Orwell’s Final Warning

The Orwell Foundation uses the work of George Orwell to celebrate honest writing and reporting, to uncover hidden lives, to confront uncomfortable truths - and, in doing so, to promote Orwell’s values of integrity, decency and fidelity to truth.Alongside a regular programme of events, lectures and debates, the Foundation is the organiser of The Orwell Prizes, Britain's most prestigious prizes for political writing, with prizes awarded for books, written and multi-media journalism.

The Orwell Foundation

On the 75th anniversary of Orwell’s death, D. J. Taylor, Sandra Newman and Jeffrey Wasserstrom discuss the afterlife of his final novel.

Archaeology, Lecture Theatre (G6)

<blockquote>“The moral to be drawn from this dangerous nightmare situation is a simple one: Don’t let it happen. It depends on you.”</blockquote> What was Orwell’s final warning? On the 75th anniversary of George Orwell’s death, join D. J. Taylor, Sandra Newman and Jeffrey Wasserstrom to discuss the afterlife of Orwell’s final novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.-----------------Are all interpretations of Nineteen Eighty-Four equal?Published just months before Orwell’s death, Nineteen Eighty-Four immediately sparked debate about its meaning. Was it a warning? A prophecy? Who or what was its target? When reviewers began interpreting the novel as an attack on the British Labour Party in particular, Orwell and his publishers felt compelled to issue a statement to the press clarifying his own beliefs. He was, he said, a supporter of the government, but he had set the novel in Britain because he wanted to show that “the seeds of totalitarian thought” could be found anywhere.When Orwell died just six months later, the statement took on the status of a deathbed appeal. However, despite Orwell’s best efforts, Nineteen Eighty-Four continues to be claimed by readers across the political spectrum and is increasingly wielded in support of extreme views, especially on social media. How have we got here? And will we ever be able to see the man beneath the myth?

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Orwell’s Final Warning

More events from The Orwell Foundation

Discover more events from The Orwell Foundation, from Arts to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in London and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Orwell’s Final Warning

More events from The Orwell Foundation

Discover more events from The Orwell Foundation, from Arts to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in London and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.