Why I Write

Interesting Facts

• George Orwell's essay «Why I Write» reveals his personal motives and reasons that led him to become a writer, as well as his views on the nature of writing.
• Orwell identifies four main motives that he believes drive all writers: sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, and political purpose.
• In the essay, Orwell admits that he dreamed of becoming a writer since childhood and that his early literary attempts were imitations of other authors.
• Orwell emphasizes that his political beliefs and desire to convey the truth about social injustice became important factors in his writing career.
• The essay was written in 1946, at a time when Orwell had already gained fame through works such as «Animal Farm» and «1984».