The author, George Orwell, was a celebrated novelist. He is best known for his political allegory, Animal Farm, and his dystopian novel, 1984. His work was motivated the politics of his time. In “Why I Write,” Orwell described himself as idealistic, artistic, and reflective. This, he claimed, did not align with the type of writing he was best known for. Orwell chose to imbue his work with political purpose to meet the ideological needs of mid-twentieth century wartime England.

Born in 1903 in the then-British colony of India, Orwell graduated from Eton College in 1921 and lived his adult life through the turbulent World Wars and interwar period. This significantly impacted Orwell’s writing. He considered it impossible to live through such politically tense times without using art to reveal the truth behind society, government, and ideology. His desire for a socialist revolution in England was grounded upon his belief in the equality of all men and the destruction of private capitalism. He viewed private capitalism as a major contributor to the rise of fascism in Europe.

Orwell grew up in a family belonging to the “sahib” class, or colonial administrators. Growing up he had easy access to money, resources, and opportunities.