Read "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell
1. Orwell claims that the improper use of such devices as metaphors and similes are a symptom of lazy or slovenly language. What are some of the devices Orwell uses in his essay? Can you find any instances of these very rhetorical devices in Orwell's own writing? If so, how do they stand up to his criteria for the appropriate use of language?
2. How does Orwell feel about the role of euphemism in political language? Do you agree or disagree with him? Can you think of any examples of euphemisms from today's world that act the way Orwell is describing?
3. Orwell seems to have very few positive things to say about the use of rhetorical devices. In just a few words, how would you characterize his attitude toward using these devices? Is his attitude absolute? That is, does it apply to every instance in which one might embellish one's language or are there exceptions to his "rules"?
4. How would you describe his conception of the relationship between thought and language? How do rhetorical devices play into this relationship?