George Orwell is perhaps best known, especially to those who have attended American high schools, as the author of two prominent works: Animal Farm and 1984. However, he did far more than write these two novels. Other works of his include non-fiction books, journalism pieces, and essays in which he discussed social issues of the time.

His significance as a commentator on society can easily be seen when one looks at the themes of his two most famous novels. Both Animal Farm and 1984 look closely at social injustices and themes such as politics and the economy, with parallels between the conditions of characters within those novels and real life issues such as Stalinism in Russia or censorship in the media.

Though Orwell died in 1950 at the age of 46, his works remain as relevant today as they have ever been. Through critical analysis of his stories, which are written in clear and concise prose but hold deep and meaningful messages, a reader can gain a greater understanding of the world that they live in. It is for this reason that George Orwell remains an important literary figure and his books have become classic works.