Down and Out in London and Paris by George Orwell - Essay Example

Down and Out in London and Paris by George Orwell George Orwell’s book, Down and Out in London and Paris is a book of revelation, looking at some of the worst social evils of the 20th century. Orwell had discovered that socialism and poor government was forcing so many people to suffer. He also seems to predict that social change can only come from people who should be able to realize that the government is not out to help them. As indicated in this book and may others by Orwell, he believed that the political regime had the biggest blame relating to the suffering of the common man. Orwell also seemed to indicate that those in the ruling regime were selfish, never told the truth and always let the poor to believe that the things were best the way they were. This can be seen in Down and Out in Paris and London. While Orwell believed that the ruling regime was responsible for all the social ills in these and other European nations and cities, he also believed that it was the pole that were responsible for the necessary change to set the records straight. Orwell had also witnessed the evils of war, and how war, and the Russians revolution as well as the socialism in Russia had affected so many people. This goes in line with what Joll (199) discusses in his book, about how the German invasion of France affected the economy of France. As Clark (1-17) says, the effect of war in Europe was enormous. According to (Lecture Notes: The Origins of world war one), world war I was to change the nature of free markets and lead to a more globalised regulation. While not saying it directly, what Orwell was highlighting the evidence that there was a need for change and this change was to come from the people. He also goes to great pain to display the level of poverty in Europe and especially in Paris and London. Reasonably, he was able to show how life was difficult for so many people living in the two cities. Orwell was also showing the daily struggles of a citizens who, despite being let down by his government, continues to put his trust in the government, and hoping that all thins will be well in time. For instance, in chapter five, he talks about an encounter with his friend Boris who had lost his job as a hotel scribe after being sick for some time. Boris was sick for some time and after returning from hospital, his was sucked from his job because he was sick. What Orwell is trying to indicate in this chapter is not only the levels of poverty, but also the point of job insecurity, not even for white collar workers. He not only describes the low life that Boris is living, but also describes how he lost his job. He also gives the reader the courtesy of explaining what Boris was earning per day before he got sick and lost his job, which was a hundred francs per day. He was now earning nothing, was sleeping in a friend’s room which was having a leaking roof and was sleeping on the ground. This is Orwell’s way of telling the world that things were really bad. Orwell cultivates the topic of poverty and unemployment. For instance, after chapter five, chapter six explains he many instances in which he and his friend Boris tried to get employment, even casual manual labor but in vain. Orwell, while not using self-pity, tells the many instances where they had to be rejected from a job offering, sometimes base don’t he fact that they were not French and sometimes simply because they were not qualified or there was simply too much demand for the post. In this regard, he is trying to help the reader to look at the way life was, using this book as a lens. Although here has been a debate in whether these were true encounter or the book was just a work of fiction, it is very clear that the main topic in Orwell’s mind was the poverty which occurred din abnormally high labels in Europe. He also captures, albeit not in a direct way trying to make sure that he has pointed out to the reader why these issues were there in the first. Orwell is known to have been a critic of the governing authorities, as can be seen in his later works such as the novel Animal farm where he addresses the themes of corruption, leadership, inequalities and also tackles the topic of self efficacy through the education and the enlightening of the lower classes. Orwell also seem to indicate that the inaction of the people being governed by the rich selfish regimes are the ones to blame, because they keep trusting on the government, even when it is very clear that the regime did not have the comfort of the people at heart. Need for change Throughout the book the theme for the need for change and the need for reform is there. While Orwell does not say it in a direct way, he indicates that the economic system, just as the political system is bad and that people should be able to change to a better way of doing things. Orwell seems to highlight the fact that there were so many people suffering because the wealth and opportunities to make the wealth was primarily handled by a few people who then distributed these as and when they wanted. He shows the attitude with which those who owned the means of production would treat the poor manual laborers. This only indicates that the reforms needed would only come from the people and not those in power who seemed to be enjoying the status quo. Read More