George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 1. Look at paragraph 2: “Modern English…concern of professional writers.” Two sentences, but since he goes to such detail in the second proposing ways to solve the problem, it seems that it is just as important as the first part of the “thesis statement.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 2. Analogy between alcoholism and demise of language: helps reader understand idea that one causes the other, which then turns around and becomes a cause. • Effectiveness of analogy? George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 3. • Para. 4: “[P]rose consists less and less of words chosen for the sake of their meaning, and more and more of phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated henhouse.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 3. • Para. 5: “But in between these two classes there is a huge dump of worn-out metaphors which have lost all evocative power.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 3. • Para. 12: “[T]he writer knows more or less what he wants to say, but an accumulation of stale phrases chokes him like tea leaves blocking a sink.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 3. • Para. 15: “A mass of Latin words falls upon the facts like soft snow, blurring outlines and covering up all the details.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 3. • Para. 16: “[H]e…feels, presumably, that he has something new to say—and yet his words, like cavalry horses answering the bugle, group themselves automatically into the familiar dreary pattern.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 4. • You did this question for homework – let’s discuss the results. • Consider Orwell’s audience, and what he believes is necessary to persuade them. George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 5. Footnote in para. 7 gives historical info about word derivation and Orwell’s comment about why the “change of fashion” occurred. Takes the paragraph in another direction than the one that Orwell had been developing. • Footnote in para. 8 gives an example of Orwell’s point from opening sentence. Too long to be in para. – would have distracted from the other examples. George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 6. He’s well-informed. • Uses many examples to show that he is thoroughly prepared to write this essay • Can tell he reads widely and deeply – proves himself a serious thinker • Backs up all assertions with evidence George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 7. • Linear organization – cause and effect. Defines a problem, poses a solution as part of his argument. Explicit thesis, provides examples, and then analyzes/criticizes them before moving on to proposing his “cure” and how to implement it. George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 8. • England during WWII: lived through the bombings, rations, fear of occupation. Witnessed dropping of first atomic bomb. Passionate about more honest and open language to prevent similar types of actions from occurring again. Hopes having to own up to these actions will deter them. George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 9. • Informative • Objective • Pedantic (dull, old-fashioned, too plain to be interesting) • Insistent • Passionate George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 10. NOT MANY! • Dying metaphors: “tied down to” and “on guard against them” …not too bad (paras. 8 & 16). George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 10. … • First, let’s discuss what passive voice is: • In a sentence using passive voice, the subject is acted upon; he or she receives the action expressed by the verb. The agent performing the action may appear in a "by the..." phrase or may be omitted. • “The boy was bitten by the dog” instead of “The dog bit the boy.” George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 10. … • Reasons to Generally Avoid Passive Voice • Sometimes the use of passive voice can create awkward sentence. Also, overuse of passive voice throughout an essay can cause your prose to seem flat and uninteresting. • In scientific writing, however, passive voice is more readily accepted since using it allows one to write without using personal pronouns or the names of particular researchers as the subjects of sentences. • Adapted from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/539/03/ George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 10. … • Passive voice CAN be effective… • when it is more important to draw our attention to the person or thing acted upon: The unidentified victim was apparently struck during the early morning hours. • when the actor in the situation is not important: The aurora borealis can be observed in the early morning hours. George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 10. Operators or verbal false limbs: • “In, addition, passive voices is wherever possible used in preference to the active…” – this is in passive voice! • “Is cut,” “are replaced,” and “are saved,” “are used,” “are given” (para. 6). Several in para. 8 as well! George Orwell’s “Politics…” • 10. Pretentious diction: • “euphonious” (para. 12), “phraseology” (para. 13) Meaningless words: …not really any at all! • Why might he break his own rules?