George Orwell was an English novelist, essayist, and journalist, born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Bihar, India). He is best known for his novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, both of which are considered classics of dystopian literature.

Orwell was raised in India until he was one year old when his family moved back to England. His father was a British civil servant, and his mother came from a family of French-English descent. Orwell attended boarding school in England and won a scholarship to attend Eton College, where he was a mediocre student. After finishing school, he decided not to go to university and instead joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. He resigned from the police force in 1927, disgusted with the British Empire and the treatment of the Burmese people.

Orwell returned to England and began writing. He spent time living in poverty, working menial jobs, and immersing himself in the lives of the poor and oppressed, which would later inform his writing. He adopted the pen name George Orwell, which he used for the rest of his life.

In 1936, Orwell fought in the Spanish Civil War as a member of a Marxist militia group. His experiences there led him to become disillusioned with the Communist Party and influenced his political views. He believed strongly in democratic socialism and was a vocal critic of totalitarianism, imperialism, and censorship.

Orwell's first book, Down and Out in Paris and London, was published in 1933 and chronicled his experiences living in poverty in those two cities. His next book, Burmese Days, was a novel based on his experiences in Burma. He went on to write several more novels, including A Clergyman's Daughter, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and Coming Up for Air.

In 1945, Orwell published Animal Farm, a political satire that used animals to represent the major players in the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Soviet Union. The book was a critical and commercial success and solidified Orwell's reputation as a writer.

Orwell's last book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, was published in 1949 and is considered one of the greatest dystopian novels of all time. The book is set in a future society where the government has complete control over every aspect of citizens' lives, and the protagonist, Winston Smith, rebels against the system.

George Orwell had a significant impact on the West, particularly on the literary and political landscape. His writings and ideas continue to be influential to this day, and his works have become classics of English literature.

One of the major impacts of Orwell's writing was his critique of totalitarianism and authoritarianism. In his works, he exposed the dangers of a government that has complete control over the lives of its citizens and the importance of individual freedom and privacy. His works, particularly Animal Farm and 1984, continue to be read widely today and are often used as cautionary tales against the dangers of authoritarianism.

Orwell's influence is also felt in the realm of politics, particularly in his advocacy for democratic socialism. He believed in a society where wealth and power were distributed more equally and where individual freedom was valued over the interests of the state. His works continue to inspire political activists and thinkers, particularly those on the left of the political spectrum.

Orwell's writing also had an impact on the language itself. He coined many phrases and terms that have become part of the lexicon of modern English, such as "Big Brother," "Thought Police," and "doublethink." These terms have become cultural touchstones and are often used to describe modern-day political and social issues.

Overall, George Orwell's impact on the West can be seen in his lasting legacy as a writer and political thinker. His ideas about individual freedom, government surveillance, and the dangers of totalitarianism continue to resonate with readers and thinkers today.

Orwell was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1947 and died on January 21, 1950, at the age of 46. His legacy as a writer and social commentator lives on, and his works continue to be studied and analyzed today.