the false notion of equality. All equally miserable with the pigs leading. Some animals are more equal than others, to paraphrase. This is what equality means to those who promise something for some, at the expense of others. Sound familiar?
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Posted By: Pink63 @ 12/09/2008 1:55:22 PM

Why is this discusion on Orwell all about Obama and Palin? Anyhow, Orwell was a brilliant writer and everyone should read his work. "The Road to Wigan Pier" is very interesting about the lives of the coal miners. It is kind of confusing becaue he uses British money and it was written around 1930, so it is impossible to figure out exactly how much money he is talking about for wages, cost of food, etc. But you get the general idea. I read Animal Farm in 8th grade or so, and it made an impact on me, even though I didn't fully understand it at the time.