Why I Write

“His subject-matter will be determined by the age he lives in—at least this is true in tumultuous, revolutionary ages like our own—but before he ever begins to write he will have acquired an emotional attitude from which he will never completely escape.”

A writer’s motivations and writing process are determined by their historical context. The emotional attitude of the writer disposes them toward exhibiting certain aesthetics in their work, but the subject or themes their work explores is largely influenced by the social and historical context in which they live. This is especially true for writers working during times of great social change, such as his own.

“It seems to me nonsense, in a period like our own, to think that one can avoid writing of such subjects.”

Orwell referenced the totalitarian governments of Italy, Germany, and Spain following the first World War. His position as a writer with political purpose was a direct answer to these forms of government. It was unavoidable and inexcusable, in his opinion, for a writer to disregard such important current political topics.

“What I have most wanted to do throughout the past ten years is to make political writing into an art.”

Though Orwell considered his creativity as emotionally and aesthetically based, he nevertheless found it his duty to produce work with a clear political purpose against totalitarianism. In an attempt to fuse together these two aspects of his creative personality, Orwell aimed to write politically but artistically.