“Writers aren’t exactly people… they’re a whole bunch of people trying to be one person.” –F. Scott Fitzgerald. Throughout our lives, we have all established a writing theory. That theory shapes our practices and expectations as writers and anything similar. Why do we write? Do we do it as a gratifying interest or is it a replacement for the emptiness or loneliness we feel? Everyone has a story to be told, but we all go about it in a different way or form just like two very well-known authors, George Orwell and James Baldwin. In the essay from “Why I Write” by George Orwell, the author presents his personal journey to becoming a writer. He also explores the reasons for why writers write and what they write. In addition, in the essay from “The Creative Process” by James Baldwin, the author presents writers in today’s society. Showcasing the …show more content…
In paragraph 25, “What I have most wanted to do throughout the past ten years is to make political writing into an art.” From this quote, he then shows the readers that he is credible because he has been writing for so long hence the “past ten years”. Through his credibility, Orwell establishes logos by explaining his reasons for becoming a writer. In paragraph 1, “Between the ages of about seventeen and twenty-four I tried to abandon this idea… I was outraging my true nature and that sooner or later I should have to settle down and write books.” In paragraph 3, “throughout this time I did in a sense engage in literary activities.” “Apart from school work, I wrote vers d’occasion, semi-comic poems…” Through this, we not only learn that he wanted to become a writer to share his life experiences but to also develop his writing style. In addition, we can also infer that Orwell found a sense of comfort through writing because of his earlier works and participation in literary
There are many who strive to become famous writers and although some succeed, many do not find such great prosperity. In the words of bestselling author Stephen King, “while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one,” (142). King’s thesis from his novel On Writing can be debated because with “hard work, dedication, and timely help” it is possible for a writer of any skill level to improve to become better. On Writing is intended to teach the basic skills of writing so readers can develop writing skills to progress to be better writers. If one has passion for writing, patience, and the willingness to learn they will succeed in becoming great writers.
In her article “I Stand Here Writing”, Nancy Sommers examines the writing process and formulating ideas for writing in a more empirical manner. She states that before she found her creative zeal/ niche her writing was often undisciplined, unmethodical, and sloppy. Sommers reveals that in college she was less known for her writing and more for her long hair and misapplication of phrases. She found her true inspiration while writing her Senior Thesis on Emerson’s “Eloquence.” Throughout the entire essay, Sommers provides the reader with advice about writing. A key point that she mentions is, “If I could teach my students about writing it would be to see themselves as sources, as places from which ideas originate, to see themselves as Emerson’s transparent eyeball, all that they have read and experienced-the-dictionaries of their lives circulating through them.”
Everyone knows what writing is to one extent or another, but we all have different definitions of how it should be done and varying degrees of seriousness about the art. We all have a process of writing, but each is unique to ourselves and our own experiences. Annie Dillard and Stephen King are two well known authors who have published many pieces, two of which describe how they view the writing process and let their readers get a peek of what goes on through their minds when they write. These two pieces are Dillard’s The Writing Life and King’s “What Writing Is.”
Writing may be an enthralling experience for one and a clever way to decompress for another. In general, however, writing has different purposes for a variety of people. “Why I Write,” written in the late 20th century by Terry Tempest Williams, describes various reasons for writing narrated from a female’s perspective. The short essay begins in the middle of the night with a woman engulfed in her own thoughts. She abruptly goes forth by reciting the multiple reasons why she continues to write in her life. Through a variety of rhetorical devices such as repetition, imagery, analogies, and symbolism, Terry Tempest Williams produces an elegant piece of writing that offers the audience insight into the narrator’s life and forces the audience to have empathy for the narrator with the situation she is incurring.
There are many aspects for my mind to conceive while reading the articles why I write by George Orwell and Joan Didion. There are many different factors in triggering an author’s imagination to come up with what they want to write, and why they want to write it. In most writings a purpose is not found before the writer writes, but often found after they decide to start writing.
The thesis of the essay is that writing was Orwell’s inevitable and irresistible destiny, although shrouded by his attempts to abandon it. It had always been inexorably and intricately woven into his person, manifesting itself first at 5 or 6, and then ultimately impressing itself on his life with irrevocable and fulfilling finality.
