Detailed Book Review: Analyzing Orwell's The Road to Wigan Pier

This book review critically examines George Orwell's 'The Road to Wigan Pier,' focusing on the book's context, author, and background. It explores the sociological investigation of working-class conditions in Lancashire and Orwell's perspective on British attitudes toward socialism. The review delves into the methodology used, including secondary and social research, and discusses ethical considerations. It also provides an overview of the book's themes, such as bleak living conditions, poverty, and the challenges faced by the working class, including issues related to healthcare and education. Finally, the review touches on the book's legacy and impact.

BOOK REVIEW

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................3
Context of the book...........................................................................................................................3
The author.........................................................................................................................................4
The background and perspective.......................................................................................................4
Methodology and methods................................................................................................................5
The book itself...................................................................................................................................6
The legacy of book............................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Book review is a process that is about to provide a review and projection about a
certain academic writing. The entire process of book review is to provide reader of the book
some level of guidance about the quality of book, the concept of which entire book is based
on, the reason behind writing the whole book, what are the perception author has created in
against to written down the entire book, aim of the book and so many aspects that are
highlighted in against to the book review. The process of book review is very strategic and
analytical. The aim of the entire practice is to analysis the basic fundamental and reasons
behind writing down the whole book. This book review is based on The Road to Wigan Pier
by George Orwell book in context to its formulation. The entire project will discuss about the
context of book, reason behind writing the entire book and all other elements associated with
the book. In this book review project context of the book will be discussed. The time book
was written what was like social, political and cultural term in that era. Background
information about the author of the book will also provide under this project. Background
information over the book will also provide in this project. Methodology and methods used
under the book would also highlight under this project. Furthermore, project will discuss the
book itself that would comprises with the facts like overview of the book, theme related
information, issues and arguments raised in book and all other details will highlight under
this project. Legacy of the book is also a part of this project.
Context of the book
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell book was written in the year 1937. This
time was very crucial as the people were very much aware about the books in that era. In
term of social environment the book could receive a very bright response as the people were
interested in the book. The social terms were very bright as people all across the globe has
always been keen towards reading different books and the new book is already under the
centre of the talk of people. The society is always been well aware about all the new
published books and people in developed countries have always tried to initiate all the efforts
in reading of all the new published books. Political situation was also favourable for the
reader and the authors to publish the books (Fox, 2017). Books been written from many
centuries that itself indicate a fact that people all across the world like to read books and
explore the level of understanding with support of the books and academic presentation.
Cultural term were also very good in that time. At some level of political instability could be
seen in that era that could also somehow influenced the overall response book could have

accepted. The book was self produced that could allow the author more pressure and this
could also cut a cost of the publication at some level. All this has influenced the pricing of the
book that could further impact over the profit generation against the book has published.
The author
George Orwell is the author of the book The Road to Wigan Pier. The author is born
in the year 1903. The author is further died in the year 1950 (Høgsbjerg, 2019). The author of
the book was novelist, essayist, journalist and literary critic. Eileen O Stalinism is the spouse
of the author. The author was born in Motihari, Bengal Presidency, and India. The author has
a pen name call as George Orwell. Being a writer author has produced literary criticism and
poetry, fiction and polemical journalism. The author was born in India that could further
allow an Indian impact over the writing documents of the author. The childhood of the author
was well enough in contexts to the financial situation and the family position. The economic
condition of the family of the author was like upper middle class that could allow his father to
provide a quality educational support. Childhood contain a very important part in the literary
documents presented by the author as every book writers write always reflect a some level or
context of childhood reflection. Richard Walmesley was the father of the author and lda
Mabel Blair was the mother of the author.
The background and perspective
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell was commissioned in two different parts.
The first half of the book was based on the sociological investigation of the bleak living
condition among the working class in Lancashire and the other part of the book is based on
the middle class upbringing and further development of the political, conscience, questioning
British attitudes towards the socialism (Zanatta, 2018). The book and te author has tried to
demonstrate a very wide area with support of the book. The author has came with a particular
viewpoint in this book as the first half of the book critically demonstrate about the lifestyle of
the people and the way they earn money. This is a very critical area that author has touched
with the spam of the book. The latter half of the book was more like awarding people about
the significance of the upbringing in the middle class economic background (Hudson, 2019).
The author has certainly depicted the mentality of the people in the country about different
situations. On the basis of the study of the book this can certainly indicate that author has
tried to depict the way people in middle class society used to live and earn and also depicted
the fact that the way people used to think in that era is also depicted under the book. Every
author contains some kind of purpose behind writing down the entire book. Purpose

