IA Example Tina

Christina Evansevans_c09
Internal assessment
How useful is ‘Homage to Catalonia’ by George Orwell to a
historian studying the reasons for Franco’s victory in the Spanish
Civil War?
Source from - http://assets.fishpond.co.nz/9780141183053-crop-325x325.jpg
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3)
Christina Evansevans_c09
Contents page Section
Page
A. Plan of the Investigation…………………………………………….. 3
B. Summary of Evidence……………………………………………….. 4
C. Evaluation of Sources ………………………………………………. 6
D. Analysis………………………………………………………………...8
E. Conclusion……………………………………………………………10
F. List of sources ……………………………………………………….11
Christina Evansevans_c09
A. Plan of Investigation
This investigation will focus on the novel, ‘Homage to Catalonia’ by George Orwell and
whether it is useful to a historian studying the reasons for Franco’s victory in the Spanish Civil
War. The fact that the novel was based on true events led me to produce this investigation as
it relates to my hometown of Toulouse. There where ‘200 000 [people who] found refuge’1 in
Toulouse and the Spanish culture still has a strong influence today.
I will analyses and assess the values and limitations of the novel, and contrast it with
other sources.2
• Regarding the analysis, it will be broken down into 3 sections. Historical context
and its significance,
• Orwell’s views on the Republican’s defeat,
• Compare this with 2 different interpretations of the Republican’s defeat,
1. The Committee of Non-Intervention,
2. Franco’s strong leadership.
All sections will be supported by the novel and other sources (see bibliography page 12)
Word count – 126
1
http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2009/06/28/630905-Toulouse-honore-les-Republicains-espagnols.html. Retrieved
3rd November 2009
2
such as Pablo Picasso’s painting ‘Guernica’, Ken Loach’s film ‘Land and Freedom’ which is based on ‘Homage
to Catalonia’. I will also use other sources. See bibliography, page 12
Christina Evansevans_c09
B. Summary of evidence
To answer the question I will use Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica3 and the film ‘Land and
Freedom’.4 Furthermore, I will argue my case with 2 factual books, one written by Patricia
Knight5, and the other is by Andrew Forrest6. This will be used alongside newspaper articles
and websites.7
The Novel and its Author:
George Orwell was born in 1903, in India to a family of a ‘lower-upper middle class’8.
Orwell has also written other novels.9
‘Homage to Catalonia’ is part of his journalistic novels. ‘Homage to Catalonia’ was
published on ‘25th April 1938 [which] created some stir but sales were poor and, although only
1,500 copies were printed, they had not all been sold by the time a second edition was printed
for the Uniform Edition on 21 February 1951’.10 It can be said that these figures illustrated
Britain’s judgement of the Civil War and their lack of interest as the Committee of Nonintervention was signed on August 1936 which denounced at giving any help to Spain.
‘Homage to Catalonia’ recounts Orwell’s experiences.11 He first began in the Independent
Labour Party and once he was in Spain joined the POUM (anti-soviet Marxist party formed in
1935). The novel discusses ‘an unrivalled picture of the rumours, suspicions and treachery of
the Civil War’12, writing about his time spent in Aragon and the Barcelona Days as ‘Barcelona,
the main city of Catalonia, was the centre not only of the campaign for autonomy but also of
left-wing opposition.’13 Orwell makes it clear to state the unfairness.14
3
This was painted in 1937 after Picasso saw a newspaper article about the bombings of Guernica. Pablo Picasso,
in his youth was part of the Catalan independence movement and it was said that he deliberately wanted his
painting to return to Spain, only when Franco was overthrown, which illustrates Picasso’s distaste towards Franco
and his regime. (See Appendix B for a photograph of the painting)
4
The film ‘Land and Freedom’ was directed by Ken Loach and released in 1995. It is an example of contemporary
work that depicts the Spanish Civil War. Loach’s film is based on ‘Homage to Catalonia’ and revolves around the
events of the civil war. However, it must be remembered that this film is a socialist film so the depiction of events
are biased.
5
called ‘The Spanish Civil War’ provides a ‘comprehensive descriptive and analytical account’ of the civil war.