Throughout George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eight-Four, the main character, Winston Smith, is shown as a rebellious Party member who often shows his lack of concern of others. Winston’s attitude towards others is emotionless and loveless. Even his wife whom he had been married to for eleven years, he describes as that “he was capable of forgetting that he had ever been married” (Orwell 67). Also, Syme, Winston’s friend, disappears and Winston shows no sign of sadness or concern. Even towards Winston’s secret lover, whom he had secretly broken Party laws with and shared a sexual relationship, he states that “he felt love no for her” (Orwell 229). Many of his thoughts could be because of the government’s total control of the country and its people. However, Winston constantly rejects the ideas of the government. There is only one character that Winston seems to never get enough of, O’Brien. Winston is seen constantly being fixated on O’Brien. Winston dreams of and admires O’Brien and is described as being “deeply drawn to him” (Orwell 11). Oddly enough, besides O’Brien, Winston is not close with any other male. Winston mentions his mother and even thinks he finds her while being held captive; however, Winston never mentions a father. This lack of male guidance that Winston receives opens himself not only to be star struck by O’Brien but also opens up the ability for the totalitarian regime to conquer his mind.
Have you ever said an inappropriate joke at the wrong time and place and then notice an elderly lady staring into your soul making you question your existence? Imagine a world where everything you said, did, or thought was discriminated and controlled not only by the old lady but the entire government. Correlating with the basis of being human, humanity is the building blocks of human life, which goes to show its importance, but what if the blocks were being taken away one by one? In the novel, 1984, by George Orwell, these blocks were being stripped away from the citizens every day. Orwell gives the readers insight in a world where technology inhibits daily life, humans lack intuition, and the repression of individuality.
In order to keep the reader engaged with his essay, Orwell uses his past to create situations where the reader empathizes with his younger self. He does this by making sure to stress the emotions he felt during his
Writing has never really been a passion I possess. I wouldn’t go as far to say I hate it, but, I wouldn’t want to say I love it either. For some, writing is a way to escape their own messed up worlds and creates a new, it’s exciting, adventures, and daring, but, to me, writing is such a tedious task that I as a person do not have the patience to withstand. I haven’t always disliked writing; I actually use to enjoy getting all my thoughts down on paper and coming out with my own little masterpiece my parents could hang on the fridge and boast about to their friends. The worst/best paper I ever had to write was in fifth grade; I had to describe my top three very best friends in five paragraphs or more, then let my elbow partner grade it on a scale from 1-6 ( six being the best.) I put my all into that paper; it was going to be my best paper yet.
Orwell was born as a natural writer in a family where he was the middle child. He was passioned for being a writer when he was at a young age. Until his late adolescence, he tried to give up his idea of being a writer yet it only happened only for a few years until he realized that being a writer is the only way that he can express himself towards the society and the political.
To begin my conclusion John Green said this quote “Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.” I’m not a writer I dislike doing things alone or being by myself for that matter. It is too quiet and it leaves me with time to think for myself. Most writers write because they have something they want to
Based on his argument using a piece of story from his past, the writer conceptually supported his explanatory point of views on how skills can be developed with a passion of understanding the writer’s intention. I believe that the writer of this article addressed fundamental thoughts that should be useful in the process of reading as a writer, and on how to become a better writer.
Continuing on in the essay, Orwell lists out certain things should be avoided. First off, dying metaphors. This Orwell is highly critical of these sayings without the people writing them actually knowing what they mean. He makes a big push in this paragraph to have the readers become more interested in their own writing. It seems that he really wants people
Most people have very strong political views, but not everyone can express their political opinions like George Orwell. Orwell got to express his opinions in his writings. He wrote about the sociopolitical conditions of his time. For a man whose career started as a dishwasher, he came a long way to be known as the great author he is known as today. In this paper George Orwell's early life, his variety of jobs before becoming a writer, his many successes and failures and some of his best known novels and critiques of them, and his sad death will all be discussed.