completely guides the direction of the book. If the book do not contain any purpose this
would affect the quality of the book and the findings against the book. This is also crucial and
important that the author trying to target a particular area or segment. This is equally
important for the author to cover all areas and aspects while writing down the whole book.
Methodology and methods
In against to write the book call as The Road to Wigan Pier research has also become
a key ti success in the book. The author has tried to depict the fat that in those time the way
people used to earn and the way people used to move forward the family. The research was
conducted with support of the literature sources and the author has also utilised the already
available information to complete the whole study (Ingle, 2019). The secondary research is
done by the author to collect all the facts and information over the lifestyle of people and the
sources of earning of the people in that time. Internet played a significant role for the author
to collect and generate all the facts and information collected by the author to deliver the
entire study. Use of reliable sources is mandatory for the authors so that best form or level of
information could be collected by the author against writing down the whole book. The
secondary research also involves the use of already conducted research study over the similar
topic or the same topic. The George Orwell has explored every possible book and article to
clear out the information regarding the different areas in those time to collect the best suitable
information to involve under the book.
Social research has also conducted by the scholar with support of the other writers and
authors that have already been involved in writing books over the same topic. The author has
tried to approach every single source in against to complete the entire study. The data
collected is about te income of people, expenses of the people, inflation, currency value, per
capita income and such like facts and information has been collected. The standard of living
related information is also generated that involve the way people used to live in those time
and many such information that could allow the writer to provide an authentic direction to the
overview of the entire book (Maunsell, 2020). Every book is significantly influenced with the
fact that how effective the information is used and explored under the book. Ethical issues
about the income and mindset of people and the way they used to think about different areas
and aspects have been considered in against to complete the book. The pros of all the
information is such that reader of the book find it more authentic to read the book, also the
reliability of the book get stronger with support of all the facts and information used under
the book. Social research also influenced with the individual own thinking ad mentality of the

writer. This is a major negative aspect about the social study. This could also consider certain
ethical issue like the authenticity of the book and the information used under the book. Many
times the book could completely become fictional in such a situation that can completely
affect the essence of the book.
The book itself
The book is based on the aspects ad facts that the living style of the people based on
bleak living condition. The bleak workers faced very difficult situations and conditions in
against to ensure the living priorities. The first half of the book depicted the fact that bleak
living is the people belong to the labour class. The book precisely depicted the fact that how
life is totally different for the poor people and economically unstable people. The book
clearly and precisely demonstrated the fact and aspect that in the situation of poverty and
deprivation the situation is entirely different. Book clearly stated that in the situation of
poverty this is even a bigger challenge to collect the food twice in a day and even many times
people needed to stay hungry due to not having proper money (Rodden, 2020). The author
has clearly indicated in the first half of the book that people are facing plenty of issues in
generating financial resources and financial stability at such level where they are capable
enough to meet the food requirements twice a day. The struggle of poor people has been
shown in the book by the author that this made it more difficult for the people living in poor
that they face a huge challenge in meeting up the food and other essential requirements. The
life style is very challenging for the people that they also face medical issues. The people
facing poor people who are not capable to meet up the food requirements twice a day is
equally very challenging for them to treat all the diseases they face (Williamson, 2019).
Author has denoted that poor people do not get proper medication and treatment with
efficient doctors and professionals. All this create a huge challenge for the people in getting
the proper treatment against all the disease they face. This also become reason in majority of
cases where these people require facing issues like death of family members on which entire
family is dependent. The book has shown that these people require thinking most of the time
about the certain ways to save the money just to meet up the daily food requirements. This
can certainly depicted the aspect that life is equally different from these people.
Education is also a major challenge for the poor people. They are not capable enough
to educate the children’s even in majority of cases children’s do not get to educate themselves
even at a school level. Most of the children’s do not visit the school ever in life. This is a
huge challenge that could not allow the poor people to go out from the poor. This is not

