How does the use of genre and writing style support the main ideas in George Orwell's 'Why I Write'?

              George Orwell was a writer who dealt with political issues and criticized undesirable form of governments in his novels, mostly in relation to the ones that existed at that time. ‘Why I Write’ is his autobiographical essay, which is mainly about answering two questions: ‘why’ and ‘how’ he writes.

Orwell recognizes that in nature, he would have been writing purple passages -sentences or expressions without specific meaning but rhetorical purpose only- and artistic, beautiful books without any political purposes. However, as he was living in the time when totalitarianism was hitting its peak, international relationships were worsening every day, and World War II was about to  take place, he felt responsibility to reveal the truth against the wrongs –especially political ones- done around the world. In short, he implies that he writes in order to let the general public acknowledge political injustice.

In the last paragraph, Orwell states how prose should be written (and how he tries to write), metaphorically, that “Good prose is like a windowpane.” Windowpanes are made up of glass and windowsills. Glass is transparent, symbolizing the place we see the world through. Windowsills are the ones that judge where the glasses will be placed. As writer’s political aspects differ from each others’, the windowsills will be placed differently. If all prose is like a windowpane, the readers will be able to see the world in diverse aspects from different angles. Therefore, the people will be able to remain objective, decide right or wrong themselves and eventually find out the injustice in the politics.

This piece of writing is a mixture of several different genres. First, this writing is an autobiographical essay. As the author writes about himself and his own thoughts, this essay is surely being autobiographical and expository. While in novels, authors must stand behind characters to convey messages and thoughts, usually in indirect ways, Orwell was enabled to write down his thoughts on why and how he writes freely and directly.

Second, this essay is being persuasive, since the author is giving out his opinion on which kind of prose is good. Since he is not being argumentative or against something, it is not a typical persuasive essay, but he is at least arguing that prose should never be lifeless but like a windowpane.

Poetry also comprises this writing. There is a poem in the middle of the essay, written by Orwell, which shows his struggle between writing style of his nature and style which the world wants him to write. The poem is being effective in conveying his struggle within short, symbolic words. Through this, readers could clearly see the reason why he writes right now. It also makes readers feel fresh to read poem inside a prose.

Orwell is being very dry and simple with his sentences in this essay. He tries to use rhetorical expressions or metaphors less as he writes. This makes the sentences look clean and clear, which helps him to convey exactly what he wants to. Being straightforward in meaning also shows that we are in emergency(when international tension has elevated) that we can’t be vague or misleading with our words.

Simple and clear sentences also let the whole essay be definitive. As people read this, they will feel that the writer is very confident and has no doubt on whatever he is writing about. This helps the essay to be more persuasive as he argues about how prose should be written.

Plus, this might be related to the fact that Orwell is viewing ‘purple passages’ negatively in this essay. In his young days, he once admired the literary value of those and wanted to be writing those later as they were producing joy and pleasure, making the sound rhythmical. However, he says they are ‘lifeless’ in the end since they are not helping the readers to see the world through a windowpane that the writers have made.

George Orwell’s essay ‘Why I Write’ is definitely a well-written essay as its genres; autobiographical, expository, persuasive and poetry; and its writing style, being dry and simple, benefit the intensity and delivery of the main points positively and effectively.