Knight, Patricia, 1998, The Spanish Civil War, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-70137-4) back page,
6
Which is called ‘The Spanish Civil War’ that is a ‘narrative, questions and analysis of a wide range of sources.’
Forest, Andrew, 2000, The Spanish Civil War, Routledge (ISBN: 0-415-18211-5) back page
7
See section F – list of sources
8
Orwell, George, Davidson (Editor), Frederick (Narrator) (Editor) (2009). The Road to Wigan Pier (Library.
Blackstone Audiobooks, Inc. (ISBN: 143326501X).
9
George Orwell is best known for his dislike of totalitarianism, like in his novels ‘Homage to Catalonia’, ‘Animal
farm’ (1945) and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1949).
10
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3) A note on
the text
11
from December 1936 to June 1937, where he was a private and a corporal in Catalonia and Aragon.
12
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3) Antony
Beevor, introduction
13
Wolfson, Robert and Laver, John, 1978, Years of Change – Europe 1890-1945, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0340-63087-5) page 461
14
This is due to the fact that there was ‘so much political capital has been made out of the Barcelona fighting that it is
important to try and get a balanced view of it.’ However, to what extent is Orwell’s novel balanced? This will be answered in
Christina Evansevans_c09
The Spanish Civil War:
Despite the fact that Spain did not participate in World War I and thus did not experience
the disastrous effects and consequences; Spain suffered many ‘problems of the combatants.’15
Socio-economically, there were strong divisions between the poor and the rich, some
areas in Spain still functioned with a semi-feudal system. An example of the clash between the
authorities and proletariat is the Tragic Week of 1909. It was a fight of the ‘worker against the
capitalist, Catholic against atheist, anarcho-syndicalist against conservative, regionalist against
centralist, landless labourer against landowner.’ 16 Furthermore, the overstaffed military
combined with continuous change of leadership meant that ‘divisions [were] deepening in
Spain’. 17
This resulted in the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War which began in 1936.18 Orwell
places it down to a lack of co-operation between ranks and the contribution of Stalinist PCE.
However, it also can be due to the Non-Intervention Committee and Franco’s strong
leadership.
Word count – 405
the analysis section. Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-14118305-3), page 137
15
Wolfson, Robert and Laver, John, 1978, Years of Change – Europe 1890-1945, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0340-63087-5) page 461
16
Forest, Andrew, 2000, The Spanish Civil War, Routledge (ISBN: 0-415-18211-5) page 1
17
IBID page 1
18
The Civil War began when a coup d’état was attempted against the Second Spanish Republic and ended in
1939. There are different ways to interpret the reasons for the Republican’s defeat.
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C. Evaluation of sources
Source 1 – [Appendix A]19
In terms of purpose, this source is valuable as states correctly what accompanied the
wave of revolution. This source can be supported by Patricia Knight, a respected historian.
Orwell states that collectivization was implemented by the ‘Spanish working class’ which is
correct as collectivization was ‘owned and controlled by the [Spanish] workforce’20.
Furthermore, Orwell states that factories were seized which is supported by Knight’s evidence
that ‘2,000 factories and retail businesses were collectivised’21. It can be seen from this source
that the ‘adventurous social experiment derived mainly from anarchist ideas’22 as Orwell states
that Anarchists and Socialists ‘were the backbone of the resistance’. With regards to the origin,
this was written ‘less than seven months’23 after George Orwell’s experiences in Spain. It can
be assumed that what was written was therefore reliable as there was a short time span
between his experience and Orwell writing them on paper.
In terms of purpose, the source is limited due to its purpose as it is biased. It states that
the Daily Mail represented ‘Franco as a patriot delivering his country from hoards of fiendish
‘Reds’. The use of the inverted commas indicates sarcasm as Orwell notes how the Daily Mail
has assumed the situation and presumed that Franco is a ‘good’ patriot. With regards to the
origin, Orwell’s account of events can be seen as narrow-minded. He has glorified his
experiences of the events and can even been seen as obsessive about portraying his political
views. He has written ‘Animal Farm’, ‘1984’ and ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’ which are
all texts that highlight Orwell’s distaste for totalitarianism.
