Title: In Defence of Quietism: “Inside the Whale” and Orwell’s Literary View

Abstract: In “Inside the Whale,” George Orwell highly regarded Henry Miller’s controversial novel Tropic of Cancer as a non-political and non-moral endorsement of quietism. The essay therefore was widely accepted as a proof of Orwell’s depression and despair. However, this acceptance was over-simplistic and clouded Orwell’s literary view elucidated in the text. He appreciated Miller’s courage to identify with the common man, and despite misinterpretations, the faith of the common man remained the foundation of all Orwell’s literary emotions and attitudes. Amid the torrent of leftist propaganda, Miller swung the pendulum of art in the opposite direction. This non-political stance formed a counterbalance, functioning as a pivotal weight for Orwell to uphold a middle-ground position when the scales of literature and politics were severely tilted. In Miller’s complete despair and his being complete true to the feelings of impotence, his novel signified to Orwell a realization of rebellious spirit and an undercurrent of hope, which made Orwell’s defence anything but a declaration of pessimism. Miller’s view ultimately became a hazy background for Orwell’s positive self expression.

Keywords: George Orwell, Henry Miller, “Inside the Whale,” quietism, literary view

Author: Shouyi Luo, Lecturer, School of Foreign Studies, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

DOI: 10.19967/j.cnki.flc.2026.01.016