Write 5 pages thesis on the topic language and identity: george orwell and amy tan.

Write 5 pages thesis on the topic language and identity: george orwell and amy tan. George Orwell seeks to appeal to the emotions of his readers to push for the idea of clearer and more honest writing, specifically by ensuring that his own work is written in such a manner. Orwell, as a mainly political writer, it is only fair that his essay on the English language has to do with political writing. Amy Tan, on the other hand, differs from Orwell in that her works are of a more personal nature. She takes the stance that language is a private domain, which is absent from Orwell’s writings. While she also dabbles in political writings, even her perspective on this is more individualistic as she champions democracy and capitalism, unlike Orwell, who is more concerned with the workings of the British Empire at large.

Orwell expresses reservations about the use of language during his time. He is particularly critical about journalism, academic writing, and political writing, especially its “lack of precision (and) staleness of imagery” (Orwell, paragraph 4). One may conclude that Orwell is arguing that modern prose exists only to draw the reader away from concreteness. For example, the writer gives examples of paragraphs that are meant to identify indecipherable, jargon-filled, and pretentious language that is was increasingly defining the English language. Political writing is particularly singled out as an enemy of communicative and clear English. Orwell (paragraph 16) justifies this position by claiming that political writing is essentially bad writing because it lacks sincerity, has an agenda, and cannot appear uncertain to rivals. This results in language that is lacking in brutal truths, which is covered up using vagueness, more questions, and euphemisms. Orwell sets out his vision of what language must be in the essay, arguing that it cannot have anything to do with archaism and the scavenging of turns of speech and obsolete words. It becomes increasingly clear what Orwell is striving for as one reads his essay. language that is straightforward and provides clarity, expressing the truth by doing away with obfuscation and spin.