Animal Farm: An Allegory To The Russian Revolution

The animals revolted against Mr. Jones and his workers on his farm and the Romanoff’s were overthrown by the Bolsheviks and the Russian people. This connection describes how communism requires the eradication of any previous regime before it can take effect. The biggest overall connection is between Animal Farm and the Soviet Union. They both were formed after a revolution. Both of the revolutions were inspired by the principles of Communism/animalism.

They experienced vigorous labor in dangerous conditions for little pay and were without food and money countless times. The Russians did not hate the Tsar at first as they blamed their troubles on the government, however an event called Bloody Sunday changed their minds. Citizens began to protest outside of Tsar’s palace where many were shot and killed by soldiers. This turned them against the man they once trusted. World War I also occurred during Tsar’s reign and ultimately killed many unskilled and unequipped Russian soldiers.

The corruption and dictation of the government was what inspired George Orwell to write Animal Farm. In both events, propaganda is widely used in various ways and was effective. Despite the differences between the propaganda used in World War II and Animal Farm, both of them aims for the same goal - to rule as a dictator. People uses fear to make people follow what they say since they don’t want to get hurt. As what has happened in Animal Farm, Napoleon declared “Snowball’s expulsion” (Orwell 54) without the Comrades’ approval since they made noises of disapproval.

George Orwell portrays Joseph Stalin as Napoleon the pig in the book Animal Farm as a ruthless tyrant that manipulates the public with a false hope in order to have things in his favor. The main cause of the Russian Revolution was due to the failing leadership under an autocracy. Before the Russian Revolution, the working class would endure poor working conditions and suffer from poor wages. “As a result, there were many strikes and constant conflicts between the workers and the police” (“The Russian Revolution of

The ensuing rebellion under the leadership of the pigs Napoleon and Snowball leads to the animals taking over the farm. Vowing to eliminate the terrible inequities of the farmyard, the renamed Animal Farm is organised to benefit all who walk on four legs. But as time passes, the ideals of the rebellion are corrupt, then forgotten. This is all due to the lust for power that the pigs Napoleon and Snowball have that made them all selfish and corrupted. Animal farm in context to The Russian Revolution in terms of corrupting influence of power : Orwell 's goal was to portray the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the early years of the Soviet Union that resulted in a more oppressive and deadly government than the one it overthrew.

Using the examples of Napoleon and Boxer this essay will discuss the truths of human nature and express the traits of these characters both good and bad including; loyalty and obedience as well as selfishness and greed. Napoleon represents the corrupt political dictators that have been in power before and even after the novel was written. He slowly and subtly put himself into power of the farm and was very manipulative in the way he got there. The animals were always ensured that everything he did was for the good of the farm but as the book goes on Napoleon’s hunger for power is revealed. It shows the extent he will go and lies he will tell to ensure the power he has isn’t taken away.

This is well explained by Edwin T. Bowden in his essay, “The Okies and Isolation”. Here he explains that “there are plenty of “others” to hold the Okies in isolation. Sometimes they act out of the brutality and hatred born of fear, as the depties who destroy the Hooverville camps. Sometimes they act out of selfishness and desire for personal gain, as the orchard owners who break up the strike against starvation wages,” (Bowden, 71). This shows the tension between the tenant farmers and the authorities.

This shows that napoleon felt threatened by Snowball and was worried he would take over the farm so he used his dogs to try to kill Snowball so Napoleon could have no choice but to rule the farm. Like Napoleon, Stalin would get rid of anyone who would rebel against his rules or disagree with what he was doing...According to the article "Stalin Banishes Trotsky" by the Editors of History.com, “He ordered someone to kill Trotsky.” This evidence

After he exiled Snowball off of Animal Farm the food supply gets was a little less for the animals than when Mr. Jones was around. Napoleon had kept majority of the food for him and other pigs to eat. This point goes back to how Napoleon was selfish showing that in Animal Farm power does corrupt those who posses it. In the book Animal Farm Orwell shows us that power corrupts those who possess it through the character Napoleon by showing us he is selfish, manipulative, and abusive. Napoleon likes to do things and worry for his own good and not worry that much about his citizens.

Napoleon had all the privileges and rights to amend the rules to fit his needs but there were severe consequences for those who questioned his authority or broke the rules he had established. The four pigs who had protested when Napoleon abolished the Sunday Meetings were singled out to be colluding with Snowball and pressured into confessing their crimes. The dogs “promptly tore their throats out” in front of all the animals. The hens that took part in the rebellion confessed that they were incited by Snowball appearing in their dreams and they were duly slaughtered along with a string of other animals. Along with power, corruption seeps into the farm.