Essay Questions

Why does the book start out with Bowling traveling to obtain a pair of false teeth?

It may not seem important, but this trip is a building block for the reader to understand George Bowling. During the trip, he travels to London, and is reminded of his childhood by many things. Without the trip, we wouldn't have another way for Bowling to tell us of all of the things he did when he was younger, and no way for the reader to get a sense of his character. Although it may not seem like a beginning that draws you in, it is simply a device used to connect you with the characters.

What does Bowling realize after he travels to his hometown?

After visiting his hometown, Bowling realizes that the world is not as good as it may seem. He doesn't like the idea of progress, as it completely destroyed memories of his childhood. Leading to a theme of the book, visiting his hometown makes him ponder why things have to change and how insignificant his life is in the scheme of things. Usually, books have the reader think about how important they are, but Orwell takes the opposite approach, informing the reader that alone, they cannot do anything.

Why did Orwell write this book? Why is it so different from his other novels?

Orwell has two famous books, Animal Farm and 1984. However, when this book was released, only 2000 copies sold. One of his earlier books, Coming up for Air has a different style than his later, more successful books. Coming up for Air does in fact have a great theme and storyline, and it was well received. However, it simply wasn't what the public was looking to read in a time of war; something happier would have sold better, but Orwell likes to tell the truth in symbols. Many of the ideas in this book have roots in Orwell's own childhood, leading to why he wrote the book in the first place. His brother-in-law claims that George Bowling is supposed to represent him, and perhaps a member of the Orwell family had the thoughts that Bowling expresses.