1. What is Orwell’s
thesis? Does he actually state it, or is it implied?
“Modern
English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by
imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary
trouble.” It is not just about the admen.
2. How effective is
Orwell’s analogy of the cause and effect of alcohol abuse to the demise of language
(para. 2)?
“A man may take to drink
because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely
because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English
language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but
the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish
thoughts.”
This comment is
effective because it directly compares the effects of alcohol to our untidy use
of the English language.
3. In each of the
following paragraphs — paragraphs 4, 5, 12, 15, and 16 — Orwell uses at least
one metaphor or simile. Identify each figure of speech. Then explain how it
works and whether you find it rhetorically effective.
Paragraph
4: “The writer knows more or less what he wants to say, but an accumulation of
stale phrases chokes him like tea leaves blocking a sink.”
This
simile explains how the tea leaves are the writer’s words and when there are
meaningless phrases which means the writer won’t successfully get people to
understand the main purpose of his/her text.
4. Orwell develops his
ideas through extensive use of examples. Try rewriting paragraph 5, 6, 7, or 8
without examples. How does the effect of the paragraph change?
To
remove any examples from the text would leave the paragraphs blank because they
are entirely made up of examples. Orwell uses these examples to support his arguments
and by removing them, it would leave his arguments too vague and we would not
be able to comprehend his main point.
5. What is the purpose
of the additional information provided in Orwell’s footnotes for paragraphs 7
and 8? Why do you think Orwell chose to put the information in footnotes rather
than in the main text?
His footnote is used as
his citation of where he found his evidence. He chose to place it at the end
because putting in his text would most likely distract the reader and he would
not to be able to portray his main argument clearly.
6. Orwell wrote this
essay before he was well known for his novels. He uses the first person, yet he
does not directly state his qualifications to speak on language. How does he
establish ethos? Should he have been more direct?
Orwell establishes ethos
by using a formal tone and showing his knowledge and awareness in the English
language throughout his essay.
7. How would you
describe the overall organization of this essay? Examine its movement, from the
examples in the opening to the rules in the ending.
Overall the organization
of this essay is very well put together. He starts off with the examples at the
begging to show what he is trying to claim. And throughout the text he supports
it with examples of what to and not to do. Overall it is very coherent.
8. What is Orwell’s
purpose in writing this essay? How might the historical context of post–World
War II affect that purpose? Cite specific passages to support your response.
Orwell’s purpose in writing this essay is to inform the “bad habits” of writing in politics, because of the lack of thinking their words through, and how Political writers declined the value of the English language to mislead people. The purpose of the historical context of post – World War II is for him to argue that the Nazi Propaganda affected his purpose.
9. How would you
describe the tone of Orwell’s essay? Can you sum it up in one word, or does the
essay range from one tone to another? Cite specific passages to support your
response.
Orwell uses a formal
tone in his essay. Because he is arguing his claim, throughout most of his
essay, the formal/informative tone does not change.
