From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge. Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile.
From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and outlining various literary genres, authors, and recent reads and can serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with these works, as a refresher for long-time aficionados, and maybe as an inspiration for readers to share their own suggested topics. Do you have a topic that you would like covered in this column? Feel free to contact me for an interview and a feature in an upcoming column.
Who
This week’s column focuses on a well-known author from the Western canon, namely George Orwell. Orwell was an “English novelist, essayist, and critic,” who was born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, Bengal, India and died on January 21, 1950, in London, England.
Although beginning his career in the Indian Imperial Service, Orwell eventually became staunchly anti-imperialist, as evidenced in his various literary works.
What
Examples of notable works by George Orwell include 1984, Animal Farm, and Burmese Days. Other works include Coming Up for Air and Keep the Aspidistra Flying.
Where
These works are set in the former British Empire, including England, as well as present-day independent Myanmar.
When
His works confine themselves to the twentieth century.
Why
These works may be of interest to AU students who would like to learn about twentieth-century British literature, themes, such as totalitarianism, imperialism, colonialism, socialism, communism, as well as analysis of race and class. Learners may also be interested in tracing the origins and evolution of Orwell’s political ideologies through his literary fiction and non-fiction works.
How
AU’s wide range of diverse courses make it easy to study this topic in depth. Courses related to George Orwell are available in a variety of disciplines, including one’s that may fit into your Degree Works. (Always check with an AU counsellor to see if these particular courses fulfill your personal graduation requirements!)
AU students interested in learning more about this topic may enroll in ENGL 393: The Early Twentieth-Century English Novel, a senior-level, three-credit course, which “focuses on the first four decades of the twentieth-century British novel, its history and development, its rich variety of forms and techniques, and the ideas and events that influenced it.” (This course requires ENGL 211: Prose Forms and ENGL 212: Poetry and Plays as prerequisites).
In addition, students may be interested in ENGL 395: The Nineteenth-Century English Novel, a senior-level, six-credit course, which “introduces the student to some of the major English novels of the nineteenth century.” (This course also requires ENGL 211: Prose Forms and ENGL 212: Poetry and Plays as prerequisites). Happy reading!
