George Orwell Matters! discussion

Here is the thread to discuss The Spike by George Orwell.

A "spike" was slang for a workhouse, or a hostel for vagrants. This is a down-to-earth look by George Orwell at what life was like for those who had no home. As usual, he wrote from his own experience.

If it is not in your collection of essays, you can read it here:

https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-...

This thread will open for discussion on New Year's Day.

If some of this essay feels familiar to you, it might be that some of the events are also in George Orwell's first book Down and Out in Paris and London. He wrote this essay first, in 1931, and rewrote these events for his book, published in 1933. He had intentionally lived as a vagrant in and around London as part of a social experiment which would form the basis of his first book.

Even though this was written so long ago, it really brought home the plight of the homeless to me. He describes institutionalising very well. And I liked how close he got to some of the vagrants, so that he knew them as individual people rather than just "cases" - or as will have been thought at the time - a social problem. The ending was so very poignant; showing the sense of comradeship and fairness those who lived on the streets of London had.

I can see his background in journalism here - so many sharp details, and everything is described so vividly.

It strikes me that much nowadays is different; I don't think shelters nowadays would provide food such as this. But much is also the same - "guests" cannot leave at least one nearby shelter except at very predefined hours for instance. They are not quite locked in from the outside, but it is pretty close. I think the reason for the restrictions at the shelter I'm thinking of has to do with deals the shelter has made with the local neighborhood to alleviate concerns about "undesirable" elements attracted to the area and walking about there.

I also have had many conversations with guests that are similar to the conversation Orwell has with the young carpenter, where the tramp judges the other tramps, saying "only the bad food as keeps all that scum away." The carpenter seems to have a deep need to feel separate from the others. I wonder if there is something psychological going on there . . . after having had to live in such dehumanizing conditions and after being so constantly judged as "scum" or subhuman, maybe the carpenter needs to mentally separate himself from all of the crushing judgement by setting himself apart as a special case?

It's interesting that very early in the piece, Orwell says, "We defiled the scene." The judgement and self-judgment in the word "defiled" is telling. And a bit later, Orwell compares the treatment they get to "sheep at the dipping pond." They aren't treated as human beings, and that's a devastating thing psychologically when it happens repeatedly.

Orwell's description of the conditions at the Spike overall are harrowing.

If Victorian workhouses were similar, I have a much better understanding for why in A Christmas Carol there's the line: "Many can't go there; and many would rather die."

Two last things:

* I think there's a typo in the essay at the link? When it says "As always happens in the spike, I had at last managed to fan comfortably asleep when it was time to get up," I assume "fan" was supposed to be "fall" here? Or is there a slang meaning for "fan" that I'm just not familiar with?

* I was puzzled by the phrase "parcel of tommy". I couldn't find it in my dictionary, but somewhere online, it said "tommy" was a soldier's slang word for bread. Is that right?

I think this is a difficult read, but it seems a good time to post it. Those without homes are always with us, and winter (at least in the Northern hemisphere) must be unbelievably harsh.

Yet somehow George Orwell picks up on our common humanity, and in parts I found this essay both sensitive and droll - for example the ending. That fag ends could be perceived as so precious - and yet freely given when it seemed "right" to do. This feels so poignant.

Greg - I liked the points you made very much. The part about food was interesting for me too, and struck me as ironic. The idea that they were not allowed the surplus from another place was just an example of ridiculous rules, and red tape, from another time.

I'm not sure what sort of food shelters offer now. It probably varies, although some organisations take hot food on to the streets. We have food banks, and some libraries are opening up to offer food, because some people cannot afford to heat where they live. These are both very recent phenomenons.

The tramp and the carpenter "seem[..] to have a deep need to feel separate from the others. I wonder if there is something psychological going on there."

Yes, I was alerted to this too, and think you are absolutely right. However cheery and chipper they might behave, they are (rightly) keen to protect their dignity and pride. Sadly this seems to consist in describing someone who is worse off, as therefore worse, than they are.

You make great observations about the dehumanising effect, making them feel they are labelled as somehow subhuman. Thank you so much for these astute observations Greg. You have really distilled the true meaning of this essay for us.

Yes, I agree "fan" must be a typo. Also that meaning is correct :)

I hope others will read this and add comments, now the New Year Festivities are over.

Such a story of debased humanity, it tears one’s heart-strings as he delineates this diary of coarse inhumane behaviour dressed up as “charity” or “welfare”. No wonder, he caught Tuberculosis and probably a few other illnesses, I suspect? I’m sure that the doctor was only utilised for the diagnosis of smallpox which had no treatment bar quarantine in a “fever hospital”, rather than anything else. In these post-Covid days, the “spike” or “workhouse” clearly was a melting-pot of infectious disease aided by malnutrition. Perhaps they have now been renamed refugee camps?

