"The atmosphere of orthodoxy is always damaging to prose, and above all it is completely ruinous to the novel, the most anarchical of all forms of literature"
- George Orwell
About this Quote
This quote by George Orwell speaks with the power of literature and the significance of freedom of expression. He is recommending that when an environment of orthodoxy is present, it can be harming to prose and crippling to the book. By "orthodoxy", Orwell is referring to a set of beliefs or doctrines that are accepted as authoritative and not to be questioned. He is stating that when this kind of environment is present, it can stifle creativity and expression, which is especially harmful to the unique, which is the most "anarchical" of all types of literature. In other words, the novel is the most free-flowing and unrestrained kind of literature, and when orthodoxy exists, it can be challenging for authors to express themselves freely. Orwell is stressing the significance of freedom of expression and imagination in literature.
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