Character Motivation in Burmese Days
             Throughout the novel Burmese Days George Orwell vividly describes both the thoughts and emotions of the characters. The character's appearance is depicted in detail, which helps the reader in understanding what is that the character wants and what they are willing to do to get it.
             John Flory is the hero of the piece. He is deeply flawed in many ways though he tries his very best to be just. A factor for a teakwood company, he retreated to Burma in the face of an inability to come to terms with English society. Flory despises racist hypocrisy of his fellow Englishmen who indulge themselves on judging the natives whom they know little about as 'dirty and greasy' creatures'. He is friendly with Dr. Veriswami, a native physician, but the gulf between Europeans and Indians is too large to bridge the gap of Flory's loneliness. When the magistrate U Po Kyin and Dr. Veriswami fight over who will be admitted as the first and only native member of the European Club, Flory is caught in the middle. He wants to act decently towards his friend by electing him but is at the same time pressured by U Po Kyin's threatening letters. Flory is motivated to help his friend because in his heart it is the right thing to do. This however, goes against the ways of the European and catches U Po Kyin's immediate attention. U Po Kyin strikes Flory instead of Dr. Veriswami and brings down Flory by publicly humiliating him. Flory's motivation to help his friend is what brings the story its tragic nature.
             U Po Kyin, the villain in the novel, is a man without any sympathy, and is known to be notorious thought the town. This man causes much of the mayhem and chaos in the novel. He desires one last victory before settling down to a life of religious repentance through compassion: he seeks admittance to the European Club. But the Club in the wee town of Kyauktada, where the novel's action ta...