The Connection between Text and Social Event on Politics and English Language

by George Orwell’s Essay

This essay is written to deliver the writer’s personal opinion toward essay written
by George Orwell by referring to certain suitable references to strength the statements
and also to avoid plagiarism. It is also written with two main types of reader in mind,
they are students and researches in social and humanities specializing in language
analysis. As it has been generally known that the background of this essay writing is
due to the requirements of Non-Fiction Final Examination that had to be completed in
order to pass the subject. Besides, the writer is also grateful for joining this class since
it makes the writer learning, and having new insight, knowledge, and experience of
becoming literate students in this pandemic era with many obstacles stood in the way
during the class for one semester. The writer does realize that he himself is still
learning therefore the writer would like to apologize if there would be inappropriate
English grammar, especially, the pattern of the main idea intended by the writer that
make confuse readers or may be difficult to understand the meaning of the statements.
Last but not least, the writer also would like to thank Mrs. Agry for guiding us
throughout this subject. May Allah SWT repay her for her kindness and patience all
this time.

Before further discussing the main topic of this essay, it is suggested to discuss
George Orwell as he is considered as the famous English essayist, journal, and critic.
Orwell was known for becoming journalist, reviewer whose works are mainly
dominated by social and political issues at that time. Cited from Wikipedia, Orwell
won scholarships to two of England’s leading schools. Surprisingly, he became the
British Imperial service and worked as a colonial police officer in stead of proceeding
his study. Concerning his early life and career, Orwell seemed to have interest in
political life thus it indirectly encouraged him to produce such works.

The title of this essay is The Connection between Text and Social Event on
Orwell’s essay entitled Politics and English Language. There are two main ideas
written by the writer in this essay. There are Social Event an Text as the focus of this
essay. Social event means that the condition of the society (England society) when this
Orwell’ essay was written. Orwell stated in his essay that “Our civilization is decadent
and our language - so the argument runs - must inevitably share in the general
collapse”, the statement of our civilization is decadent explicitly means that English
society is characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline. Orwell
further argued that if this condition remained, the society as a whole was going to fall
down. The question then arises, which aspects of the society does collapse? In the
writer’s opinion, the English people did not “collapse” in terms of material things in
stead of “mentally” collapse. It is supported by the statement from Orwell’s essay “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. The point is that the process is
reversible”, Orwell indirectly stated that English language reflects the people who
produce it. As it has been generally known that one’s statement could be judged by the
value, meaning of his or her statements. Orwell realized that language as a means used
to fool the audience. This could be seen by the statement of the slovenliness of our
language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts, it implicitly implied that
language is used to fool people then if we have fool mind then it would be easier for us
to be fooled or manipulated by the language itself.

“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. If
one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a
necessary first step toward political regeneration: so that the fight against bad
English is not frivolous and is not the exclusive concern of professional writers”,
concerning this statements, Orwell also mentioned about English writers who have
“bad habits”. Bad habit means that English writers reproduced or imitate their writings
then audience would read this.