Burmese Days

Burmese Days, written by George Orwell and published in 1934, is a critique of British imperialism and its effects on individuals and cultures. Set in the fictional district of Kyauktada in Upper Burma, at that time part of the British Raj, the historical fiction novel tells the story of Flory, a 35-year-old English timber merchant who has spent his adult life in Burma. The novel focuses on the lonely Flory’s search for a wife, as well as the election of the first native member to the Kyauktada European Club.

Plot Summary

Flory’s most notable feature is a large, crescent-shaped birthmark that runs across the left side of his face. He spends three weeks of the month in his jungle camp overseeing the production of teak for export back to England and spends the remaining week in town, where his life centers on the club. Flory’s progressive beliefs and love of Burmese culture mark him as an outsider, and the other club members, particularly the virulently racist Ellis, bully him.

While Flory has a Burmese concubine, Ma Hla May, he is desperately lonely and longs for a European wife who will love the country as he does and who will save him from his horrible life.