Orwell/Anne Lamott Reading

I read Orwell's essay first, I guess because I was familiar with his name and enjoyed Animal Farm. There's something so genuine about authors from his era, but I've always enjoyed his writing especially. He seems like the kind of person who has an answer for everything; or even answers for why he doesn't have an answer. Everything reads as being perfectly thought out, and as he explains meticulously  throughout Politics, doesn't waste words. I love his writing, because as polished and convincing as his work is, I always manage to laugh out loud - I suppose it's just the simplicity of the way he conveys confidence in everything he says, and because as I read his work, it seems as though he is always right. 

I agree with Nick, in that unfortunately the English language has sunken further into an inarticulate mess. In a sad way I find it almost funny, because the problems of language that Orwell is speaking out against seem like such dignified complaints compared to how language has become today. However, his principles of literacy and proper diction still hold true if anyone expects good writing to exist. I've never felt like I was one to come up with good metaphors, or to find the right places to use them without sounding either pretentious or overzealous. But I think Orwell did an excellent job in explaining clearly how to overcome those common obstacles. Which leads me to Anne Lamott's reading....

I read her excerpt immediately after Orwell's, and I found myself looking for the flaws Orwell had pointed out, in Lamott's writing. Surprisingly, I came to find that she adhered quite well to his guidelines for successful writing, and I noticed how doing so made her book an enjoyable read. 

In the past I too have been guilty of writing only one draft of essays. I've always done well in high school english courses, but I've certainly gotten frustrated when trying to express my thoughts without the trial and error process. Also, I have to admit that there is a growing trend of expecting students to use big words and 'scientific' sounding phrases, that many high school teachers are following. I personally wrote a lot of papers that had overly used phrases and words in my high school essays, because I knew it was what my teachers wanted to see. I'm glad that this class is asking for a change in direction though. 

Hopefully these lessons will stay with me for some time, so I can really digest them and become a more veritable writer. Maybe I'll get better at thinking of creative and appropriate metaphors to use as well.