Stuart Chase Character Analysis

An American economist and socialist whom Orwell mentions in his discussion of “abstract language” near the end of the essay. Throughout “Politics and the English Language,” Orwell opposes the use of abstract language. For instance, Orwell claims that “abstract” language distorts the truth within one’s mind, “blurring or even changing your meaning.” He also claims that abstract language makes it difficult for “people to think.” But Orwell stops short of advocating against all abstract language, and he specifically objects to Chase’s claim that “all abstract words are meaningless” (Orwell’s words—not Chase’s). Orwell claims that Chase’s attempt to wholeheartedly eliminate abstract language is a means of silencing dissent or a “pretext for advocating a kind of political quietism.” Orwell provides no other background information about Chase, but Orwell’s readers likely recognized the name: Chase was an American Communist whose book, The Tyranny of Words, indeed argues that abstract language is meaningless language.