significant for these people that they get to educate their children’s due to lack of finance
resources that could let the children’s to do the same work and remain as a poor. The first
half of the book has been strategically designed in such manner that the reader gets the full
insight over the lifestyle of the people in such a time (Salton-Cox, 2021). This is a basic
nature of the book that it clearly depicts the complete details about the life style of the people
in that time. This made it more realistic the facts that the author has mentioned under the
book to make it more reasonable for the reader of the book. The second half of the book
depict the mentality of the people in that time about the political, social, technical and such
like situation and condition i that tine. The book can be seen as a key knowledgeable element
that could offer the best form of belief and knowledge to all the reader of the book.
The legacy of book
The book has left the legacy behind that depicts that earlier also people used to have a
some kind of belief ad mentality. Even in the situation of poor people used to think
intellectually. The book has depicted the fact that this makes it more significant for the people
to have knowledge of different background and area such as politics, social environment and
such like factors. The book has left the legacy behind that been the poor people should
contain a progressive mentality and mindset that could make them more capable to deal with
the situation of poor (Taylor, 2020). The legacy of the book is such that this is important for
every individual to bet aware with all different aspects and factors of society so that overall
growth and development possibility could been develop for itself. This would only support
the people to understand the actual situation and make it more significant to deal with all
obstacle and challenges. Also the book has depicted the fact that poor is always a part of
every society. This is always been associated with the downtime of the society in which we
all live. The book has clearly depicted that this is important to respect the poor people and
give them complete support like others.
CONCLUSION
This is a book review of the book call as The Road to Wigan Pier. The book is based
on earlier time and depict about the life style of the people. The book has clearly defined the
involvement of poorly in the life of people. This can be clearly understood that this book has
clearly reflected the fact that how people used to live in that time even after facing poorty and
also face all the challenges. Also this book reflects the mindset of people in respect to their
views over social, political, economical and such like elements.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Fox, P., 2017. Nicola Wilson. Home in British Working-Class Fiction. DH Lawrence
Review. 42(1-2). pp.201-205.
Høgsbjerg, C., 2019. Gemma Romain. Race, Sexuality and Identity in Britain and Jamaica:
The Biography of Patrick Nelson, 1916–1963. London: Bloomsbury Academic,
2017. Pp. 264. $114.00 (cloth). Journal of British Studies. 58(3). pp.668-670.
Hudson, C. A., 2019. The New Poverty. Alternate Routes: A Journal of Critical Social
Research.
Ingle, S., 2019. Orwell reconsidered. Routledge.
Maunsell, J. B., 2020. The Writer as Reporter: Portraiture in Literary Reportage and
Documentary Writing. European Journal of Life Writing. 9. pp.43-69.
Rodden, J., 2020. French Connection, Part 1. In Becoming George Orwell (pp. 141-174).
Princeton University Press.
Salton-Cox, G., 2021. Timely Interventions: Queer Writing of the 1930s. The 1930s: A
Decade of Modern British Fiction, p.155.
Taylor, R., 2020. George Orwell. Manchester University Press.
Williamson, A., 2019. Cramsie, British Travellers and the Encounter with Britain, 1450–
1700.
Zanatta, L., 2018. ‘Awake! oh you young men of England’The Construction of National
Identity in Orwell’s Essays and Novels (Bachelor's thesis, Università Ca'Foscari
Venezia).