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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
fast-paced
informative
Detailed, haunting descriptions of living conditions in north of the UK in 1937. Really puts modern struggles into perspective. Second half gave some good insights into life and the political climate of the time. 7.5/10
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
dark
informative
slow-paced
“There was no need to go as far as Burma to find tyranny and exploitation. Here in England, down under one’s feet, were the submerged working class, suffering miseries which in different ways were as bad as any oriental ever knows”
‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ is Orwell’s plea for socialism as he highlights the poverty and destitution of the English working class in the north, placing a focus on the coal miner of Wigan.
Part One opens with Orwell’s recount of staying among the miners and lodgers in Wigan and I felt it would read in a similar way to ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’, starting well but quickly dropping off as it became a slightly more interesting version of Blythe’s ‘Akenfield’, listing of wages, poor housing conditions and statistics of the norths working class. This was illuminating in its exposing of skewed surveys on unemployment and living standards, but generally wasn’t the most exciting read.
Part Two however was Orwell at his best, as he turns to a more essayist voice and makes a case for socialism as the only solution for the poverty he has spent the first half of ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ laying out. Orwell’s educated background shines through here alongside his socialist ideals which create a really interesting paradox and critical voice, and his exploration of socialism versus the rise of fascism and his fears towards such are exactly what I love about him. The latter half of the book really saved this from being another of Orwell’s works where I was left expecting much better from him.
The first half of this book is fantastic and incredibly revealing of a post WW1 society that was decimated by the Depression and the tight squeeze workers had. However, the second half of the book rides on strong from this but slowly begins to become harder to read because of constantly being reminded of things that are repeated. As i say, the first half was amazing, but don't expect the rest to be just as good.
One of the greatest literary journalists I’ve ever read. His accounts are amazing and his way of writing and being hands on keeps his readers intrigued.