Why Orwell Matters

or George Orwell's quotes

1. ‘Salope! Salope! How many times have I told you not to squash bugs on the wallpaper? ... Putain! Salope!’ ... ‘Vache!’ (“Down and Out in Paris and London”, 1933)
2. Dear Doring, — With reference to your letter: Go and f#%$ yourself. Yours truly, Gordon Comstock. (“Keep the Aspidistra Flying”, 1936)
3. Our civilization, pace Chesterton, is founded on coal, more completely than one realizes until one stops to think about it. (“Down the Mine”, 1937)
4. ‘Don't fire,’ I said half-jokingly as I focused the camera. ‘Oh no, we won't fire.’ The next moment ... Bang! (“Homage to Catalonia”, 1938)
5. He [Rudyard Kipling] sees clearly that men can only be highly civilized while other men, inevitably less civilized, are there to guard and feed them. (“Rudyard Kipling”, 1942)
6. He who fights too long against dragons becomes a dragon himself; and if you gaze too long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze into you. — Nietzche (“As I Please”, 1944)
7. All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. (“Animal Farm: A Fairy Story”, 1945)
8. Clover: ‘Do you think that is quite fair to appropriate the apples?’ Molly: ‘What, keep all the apples for themselves?’ Muriel: ‘Aren’t we to have any?’. (“Animal Farm: A Fairy Story”, 1945)
9. There were only four dissentients, the three dogs and the cat, who was afterwards discovered to have voted on both sides. (“Animal Farm: A Fairy Story”, 1945)
10. The cat ... was very active ... She was seen one day sitting on a roof and talking to some sparrows who were just out of her reach. She was telling them that all animals were now comrades and that any sparrow who chose could come and perch on her paw… (“Animal Farm: A Fairy Story”, 1945)
11. Even if I had the power, I would not wish to interfere in Soviet domestic affairs. (“Introduction to ‘Animal Farm: A Fairy Story’”, 1945)
12. War is Peace — Freedom is Slavery — Ignorance is Strength. (“Nineteen Eighty-Four”, 1949)
13. Orwell understood the difference between 'what the public is interested in' and 'the public interest. — Bernard Crick (“Big Brother belittled”, 2000)