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Animal Farm: A Satirical Allegory of Soviet Communism

Introduction

Animal Farm is a novella by George Orwell, published in 1945. It is one of the most famous and influential works of political fiction ever written. It tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. However, the animals soon face corruption, betrayal, and tyranny among themselves, and their dream of freedom turns into a nightmare.

Why did George Orwell write Animal Farm? Orwell was a socialist who supported the ideals of equality and justice, but he was also a fierce critic of totalitarianism and propaganda. He witnessed the rise of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, which he saw as a perversion and betrayal of the original principles of the Russian Revolution. He wanted to expose and condemn the hypocrisy and brutality of Stalin’s regime, as well as warn people about the dangers of allowing a single party or leader to have absolute power over society.

How does Animal Farm use allegory and satire? Animal Farm is an allegory, which means that it uses a fictional story to represent or symbolize a real historical or political situation. In this case, Animal Farm represents the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1945, and the characters and events in the novella correspond to specific figures and events from Soviet history. For example, Old Major represents Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, the founders of communism; Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, the dictator who ruled the Soviet Union with an iron fist; Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, Stalin’s rival who was exiled and assassinated; and so on. Animal Farm is also a satire, which means that it uses humor, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to criticize or mock something. In this case, Orwell uses satire to mock the pretensions and lies of the Soviet leaders, as well as to expose the suffering and oppression of the Soviet people.

Main Body

The Characters and Events of Animal Farm

The Animals and the Rebellion

The animals in Animal Farm are inspired by Old Major, an old boar who tells them about his vision of a world where all animals are free from human exploitation. He teaches them a song called “Beasts of England”, which becomes their anthem of liberation. After Old Major dies, two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, take charge of organizing the rebellion against Mr. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm. They also formulate Old Major’s ideas into a philosophy called Animalism, which has seven commandments:

The animals succeed in driving away Mr. Jones and his men, and rename the farm as Animal Farm. They celebrate their victory and their new freedom. They also agree to work together for the common good, and to follow the seven commandments.

The Pigs

The Pigs and the Tyranny

The pigs, being the cleverest animals, assume the leadership of Animal Farm. They claim that they need to make the decisions for the benefit of all animals, and that they need to have special privileges, such as living in the farmhouse, drinking milk, and eating apples. They also gradually change the seven commandments to suit their own interests, such as allowing themselves to sleep in beds, drink alcohol, and kill other animals. They use a fierce dog named Squealer to persuade the other animals that everything they do is for the greater good, and that they are following Old Major’s will.

Napoleon and Snowball soon have a power struggle, as they have different visions for Animal Farm. Snowball wants to build a windmill to generate electricity and improve the living conditions of the animals, while Napoleon opposes the idea and wants to focus on increasing food production. Napoleon eventually chases away Snowball with the help of his trained dogs, and declares himself as the sole leader of Animal Farm. He then announces that he will build the windmill after all, but only to serve his own interests. He also starts to trade with the neighboring farms, which he had previously denounced as enemies.

Napoleon becomes more and more tyrannical and oppressive, as he exploits the animals’ labor, reduces their rations, increases their workload, and punishes them for any sign of disobedience or dissent. He also revises the history of Animal Farm, making himself the hero of the rebellion and portraying Snowball as a traitor and a criminal. He even changes the name of Animal Farm back to Manor Farm, and adopts the habits and manners of a human farmer.

The Humans and the Neighbors

The humans in Animal Farm represent the ruling classes and the governments of various countries. Mr. Jones represents Tsar Nicholas II, the last monarch of Russia who was overthrown by the Bolshevik Revolution. He is a cruel and negligent master who mistreats and starves his animals. He tries to reclaim his farm several times, but fails miserably. He eventually dies in an alcoholic stupor.

The neighboring farms represent the neighboring countries that had relations with the Soviet Union. Mr. Pilkington owns Foxwood, a large and neglected farm that represents Britain and the United States. He is friendly but cynical, and he often makes jokes about Animal Farm. He also tries to take advantage of Animal Farm’s problems, such as when he sells Napoleon a pile of useless timber.

Mr. Frederick owns Pinchfield, a small but well-kept farm that represents Nazi Germany. He is a ruthless and greedy man who cheats and attacks Animal Farm. He also represents Adolf Hitler, as he makes a false treaty with Napoleon and then invades Animal Farm with his men. He destroys the windmill that the animals had worked so hard to build.

