Written in 1936,

was the culmination of almost two months (31 January 1936 to 25 March 1936) spent by Orwell in Lancashire and Yorkshire researching the conditions of the poor and unemployed in northern England. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part comprising largely descriptive material and the second part consisting of largely judgmental opinions and conclusions.

In Part I of The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell describes the appalling conditions he encountered, particularly the plight of mining families where the male collier was unemployed for reasons of market-forces, illness or disability. In order to probe the painful experiences of proud, reserved and defensive miners, Orwell leant heavily on the police skills of interviewing, interrogating, and

2071 words

Citation: Williams, Nigel. "The Road to Wigan Pier". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 May 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=7600, accessed 21 November 2024.]