That's a depressing final thought Boadicea. Also, I wonder if his self-imposed dedication to experience poverty, war-zones etc. for himself, to get to the roots of injustice did indeed shorten his lifespan. I know he was shot by a bullet in the neck, but if I tried to live in those conditions of the spike it would quite literally kill me. So what did it do to his overall health, given that it was not good anyway?

That was a brutal read. Orwell's descriptions of the place and his fellow inmates give us a good idea of how harsh it was and how inhumanely they were treated. Being locked in all day was cruel, since the place was so bleak.
Things may be marginally better now, but sadly there is more homelessness than even three years ago.
The waste of the good food was appalling!

There probably was more homeless years ago. These days events and happenings were made much more public.

"The Spike" was a depressing, but very informative, essay showing what Orwell personally experienced. Orwell was a talented investigative journalist combining an overall view of the situation with looks at some of the individual men and their circumstances.

It seemed like the Spike was trying to make things as unpleasant as possible by doing things like letting the bread dry out until it was rock-hard, and turning off the steam heat. There was no acknowledgement that many of their clients' problems were a matter of luck, rather than laziness. It would be impossible to stay healthy in the atmosphere of the Spike, and the men would not be able to work if they got sick. Boadicea's and Jean's comments about Orwell's health are spot on.

The workhouse next door had more food than the people could eat on Sunday while the workers went hungry the rest of the week. What mismanagement! Most poor families would be putting the leftovers in the soup pot on the next day in their own homes.

I wondered why the Spike didn't enlist the help of the homeless men to pump water so there could be many more tubs of clean water so everyone could clean up and rinse out a few garments.

I wasn't surprised that the Spike was locked at night because homeless shelters are locked even today. In addition to not bothering neighbors as Greg pointed out, the shelters are concerned with the safety of their employees and the other clients. The clients are checked for drugs and alcohol when they enter, and not allowed reentry if they leave since many suffer from substance abuse. The long-term shelters expect their clients to help out with food prep, cleaning, laundry, etc.

I was wondering if the city governments did not want to attract the homeless to their cities, so they made sure that the Spike was terribly uncomfortable and similar to a jail. They could pat themselves on the back that they were being charitable, but they exhibited little humanity.

Excellent review. Detailed and many facts. Some of this type of literature can be depressing. Some people think that others are in this type of lifestyle because of laziness. Not always. Good review.

This continues through February. If you haven't yet looked it's a powerful but rather grim read (we'll have something more light- hearted next month!)

The Spike is just about the first essay George Orwell wrote, but if it's not in your collection, then there's link to read it online in the first comment.

And LINK HERE for my review, for a little more info, if you'd like to.

Hello, all,

I have belatedly arrived at reading this essay, and am glad I did. It has me wanting to pick up a copy of Down and Out in Paris and London. This essay is an excellent piece of journalism. Like the Tramp Major, I do find myself relating to Orwell as different than the others in the spike. It was quite informative to read Jean's review and get that he had chosen this life for a time.

I agree that education is a huge resource in this circumstance. I do agree that "emptiness of belly leaves no speculation in their souls."

P.S. I wonder if I have heard some version of the Unhappy Bella song that is referenced. There's a folksong that Oscar Brand recorded that might be it:
Lyrics: https://genius.com/Oscar-brand-bella-...
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Twk...

I'm so pleased you added your thoughts too. And what a find! Thanks Jennifer 😊

I like this - haven’t finished yet. It’s got good pace and it is very good descriptive writing. >)

Bionic Jean wrote: "I'm so pleased you added your thoughts too. And what a find! Thanks Jennifer 😊"

Jean -- you are most welcome! I am a longtime fan of many kinds of music. I had a friend whose parents owned that particular Oscar Brand recording (how odd is that?), so I remember hearing that recording as a child. I had forgotten all about it until Orwell's essay tugged at that thread! My friend and I eagerly pulled it out to listen to because the title said that the songs were bawdy. Suffice it to say that this one is as bawdy as a I remember any of them getting.

P.S. I am updating the link above. I found a full-length recording.

I had no idea what the song was, Jennifer, but just assumed a music hall ditty.

Mark - I'm pleased you're enjoying it, and look forward to your final thoughts.

Bionic Jean wrote: "I had no idea what the song was, Jennifer, but just assumed a music hall ditty.

Mark - I'm pleased you're enjoying it, and look forward to your final thoughts."

