Finally: The Rat’s Voice is Heard
George Orwell Studies
(Volume 9, Number 1)
*
At a recent Zoom event organised by The Orwell Society to discuss some of the latest Orwellian publications, biographer D.J. Taylor bemoaned the fact that, given the seemingly endless spin-offs of Nineteen Eighty-Four, it would not be long before ‘1984: The rat’s tale’ appeared. I burst into laughter (fortunately my Zoom was on mute) and immediately dropped David a line suggesting he ponder writing a short story on that theme for George Orwell Studies, the biannual journal which I jointly edit with Tim Crook. Much to our delight, David agreed.
And so it is published for the first time in the forthcoming issue of GOS (Vol. 9, No. 1). It offers a very, very funny and original twist to Orwell’s (in many ways) deeply gloomy dystopian masterpiece. Perhaps ‘The rat’s tale’ will now set a new trend and we’ll shortly have ‘1984: By O’Brien’s servant, Martin’, or ‘1984: Winston Smith’s wife, Katherine, finally has her say’.
David Taylor (getting into the spirit) comments: ‘I am currently at work on Coming Up For Air: Hilda responds’ and ‘Life in Kyauktada: Some reminiscences by Dr Veraswami’.
To accompany the short story there is a wonderful front cover illustration by 16-year-old Lincolnshire schoolgirl Ivy Hall. What talent!
All this features in the lead diary item in the Times Literary Supplement of 11 October 2024 (complete with Ivy’s painting of a rat holding up a placard proclaiming ‘Long Live Big Brother!’).
The rest of the upcoming issue of George Orwell Studies (in its own way, I guess, yet another Orwellian spin-off) reflects the overall priorities of the journal. Along with the short story, there’s a lively mix of genres: academic, theoretically underpinned papers, more discursive articles, an interview, poetry inspired by Orwell, book reviews and an anonymous diary column. Contributors include Orwellian experts, early career researchers, well-published poets and an extremely talented undergraduate student.
Indeed, the journal packs in so many original insights into Orwell, the man and his writings – all of the copy (even when tackling complex theoretical issues) written in accessible language aiming both to entertain and inspire. In other words, following in a distinctly Orwellian tradition.
- Subscription details for George Orwell Studies, which is completely independent of The Orwell Society, are at http://www.abramis.co.uk/george-orwell-studies/.
Should that be ‘1984, The Rat’s Tail’ – sorry about that!
Imagining Lance’s laughter makes my day, and the ‘original insights’ are most welcome at a Trumpian time when we need to present Orwell to the world in as many different ways as possible (I’ve got a board game in mind where Big Brother goes to jail and stays there).
I was surprised and delighted by the Orwell Society making the songs to One Georgie Orwell a Christmas present to members. I’m looking for a school/college/drama group to learn some of the songs – Coming Up For Air works well, I think – and maybe record them on Spotify or one of those ‘platforms.’ Contact me at pcordwell08@gmail.com if you are interested.
A book on the show – script, songs and lyrics – will be published soon on Amazon. Anyone can have the show for free.