Theme 1: Animal Farm is most famous in the West as a stinging critique of the history and rhetoric of the Russian Revolution. Retelling the story of the emergence and development of Soviet communism in the form of an animal fable, Animal Farm allegorizes the rise to power of the dictator Joseph Stalin. In the novella, the overthrow of the human oppressor Mr. Jones by a democratic coalition of animals quickly gives way to the consolidation of power among the pigs. Much like the Soviet intelligentsia, the pigs establish themselves as the ruling class in the
The pigs employ various tactics and express ways of thinking that convince the animals that they are better off than they had
Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegorical story to the Russian Revolution due to the characters and plot points mirroring events and people in the Russian Revolution. The story takes place on a farm in England in which animals revolt against their human owner Mr Jones. Within that farm they decide to go towards animalism, which is the belief that animals should take over of their farm and go by commandments to keep peace within that farm. But then power is over thrown throughout the book by main character Napoleon, a pig who thinks he is superior due to being a pig and many other pigs who think the same. Some animals are worked to death and rules are changed within the farm power corrupts by the over powering of the pigs. In the book
The fictional book Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is about Mr. Jones’ farm of animals who rebel against him and make their own society. Although equal at first, the pigs slowly create a peerless government due to the malleable minds of the rest of the animals. I the end, the pigs have broken all of their originally set commandments and begin to act as humans at the dismay of all of the other previously equal animals. Three topics addressed in this amazing book are anthropomorphism, foreshadowing, and motif.
When first reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm, one might assume it to be a simple narrative about Farm Animals. However, through closer analysis, you begin to see the allegorical connections and satire of the work. By drawing parallels to certain major events and individuals from the Russian Revolution, Orwell is able to provide a political commentary about the harsh conditions caused by the Revolution. In George Orwell 's Animal Farm, he uses Napoleon, Snowball, and Mr. Jones to show the allegorical connections, as well as its satirical motives.
Allusions allow him to convey hidden messages regarding Soviet Russia and its leaders. The majority of the characters in Animal Farm allude to powerful figures in Russia’s history. This novella presents different allusions which all lead up to the main allegorical theme. For example, Napoleon the leader of Animal Farm is an allusion to Joseph Stalin, similarly he uses attack dogs to subdue and keep the animals loyal. Furthermore Napoleon and Stalin were both manipulative dictators with a lust for power. Here the conditions the animals suffered are described, “Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half”(24). This quote shows how Napoleon manipulated the animals so that they were forced to either work unrealistic hours or starve. The pigs represent the Soviet ruling class because they are greedy, lazy, and manipulative.When Napoleon attacks Snowball and drives him to exile he is imitating the way Joseph Stalin drove his former friend Leon Trotsky to death. Animal Farm itself represents the location of Soviet Russia in which the allusion is describing the actions of its history. This book is a re-enactment of what dark and horrible things occurred in the history of Soviet Russia. It represents the lessons that were learned during this time and teaches the
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell, is a story to show how absolute power corrupts, just as Stalin’s power did during the Russian Revolution in 1917. In the allegory “Animal Farm” each character represents a political figure from the days around the Russian Revolution. For example, Joseph Stalin is represented by a pig named Napoleon, Squealer, another pig, represents Stalin’s propaganda department, and the dogs represent the Secret Police (KBG). Using the nine dogs that Napoleon raises (intimidation), Squealer (propaganda), and manipulation, Orwell illustrates how Napoleon was able to gain and maintain control of the farm. The nine dogs that stay by Napoleon at all times are useful for Napoleon to gain and maintain control of the farm because they scare the other animals, intimidating them so that they do not disobey Napoleon. Napoleon also uses manipulation to gain and maintain a firm control by changing the Commandments for the farm in ways that work to his benefit. Squealer, Napoleon’s propaganda department, Keeps the farm animals believing in Napoleon by describing what they hear and see to make it seem harmless. Using effective tactics of fear, convincing propaganda, and manipulation, Napoleon gains and maintains control of Animal Farm.
