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| Plot Summary of Homage to Catalonia |
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"Orwell went to Spain in 1936 and later published this account of the Spanish Civil War. He arrived in Barcelona to find an anarchist-run utopia where 70% of businesses were collectivized by the workers, employment of labor prohibited, class distinctions eradicated, and health care universally available. Orwell joined the Partido Obrero de Unificacion Marxista to defend Catalonia against the Fascists. His account documents his dispatches to Aragon, Sargossa, and then Huesca where he was involved in the holding attack that drew Fascist troops away from the Anarchist attack on Jaca Road. Orwell details his involvement in May Days (when government assault guards tried to overtake the collectivized Telephone Exchange from the Anarchists) and the Communist propaganda campaign against the Anarchists that effectively handed victory to Franco's forces. Intermingled with this autobiographical account of the war is an explanation of the meaning of the contradictory political forces shaping Europe in the 1930's and Orwell's personal struggle with the use of language to manipulate ideas."
Jennifer Martin-Romme, Resident Scholar
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"Spain in 1936 was a stage that the world observed as Fascism and Communism, Capitalism and Anarchism struggled for control in the secularly divided Spain. In the midst of this in the historic town of Barcelona a little known writer by the name of Eric Blair known the world round as George Orwell came to Spain to report on the war and in the ensuing frenzy of the worker controlled territory of Catalonia he joined a militia.
The significance of this work as both a historical document and a foreshadowing of things to come is still as poignant now as ever. The Spanish Civil War was dwarfed between the two World Wars but nevertheless served as a deadly reminder to the new world that was emerging. From life in the trenches, being cold and very bored to the dry humor than ensues from a rag tag militia confronting a professional army Orwell paints a very casual view of war and takes an almost relaxed tone to the entire affair which only lasted a couple months. "
Ryan Scott Waggaman, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Homage to Catalonia |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Political/social rights fight
Yes
Plotlet:
- communists!!!!
Gender/Class story?
- story of lower class
Ethnic/regional/gender
Yes
ethnic of society (outside)
- Hispanic
Period of greatest activity?
- 1900+
Subject of Biography
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- journalist
- writer
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Biography of famous person?
Yes
Ethnicity
- White
Nationality
- British
How sensitive is this person?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Genius (really!)
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 5 (an average amount)
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Spain
City?
Yes
Misc setting
- resort/hotel
- fort/military installation
Century:
- 1930's-1950's
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
Book makes you feel?
- challenged
- thoughtful
Is book humorous?
Yes
If humorous, kind of humor
- Dry-cynical
Commentary on society?
Yes
Commentary on
- decency
- selfishness
- capitalism
- war
- religion
Unusual Style:
- a lot of stream of consciousness
Writer's slant towards subject:
- very favorable
- neutral
Story of entire life, or part?
- story of set of events during life
If this is a kid's book:
- Age 16-Adult
Autobiography?
Yes
Pictures/Illustrations?
- None
How much dialogue in bio?
- significantly more descript than dialog
- little dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life?
- 0-25% of book
How much is philosophy rather than life story?
- 51-75% of book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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