In the same essay, Said (who is reviewing Peter Stansky and William Abrams, co-authors obsessed with the Blair/Orwell distinction) congratulates them on their forceful use of tautology:‘Orwell belonged to the category of writers who write.’...

At a certain point talk about ‘essence’ and ‘oneness’ and the universal becomes more tautological than inquisitive.

Being who you are for ever is the price you pay for im­mor­tal­ity.