Description
Is language political? Explore this question through “Politics and the English Language” using these guided reading questions! Students will compare George Orwell’s essay to the texts provided within this resource. Suitable for online learning and Google Classroom®!
Included with this Analysis of “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell:
- Hyperlinks to Supplementary Resources
- Examine historical events and excerpts from George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984
- Explore Harry Truman’s speech, “Statement Announcing the Use of the A-Bomb at Hiroshima”
- Comprehension and Discussion Questions for “Politics and the English Language” – Digital & Print
- Writing Prompts for Comparison Paragraph – Digital & Print
- Detailed Answer Key
- Teacher Instructions for using this resource
How to use these Worksheets for “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell:
George Orwell’s essay, Politics and the English Language, is an insightful exploration of the signification of language and how it can become construed to serve a political agenda. In this essay, Orwell critiques the decline of language, arguing that vague, imprecise, and misleading language is often used to manipulate public opinion and obscure truth. He exposes how political figures and institutions use euphemisms, jargon, and passive constructions to deceive rather than inform. By analyzing the ways in which language can be corrupted, Orwell aims to encourage his audiences to think deeply about the use of particular diction and figurative language to avoid the collapse of the English language. His essay remains highly relevant today, serving as a warning about the dangers of miscommunication, propaganda, and linguistic distortion in political and public discourse.
This essay is a challenging read for students, but it serves as a useful lesson for young readers and writers alike. Orwell’s writing is dense, intellectual, and layered with historical and political references, requiring careful analysis to fully grasp his arguments. You can encourage your students to read slowly and mindfully, breaking the essay into sections for discussion. With the use of this guide, students will be supported in conceptualizing the political power of language, developing a stronger awareness of how language can shape ideology and influence thought. This lesson is especially important in the context of 1984, as Orwell’s novel directly reflects the dangers he describes in Politics and the English Language. Concepts such as doublethink and Newspeak exemplify how language can be weaponized to control societies, reinforcing the essay’s key arguments.
Part A of this resource has students examine Politics and the English Language from a figurative and rhetorical angle through a series of question prompts. These prompts encourage students to analyze Orwell’s use of metaphors, rhetorical devices, and examples of poor writing that illustrate his concerns about linguistic decay. Students will explore Orwell’s proposed solutions, such as his six rules for clear writing, and consider how these principles can be applied to their own writing. This section is designed to build students’ critical reading and analytical skills, helping them recognize the deliberate choices writers make in shaping their messages.
Part B prompts students to write a comparison between this essay and one of two applicable texts—Orwell’s Principles of Newspeak or Harry Truman’s Statement Announcing the Use of the A-Bomb at Hiroshima. Links to these supplementary resources have been provided so that students can closely analyze these texts in relation to Politics and the English Language. This comparative exercise encourages students to think critically about the intersection between politics and language, examining how Orwell’s warnings about political speech manifest in real-world examples. By analyzing Newspeak, students will recognize how Orwell’s fictional language serves as an extreme illustration of his arguments in Politics and the English Language. Meanwhile, Truman’s statement offers an opportunity to explore how political figures use language to frame historical events, justify actions, and influence public perception. Teachers may choose to model one comparison paragraph using one of the texts, while allowing students to analyze the second text independently.
To consolidate these activities, a detailed answer key has been included with this resource. While answers for the long-answer portion of this resource will vary, the answer key provides sample responses and guiding notes to support student understanding. These sample answers can be used to model strong responses, highlighting effective ways to structure analysis and integrate textual evidence. This resource also allows for flexibility—you may choose to guide students through a collaborative discussion, or assign individual written responses to assess comprehension. By engaging with Politics and the English Language, students will not only refine their critical thinking and writing skills, but also develop a more informed and discerning perspective on political rhetoric, media, and communication in the modern world.
✨ Kindly note that due to copyright restrictions, this resource is not editable. This is a common practice within the online marketplace in order to protect the clipartists and software providers that have authorized their intellectual property for the development of this resource.
See what other teachers are saying about this Politics and the English Language:
“I really enjoy the literature you choose to dissect with students. It’s edgy and thought-provoking and this is no different. In my AP English class we read Moby Dick and The Scarlet Letter which was not fun at all. I’m a huge fan of Orwell and it was fun reading through these questions. Thanks for sharing!”
– Rebecca H.
⭒ For classrooms utilizing Google Classroom® ⭒
To access the digital version of these worksheets, simply follow the instructions within the resource to copy the files directly to your Google Drive®.
