What is the impact of Solnit’s blending of the biography, memoir, and essay genres? Is one mode more successful than the others? Why or why not?

How did war affect Orwell, according to Solnit? How did war influence Orwell’s observations and writing?

Choose one of Orwell’s best-known works of fiction: Animal Farm or Nineteen Eighty-Four; how does Solnit’s exploration of Orwell’s motivations and beliefs inform your understanding of his novel? What nuances wouldn’t be obvious without the context Solnit offers?