At the end of the novella, Napoleon invites Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick to a dinner party at the farmhouse, where they toast to their mutual cooperation and friendship. The other animals watch from outside, and realize that they can no longer tell the difference between the pigs and the humans.

The Themes and Messages of Animal Farm

The Corruption of Socialist Ideals

One of the main themes of Animal Farm is how socialist ideals are corrupted by power-hungry individuals who use them as a pretext to exploit and oppress others. Orwell shows how Old Major’s vision of animal equality and freedom is distorted and betrayed by Napoleon and his followers, who turn Animal Farm into a totalitarian dictatorship where some animals are more equal than others. Orwell also shows how socialism can be manipulated by propaganda and revisionism, as the pigs use language to justify their actions and deceive the other animals.

The Societal Tendency Toward Class Stratification

Another theme of Animal Farm is how society tends to divide itself into different classes based on wealth, status, education, or intelligence. Orwell shows how Animal Farm initially starts as a classless society where all animals are equal, but soon develops into a hierarchical system where the pigs are at the top, followed by the dogs, then the horses, then the other animals. Orwell also shows how class stratification leads to inequality, injustice, exploitation, and resentment among different groups.

The Power of Language as a Tool of Manipulation

A third theme of Animal Farm is how language can be used as a tool of manipulation and control by those in power. Orwell shows how the pigs use language to twist the meaning of the seven commandments, to spread false rumors about Snowball, to rewrite the history of Animal Farm, and to brainwash the other animals into accepting their rule. Orwell also shows how language can be used to inspire and motivate people, as Old Major and Snowball use rhetoric and slogans to rally the animals for the rebellion and the windmill project.

Conclusion

Summary of the main points

In conclusion, Animal Farm is a satirical allegory of Soviet communism, written by George Orwell to expose and criticize the corruption and tyranny of Stalin’s regime. The novella uses a fictional story of farm animals who rebel against their human master, but end up being ruled by a dictatorship of pigs, to represent and symbolize the characters and events of Soviet history. The novella also explores the themes and messages of how socialist ideals are corrupted by power, how society tends to form classes based on differences, and how language can be used as a tool of manipulation and control.

Evaluation of the significance and relevance of Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a significant and relevant work of literature, as it not only reflects the historical and political context of its time, but also offers timeless insights and lessons for any society or individual who values freedom, justice, and democracy. Animal Farm warns us about the dangers of totalitarianism, propaganda, and oppression, and reminds us of the importance of critical thinking, moral courage, and collective action. Animal Farm also challenges us to question our own beliefs and actions, and to resist any form of injustice or inequality that we encounter in our lives.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Animal Farm:

• Q: Is Animal Farm a true story?
• A: No, Animal Farm is a fictional story that uses animals as characters to represent or symbolize real historical or political figures and events. However, Animal Farm is based on factual information and research that Orwell gathered from various sources, such as books, newspapers, eyewitness accounts, and his own personal experiences.
• Q: What is the moral of Animal Farm?
• A: The moral of Animal Farm is that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It also shows that people should not blindly follow or trust anyone who claims to have their best interests at heart, but rather think for themselves and stand up for their rights.
• Q: What is the genre of Animal Farm?
• A: Animal Farm is a novella, which is a short novel or a long story. It is also a political satire, which is a type of literature that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to criticize or mock something. It is also an allegory, which is a type of literature that uses a fictional story to represent or symbolize a real historical or political situation.
• Q: Who is the hero of Animal Farm?
• A: There is no clear-cut hero in Animal Farm, as most of the characters are either flawed or corrupted by power. However, some of the characters who show some positive traits or actions are Boxer, the loyal and hardworking horse who always tries his best; Clover, the motherly mare who cares for the other animals; Benjamin, the cynical donkey who sees through the pigs’ lies; and Snowball, the visionary pig who tries to improve Animal Farm.
• Q: What is the significance of the title Animal Farm?
• A: The title Animal Farm has multiple meanings and implications. It refers to the name of the farm where the story takes place, which changes from Manor Farm to Animal Farm after the rebellion, and then back to Manor Farm at the end. It also refers to the idea of animalism, which is the philosophy that all animals are equal and should live in harmony. It also suggests that humans are no different from animals in terms of their behavior and nature.

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