The Compromised Humanity

As one of the most important writers and thinkers in Britain in the 20th century, George Orwell is well-known around the world for his most celebrated novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-four. Though he passed away about six decades ago, Orwell's literary creative thoughts and political views are still hot topics in the eyes of literary critics. However, there remain a number of problems in comprehending Orwell since his works are closely connected with the international situations in the first half of last century. In addition, Orwell's unique life experiences have also led people into a labyrinth in understanding him. There is no doubt that'politics'takes an essential position in Orwell's writing career, but in many of his works he also reveals his deep concerns on the distortedness of human nature under different political circumstances. With a purpose of finding a new angle to decode George Orwell, this thesis studies three main characters in three of his novels which demonstrates the author's different life stages. These books are Burmese Days, Coming Up For Air and Nineteen Eighty-four.This thesis is divided into five parts. Chapter One serves as a general introduction to George Orwell's life experiences, the background of the selected novels and Erich Fromm's theories of humanity. Chapter Two discusses Flory in Burmese Days. Haunted by the feeling of loneliness, Flory commits a suicide to end his isolation from the outside world. Chapter Three focuses on George Bowling in Coming Up For Air, a victim of the society that laid great pressure on him while depriving him of a healthy environment. Chapter Four analyzes Winston Smith who found himself completely dehumanized by totalitarianism. The last chapter is the conclusion which dates back to Orwell's early school years to prove his emotional attitude in writing analyzed in this thesis.