CHRIS THURMAN: Getting to the heart of what it means to be Orwellian
Paradoxical author is cited by those on the left and the right of various ideological spectrums
Twenty years ago I was a postgraduate student in London, experiencing the angst of the temporary émigré. The big questions of young adulthood swirled through my head — Who am I? Why am I here? What does my future hold? — complicated by an awareness that I was a self-satirising caricature: a homesick white South African discovering that merry old England is not what his cultural conditioning led him to expect.
Occasionally I would visit the library in Senate House, a building redolent of excessive Art Deco architectural ambition and the inspiration for the notorious ministry of truth in George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. ..
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.