19
(source - Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3)
page 199 – 200)
20
Knight, Patricia, 1998, The Spanish Civil War, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-70137-4) page 46
21
IBID
22
IBID
23
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3) page 2
Christina Evansevans_c09
Source 2 – [Appendix B]24
In terms of purpose, this source is valuable as it illustrates effects of the Guernica
bombing that occurred on April 26Th 1937. It is a ‘testament to the horrors of Fascism’25. Pablo
Picasso painting was based on ‘modern technology’26 for the Paris Exposition. The purpose of
this source is to emphasize the outcome of war and the modern technology of today; the
effects of the weapons of mass destruction. With regards to the origin, it is valuable as the
painting was painted in 1937. It was painted in the ‘first two months of the international
teaching campaign in April-June of 1937’27. This means that it was painted after the events of
the Guernica Massacre. Therefore it can be assumed that Picasso did indeed use the events
as inspiration for this painting.
In terms of purpose, there are some limitations. It is only the public that has understood
Picasso’s painting to be a representation of the events of Guernica as it is rather a symbolic
painting of tragedy and suffering of war, in general.28 It can be said that the public was only
trying to find a link between Picasso’s painting and a historical event.29 The deliberate act to
transform the sufferings of the Guernica bombing creates means that this piece does not act
as a document of truth but rather a sympathetic portrayal of the events. With regards to the
origin, it can be said that the Guernica painting was a propaganda piece for the Paris
Exhibition.
It has limitations as this painting undoubtedly portrays Picasso’s own political views and
sympathy towards the Republicans.30 Picasso once stated that “in ... Guernica, and in all my
recent works of art, I clearly express my abhorrence of the military class which has sunk Spain
in an ocean of pain and death.” Picasso insisted that the work of art should not return to Spain
until Franco’s regime was overthrown.
.
Word count – 596
24
(Picasso, Guernica, 1937, Oil on canvas, 349 cm x 776 cm, Currently at the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.)
http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/ARTH200/guernica.html Retrieved October 8, 2009:
26
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/guernica_nav/main_guerfrm.html Retrieved October 8, 2009
27
http://www.artpapa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12649 Retrieved October 8, 2009:
28
This is because Picasso’s scene is set at night, when Guernica occurred in the day time.
29
Picasso once said that ‘it isn’t up to the painter to define the symbols. Otherwise it would be better if he wrote
them out in so many words! The public who look at the picture must interpret the symbols as they understand
them.’ http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/guernica_nav/main_guerfrm.html Retrieved October 8,
2009
30
Picasso once stated that “in ... Guernica, and in all my recent works of art, I clearly express my abhorrence of
the military class which has sunk Spain in an ocean of pain and death.” Pablo Picasso speaking in 1937.
25
Christina Evansevans_c09
D. Analysis
Importance of the investigation in its historical context:
The novel ‘Homage to Catalonia’ is historically significant as it illustrates the effects of a
Civil War on an individual. It is important to remember that his participation in the events were
based just on his time spent in Aragon and Catalonia, which were not where the bulk of the
civil war occurred. Therefore, his novel is an insight on the effect the civil war had on smaller
villages in Spain.
The civil war was significant at the time because of the effects it had on Britain. The
signing of the policy of appeasement by Chamberlain in 1937 is proof of how the Spanish Civil
War scared Britain into pleasing Hitler
This novel is of great importance today as the truth about the Civil War is still being
discovered.31
Orwell’s views on the causes of the Republic’s Defeat:
There are ways that the novel is useful to a historian studying the reasons for Franco’s
victory. George Orwell believes the divisions of the ranks and the involvement of the Stalinist
PCE was to blame for Franco’s victory:
To begin, Orwell thought that it was ‘idiotic that people fighting for their lives should have
separate parties’ but this was inevitable as everyone ‘took sides sooner or later’. The lack of
the co-operation affected Orwell.32 An example of this was the decision to collectivize Spain’s
industry and agriculture. The film ‘Land and Freedom’33 lively portrays a scene where an
assembly was called discussing the collectivization of the land and the effects of the
misunderstandings.
