Keep the Aspidistra Flying facts for kids

Keep the Aspidistra Flying is a novel written by the famous author George Orwell. It was published in 1936 and was Orwell's third book. The story is about a man who decides he doesn't want to chase money. Instead, he tries to live a very different kind of life.

About the Book's Creation

Orwell's Own Experiences

Like the main character in the story, George Orwell himself worked in a book shop for a while. He used his own experiences of living with very little money to help him write the book. These real-life struggles gave him many ideas for the story.

Orwell's Opinion of His Work

Interestingly, George Orwell later said he did not like this book very much. He even said that it should not be printed again until after he had passed away. This shows that even great writers can sometimes feel unsure about their own work.

Main Characters and Story

Gordon Comstock's Choice

The main character in Keep the Aspidistra Flying is a man named Gordon Comstock. He used to have a job that paid him well. But Gordon decided to quit that job. He took a part-time job in a book shop instead. This allowed him more time to write poetry, which he loved.

Struggling with Money

Because of his choice, Gordon does not have much money. He finds it very hard to pay for basic things. He struggles to afford food and a place to live. The story explores his challenges and his strong feelings about money and society.

The Aspidistra Symbol

An "aspidistra" is a type of houseplant. In the book, it becomes a symbol of a boring, middle-class life that Gordon wants to avoid. He sees it as a sign of people who care too much about money and fitting in.

Images for kids

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  Book cover of a Penguin Books edition.

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  Two aspidistra plants – "The types he saw all round him, especially the older men, made him squirm. That was what it meant to worship the money-god! To settle down, to Make Good, to sell your soul for a villa and an aspidistra! To turn into the typical bowler-hatted sneak – Strube's 'little man' [–] What a fate!" (Ch III)