In the Misery of Paris and London

Down and Out in Paris and London is an autobiographical work, through which the author aimed to draw society's attention to the poverty that existed in such affluent cities. The novel was published in 1933. It was the writer's first major work, and it was here that he first used the pseudonym "George Orwell."

Orwell grew up in an aristocratic but poor family, and after graduation, he left England for its eastern colonies, where he served in the police. Disillusioned with the system, he resigned, lived in London, then in Paris, where he earned a living washing dishes, gaining experience and impressions that would later fill his novels and essays. According to him, he "atoned for the colonial sin": "I deliberately wanted to put myself in the shoes of those whom I had willingly or unwillingly humiliated for five years, I wanted to become a victim and a failure. The thought of prosperity, even the most modest, was repugnant to me then."