31
where ‘the matter of exhumations is still controversial in Spain 70 years after’ the end of the Civil War. It has
been said by historians that there were “tens of thousands of victims [which] still lie unidentified in mass graves
around the country”. Since Francisco Franco’s death in November 1975, gradually Spain has begun to investigate
into the past and discover the truths of the Civil War. A recent example of an important discovery is the body is
the infamous Federico Garcia Lorca’ who wrote a series ‘powerful plays [such as] Blood Wedding, Yerma, The
House of Barnarda Alba and The Public. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/oct2003/lorc-o11.shtml retrieved 10th
October 2009
32
This is ‘because [he] was serving in the POUM militia and not in the PSUC. So great is the difference between
two sets of initials.’32 There were over 7 different political parties with ‘their tiresome names – PSUC, POUM, FAI,
CNT, UGT, JCI, JSU [and] AIT’32 and as a result ‘every subsequent reshuffling of the Government was a move
32
towards the Right. ’ Despite the fact that ‘as a militia-man one was a soldier against Franco’, and the difference
between some parties were small, these differences were significant enough to prove damaging for the
Republicans. - Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-183053) appendix I, page 198
33
Land and Freedom, directed by Ken Loach, 1995 ASIN:
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Orwell states that ‘the expulsion of the POUM from the Catalan Generalidad, was done
under orders from the USSR’34. The Republic had to stay anti-revolutionary as USSR had an
‘alliance with France, a capitalist-imperialist country’35 which promoted a ‘French-Spanish bloc
which, linked with Britain, would curtail German expansion.’36 This was beneficial to USSR as it
isolated the Trotskyist, the CNT and the POUM who wanted an immediate revolution. This
meant that the ‘PCE took the lead in improving the militia training.’37 The Republican army
consisted of ‘junior army officers’38 combined with their ‘inexperience and lack of initiative’39
which added dramatically to the Republican’s weaknesses.
Different interpretations of the Republican’s defeat:
Orwell highlighted that USSR tried to calm the revolution wave down but did not explain
why. This was due to the Non-Intervention Committee (NIC), which was signed by Britain and
France; due to their mistrust in socialism. At the time, Britain, like Germany was a capitalist
country fighting against what USSR had created; a working class country. By 1951, not even
‘1,500 copies’40 had been bought in Britain which portrays the effects of the NIC and Britain’s
hostile attitude towards the civil war.41
Orwell did not state that the British and French mistrust was down to Franco’s strong
leadership which was reinforced by the aid of Germany and Italy. The bombing of Guernica
emphasized to the British Hitler’s power and brutal tactics. This is portrayed in Picasso’s
painting42. To contrast the Republican’s strength, by the end of 1936, there was roughly
’45,000 Italian troops in Spain, in addition to planes, tanks and munitions.’43
Orwell had a dislike for totalitarianism which is seen in his novel ‘Down and out in Paris
and London’ and ‘1984. ‘Homage to Catalonia’ was his 2nd anti-totalitarianism novel. It is
because of his intense time spent between men who were all fighting for an almost poetic
cause, and so a novel thrives on intimate details of events. A participant of the war described
how he was ‘sort of infected by the enthusiasm’44 during the civil war. Frank Mills statement is
an example of how participants became fascinated by the war which illustrates why Orwell
glorifies the war. Orwell’s enthusiasm is shown in Chapter 6.45
Word count – 627
34
IBID page 204
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3) Page 207
36
Knight, Patricia, 1998, The Spanish Civil War, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-70137-4) page 70
37
Forest, Andrew, 2000, The Spanish Civil War, Routledge (ISBN: 0-415-18211-5) page 60
38
Forest, Andrew, 2000, The Spanish Civil War, Routledge (ISBN: 0-415-18211-5) page 61
39
IBID
40
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3) A note on
the text
41
The NIC also meant that the ‘denial of French aid was a great blow to the Republicans’ so USSR needed to
portray themselves as anti-revolutionary. However, the Republicans were restricted for armaments and forced ‘to
rely on the Soviet Union as its sole means of support’. Knight, Patricia, 1998, The Spanish Civil War, Hodder &
Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-70137-4) page 72
42
See list of sources - appendix B
43
Knight, Patricia, 1998, The Spanish Civil War, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-70137-4) page 66
44
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,395360,00.html Retrieved 3rd November
45
See appendix C
35
Christina Evansevans_c09
E. Conclusion
George Orwell’s novel cannot be fully trusted as a source for the reasons for Franco’s
victory. This is because the novel is more of a descriptive novel rather than informative. If the
novel was to be looked at as though it was informative, then only the facts must be considered
remembering that Orwell was part of the POUM militia. The novel is useful as an example of
the experiences of one person and a work of history, to be appreciated for Orwell’s descriptive
intensity of the events of the civil war.