Thank you, Jean. I’m pleased to be here. >)

Orwell's astute observational traits really show in this essay. I enjoyed his descriptions and views, even if they saddened me a bit.

I found it sad to read that these people "defiled" an otherwise idyllic scene. They've been made to think of themselves as subhuman, when all they need is a helping hand.
The carpenter who couldn't afford tools to work, for example. Had someone invested a few pounds in this man for tools, he would have repaid Society tenfold.

I, too, found the food wastage at the Workhouse deplorable, especially given that the men are served only dry, hard bread...and not enough of that to fill the belly.
I also agree with "emptiness of belly leaves no speculation in their souls". Hunger takes away our curiosity, wonder and turns the world dark and hard.
I think in today's shelters the food is more nutritional and warming to the body. But, from what I hear, so many would prefer not to go to the shelters, if possible, so things aren't much better now than in Orwell's days. That may be because of drugs or the fear of theft, perhaps, or because there's no ability to truly relax alone. Our shelters have dorm-like settings, not single rooms.

Despite being seen as subhuman and being given no dignity or understanding, these men were honorable and decent people. No one stole Orwell's buried 8 pence. Borrowed cigarettes are repaid. The men are comfortable travelling together should their paths merge for a short while. These small deeds show determination, honesty and value.


This essay made me want to reread Down and Out in Paris and London, which Jean has told us this essay was a part of.

I really enjoyed Down and Out in Paris and London, Petra. My favourite non-fiction piece by Orwell.

Laura Cot, I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. I read way, way back in my 20s and still remember it (but not the details). It may be time for a reread sometime this year.

Adding a few thoughts:

Orwell had to bury his 8 pence because it was against the law to have money in a spike. Does anyone know more about this? Why couldn't a man have 8 pence on him in order to have a bed and a piece of bread given to him?

The conditions of the spike are difficult to imagine. Not only is the food deplorable and non sustaining, the rooms are tiny and without light, and the men are locked in for 12 hours. Imagine sitting alone in a tiny room with no light for so long, with no one to talk with or anything to see or keep the mind busy in any way. Even if one had a book, as the carpenter did, one couldn't read it in the dark.

It was a sad thing to read that no one was saved from the possible life of a tramp. The elderly had to tramp all day (the 74-year old), as did those who couldn't fend for themselves (the "imbecile"), and those in need of medical care in a hospital.
While all the 48 men and 1 woman needed more help than they were getting, the elderly, sick and the handicapped particularly need help in coping and managing. I feel for those poor souls who had to keep moving each day when they needed extra care & attention.

There's a missed opportunity in this spike (and possibly others). The men are left alone in the dining room all day long. No one keeps tabs on them, as seen by their being able to smoke unseen in the room. This is further proof that these men are not seen by Society and are invisible to all.
Given a little bit of attention and respect, these men could be helped up. There's a song that says "But the good news is there's angels everywhere out on the street, Holding out a hand to pull you back upon your feet". I hope these men found their angels somewhere.

In the workhouse, Orwell hears that the excess of food is only on Sunday and the inmates are hungry the other 6 days. One wonders why the abundance of food on one day when that food could have served the other 6 days as well. It's a weird system.

The more I read and reread this essay, the sadder it gets. I can only hope that we're doing a better job today. We still have a lot to improve upon, but I hope it's better than in Orwell's days.

Finished. Liked it very much. >)

Petra wrote: "Why couldn't a man have 8 pence on him in order to have a bed and a piece of bread given to him? ..."

I don't know - I'm just surmising - but can think of 2 possible reasons:

1. A moral precept left over from the workhouse rules: that if you have any money at all, you are not strictly "destitute".

2. Another likely rule - that if there is money around it could encourage thieving.

Both of these might seem overly authoritarian to us, but then perhaps today's equivalent might be that when we enter hospital as an inpatient we are advised not to take any money, valuables or jewellery with us.

Thank for your thoughtful observations, Petra.

I'm really pleased you enjoy it so much too, Laura and Mark. These are horrible conditions, but George Orwell writes of them so lucidly, with a wry observational eye, that it is a pleasure to read.

Thank you, Jean! >)
I enjoyed Orwell’s narrative very much. It was light and airy despite it’s serious subject. It was fun to read!

Jean, thank you. The explanations make a kind of sense, I suppose.

For myself, I would prefer my 8 pence in my pocket rather than buried outside (where presumably one of the 48 others saw me bury it). My chances of keeping it are better on my person than exposed like that. LOL.

It's a sad statement to deny a person with 8 pence a bed and a meal because they are not destitute.

I'm only surmising though!