MASARYK UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF EDUCATION Department of English Language and Literature Nonconformity and Antiheroism in Orwell’s early novels Diploma thesis Brno 2017 Supervisor: Mgr. Jaroslav Izavčuk Written by: Bc. Jiří Hrabovský Declaration I hereby declare that this diploma thesis is my own work and that the information I used has been fully acknowledged in the text and included in the reference list. I agree with putting the thesis on public display at Masaryk University for study purposes. Prohlášení Prohlašuji, že jsem diplomovou práci vypracoval samostatně, s využitím pouze citovaných literárních pramenů, dalších informací a zdrojů v souladu s Disciplinárním řádem pro studenty Pedagogické fakulty Masarykovy univerzity a se zákonem č. 121/2000 Sb., o právu autorském, o právech souvisejících s právem autorským a o změně některých zákonů (autorský zákon), ve znění pozdějších předpisů. ………………………………… Bc. Jiří Hrabovský Bibliografický záznam HRABOVSKÝ, Jiří. Nonconformity and antiheroism in Orwell’s early novels. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Fakulta pedagogická, Katedra anglického jazyka a literatury, 2017. Vedoucí diplomové práce Mgr. Jaroslav Izavčuk. Annotation Diploma thesis Nonconformity and Antiheroism in Orwell’s early novels deals with the analysis of different approaches the main heroes apply regarding their crises of identity. This thesis emphasizes the aspect of unconventional solutions of various life situations, aiming at both the inner dynamics of the characters, the same as the dynamics between these two fictional individuals. Anotace Diplomová práce s názvem Nonkonformita a Antihrdinství v raných Orwellových románech se zabývá analýzou různých přístupů hlavních hrdinů k jejich krizím osobnosti. Důraz je kladen na aspekt nekonvenčích řešení různých životních situací s cílem hledat jak dynamiku v jejich postojích vzhledem k získávaným zkušenostem, tak dynamiku mezi těmito fiktivními postavami samými. Keywords Nonconformity, antiheroism, war, money, society, poverty, escapism Klíčová slova Nonkonformita, antihrdinství, válka, peníze, společnost, chudoba, únik Acknowledgements I would like to gratefully acknowledge the supervision of Mgr. Jaroslav Izavčuk. I would like to thank him for his kind supervising of this thesis and his helpful advice and insightful comments on the text as well as recommending literature. Poděkování Chtěl bych poděkovat Mgr. Jaroslavu Izavčukovi za jeho kvalitní vedení mé diplomové práce, za jeho podporu a cenné připomínky, stejně tak jako za doporučení literatury. Table of Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 7 2. George Orwell........................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1. Life ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.1. Childhood ................................................................................................................................. 10 2.1.2. The view on war ....................................................................................................................... 12 2.1.3 Social status ............................................................................................................................... 13 2.2. Orwell in the 1930s ......................................................................................................................... 14 2.3. Forms of writing .............................................................................................................................. 16 2.4. Inspiration........................................................................................................................................ 17 3. Nonconformism ...................................................................................................................................... 20 4. Gordon Comstock ................................................................................................................................... 23 4.1. Dynamics of Comstock’s character ................................................................................................. 25 5. George Bowling ...................................................................................................................................... 28 5.1. Dynamics of Bowling’s character .................................................................................................... 31 6. Aspects playing roles in the choice of Orwell’s heroes’ personalities: .................................................. 34 6.1. Colonial experience ......................................................................................................................... 35 6.2. Interest in the poor ......................................................................................................................... 35 6.3. Political preferences ........................................................................................................................ 38 6.4 Fear ................................................................................................................................................... 40 7. Symbolism .............................................................................................................................................. 42 7.1 Keep the Aspidistra Flying ................................................................................................................ 42 7.1.1. Aspidistra .................................................................................................................................. 42 7.1.2. “Two-quid a week” wage ......................................................................................................... 43 7.1.3. Antichrist vs. The New Albion .................................................................................................. 43 7.1.4 Women in Comstock’s life ......................................................................................................... 44 7.2 Coming Up for Air ............................................................................................................................. 46 7.2.1. The past .................................................................................................................................... 46 7.2.2. False teeth ................................................................................................................................ 46 7.2.3. Fishing ....................................................................................................................................... 47 7.2.4. The pool .................................................................................................................................... 48 7.2.5. The Church................................................................................................................................ 48 7.2.6. Modern devices ........................................................................................................................ 48 8. The comparison of Gordon Comstock and George Bowling .................................................................. 49 8.1. Personal wars .................................................................................................................................. 49 8.2. Inner worlds..................................................................................................................................... 52 8.3. Relations with their women ............................................................................................................ 53 8.4. Crisis of identity ............................................................................................................................... 55 9. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 56 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................ 60 1. Introduction The opening chapter generally introduces the reader into the investigation of nonconformity in early Orwell’s novel. The introduction shows who George Orwell is, briefly reveals what are the novels in question, and describes fundamental features that this thesis will try to answer in the conclusion part. George Orwell is without any doubts a very important and inspiring writer and journalist. Although it was not so clear during his life, he became one of the most significant and influential English prose writer and essayist ever. To prove this, Christopher Hitchens who is according to Rodden a well-known journalist and Orwell’s defender (Rodden 142) quotes that: “The reputation of George Orwell is secure among those who have never read him, high among those who have read only 1984 or Animal Farm and pretty solid among those who have read his Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters for confirmation of their own opinions. The value of his work is debated only by his fellow socialists and anti-imperialists. And even they, by ridiculing or scorning his precepts, pay an unintended compliment to his influence” (Hitchens 125). Much has been written about