First and foremost, the pigs start changing the commandments to fit their acts and desires. In the beginning of the story, the animals decide on fair rules that everyone on the farm should abide by. But as the months go on, the pigs change them to their benefit, giving them more power and luxury. The quote, “when the terror caused by the executions had died down, some of the animals remembered that the Sixth Commandment decreed ‘No animal shall kill any other animal’...Muriel read the commandment for her. It ran: ‘No animal shall kill any other animal without cause’,”(Orwell 98) shows that the pigs obviously change the commandment before the other animals got a chance to read it. This happens more times as the book goes on, and shows the pigs abusing their power by changing the commandments to fit their actions and desires. One such time was when Napoleon kills the traitor animals, and also when the pigs start to drink alcohol. After these events, Squealer writes extra words on the wall to change the meaning of
How are allegories relevant when discussing societies issues of human nature? George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm explores this question through the characters in his book. The Novel was based around people and events of the Russian revolution that occurred during 19… and revealing many truths of human nature and existence throughout the novel. George Orwell portrays his characters as animals with human traits and allows readers to infer what he is revealing about human nature through these characters. 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.
Animal Farm by George Orwell is a story about animals that rebel against their owners on a farm. They then try to solve problems on how to run a farm. One theme in this story is ”Not everyone is equal; some people believe that they are more superior than others.” This theme is demonstrated by Napoleon, he’s a dictator and makes all the rules in the farm to fit his needs. Another theme in this story is “People deserve to have their own thoughts and ideas. This theme is demonstrated by the animals, they have different thoughts about Napoleon from when he was murdering the animals just for having different ideas about him and other things.
The government told the human race that nothing is wrong, it was just the citizens’ fear of the worst. So people did not worry about their lack of food or unsafe working conditions because they had no reason to distrust the government. They never realized that their idea of a utopia slowly slipped through their grasp. Rather than maintaining utter perfection in respect of laws, politics, customs, and conditions, the government remained in oppressive societal control; everything appeared ideal, but once examined closer, the true horrors came to light. The novel Animal Farm continues to stand as the best example of a dystopian society. It illustrates the story of a farm run by pigs after overthrowing Man. One pig specifically, Napoleon,
"Orwellian" is an adjective that describes the condition of the society that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society. The adjective suggests an attitude that is controlled by propaganda, the denial of truth, and manipulation of the past. In George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, George Orwell develops his ideas about the Russian Revolution through a highly satirical story written in the form of a fable. The characters represent actual people in history during the Russian Revolution, which took place in the years between 1917 to 1944, as it talks about a story of a farm rebelling against a human owner and establishes their own way of running the farm, which was effected by Old Major’s speech who talked about a society where all workers led the society, with no actual leader. However, imbalance of power occur as the pigs, who are the smartest of the animals gain influence by supervising other animals to work. In this process, Squealer plays a significant role in comforting the animals and keeping the farm in peace. Squealer does this by persuading the animals through his persuasive speeches. In this novel, George Orwell illustrates the huge influence a speech can have on the society’s mind and on individuals.
[A]Everyone wants to be something and do something remarkable, and be something bigger than themselves. How does hopes, dreams and goals affect people’s daily lives? [B]The desire to be someone and do something aspires everyone.[B] The will to do what needs to be done to fulfill that desire, however varies from person to person, because they set limitations for themselves. [C]With hopes, dreams and goals those limitations can be relieved.[D] Hopes, dreams, and goals demand that people give their all and strive to become more than they or others expect them to be.
Revolutions are fundamentally unavoidable when democracy fails to exist. Revolutions occur when people feel unjust and mistreated. In Animal Farm, George Orwell writes of a revolution by farm animals against their human leader, Jones. The lack of a democracy and harsh inequality is the root cause of this revolution. In December of 2010 large uprisings and revolutions started around the Middle East and Northern Africa known as Arab Spring. In mid-March of 2011, the Syrian people protested the torture of students and fiercely demanded reforms, then, the government killed four protesters. This results in a full blown civil war, still ongoing to this very day. In both of these cases, revolutions are fighting against the politics of barbaric totalitarianism
Animal Farm is a novel written by George Orwell that serves as an allegory for the Russian Revolution. The characters, events, and rulings in the novel coincide with the real like Russian characters, events, and rulings. The animals represent the political figures in the Russian Revolution and they also mimic the policies and philosophies of these figures. Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian revolution for its extensive similarities to the political figures and rulings.