The novel is successful for its portrayal and intensity of focused events, where Orwell
incorporates both facts with emotive language. It seems hard to distinguish whether the novel
can be relied on for the events of the Spanish Civil War as Orwell based his novel on true
events.
However, the novel is, at times, too focused on his experiences, blinded by the intensity
of the feeling of comradeship. It seems that Orwell has not considered that Stalin’s aid was
actually beneficial for the Republican’s and allowed them to fight for longer and not succumb to
Franco.
Word count – 187
Christina Evansevans_c09
F. List of sources
[Appendix A] – George Orwell – Homage to Catalonia, 1938. Appendix I, page 199 - 200
“The Spanish working class did not, as we might conceivably do in England, resist Franco in
the name of ‘democracy’ and the status quo; there resistant was accompanied by – one might
almost say it consisted of – a definite revolutionary outbreak. Land was seized by the
peasants, many factories and most of the transport was seized by the trade unions, churches
were wrecked and the priests driven out or killed. The Daily Mail amid the cheers of the
Catholic clergy was able to represent Franco as a patriot delivering his country from hoards of
fiendish ‘Reds’…
Even if one had heard nothing of the seizer of the land by the peasants, the setting up of local
Soviets etc, it would be hard to believe that the anarchists and socialist who were the
backbone of the resistance were doing this kind of thing for the preservation of capitalist
democracy, which especially in the anarchist view was no more than a centralized swindling
machine. “
[Appendix B] – Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937, Oil on canvas, 349 cm x 776 cm,
Currently at the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid. Source: taken by myself, August 2009,
[Appendix C -]
‘lasted long enough to have its effect upon anyone who experienced it… one realized
afterwards that one had been in contact with something strange and valuable. One had been
Christina Evansevans_c09
in a community where hope was more normal than apathy or cynicism … one had breathed
the air of equality’.46
Websites:
Anonymous author, Guernica: Testimony of War, Retrieved October 8, 2009, from Treasures
of the world, The PBS organization:
•
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/guernica_nav/main_guerfrm.html
Anonymous author, Toulouse honore les Républicains espagnols, Retrieved 3rd November,
2009, from La Dêpeche newspaper.:
http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2009/06/28/630905-Toulouse-honore-les-Republicainsespagnols.html
Anonymous author, Picasso's Guernica, , Retrieved October 8, 2009:
•
•
http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/ARTH200/guernica.html
Barton, Laura, The late starter: Frank Mills, Retrieved the 3rd November, 2009, from the
Guardian newspaper:
•
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,395360,00.html
Stuart, Paul, Spain: Federico Garcia Lorca’s body to be exhumed - Victim of Franco’s
Falangist militia, written October 2003, retrieved October 10, 2009, from World Socialist Web
site:
•
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/oct2003/lorc-o11.shtml
Wood, Danny, Spanish Civil War Bodies Exhumned, Retrieved October 8, 2009, from BBC
Web Site:
•
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8098443.stm
Books:
Forest, Andrew, 2000, The Spanish Civil War, Routledge (ISBN: 0-415-18211-5)
Knight, Patricia, 1998, The Spanish Civil War, Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-70137-4)
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-14118305-3)
Woflson, Robert and Laver, John, 1978, Years of Change – Europe 1890-1945, Hodder &
Stoughton (ISBN. 0-340-63087-5)
46
Orwell, George, 1938, Homage to Catalonia, Penguin Modern Classics, (ISBN. 978-0-141-18305-3) page 8788
Christina Evansevans_c09
Paintings:
Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937, Oil on canvas, 349 cm x 776 cm, Currently at the Museo
Reina Sofia, Madrid.
Source: taken by myself, August 2009,
Pictures:
Front cover - http://assets.fishpond.co.nz/9780141183053-crop-325x325.jpg
Retrieved September 2009
Films:
Land and Freedom, directed by Ken Loach, 1995 ASIN: