ANIMAL FARM
ZAID ASMAL
12.1
TITLE: ANIMAL FARM
AUTHOR: GEORGE ORWELL
GENRE: ANIMAL FABLE/BEAST FABLE
SETTING: THE MANOR FARM
SUMMARY OF PLOT:
Animal Farm by George Orwell is a political allegory that uses satire to
show the events that led up to the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the rise
of the Soviet Union. The story is set on Manor Farm where the animals are
inspired by an elderly pig named old major into starting a mutiny and
overthrow their human owner, Mr. Jones, to create a society where all
animals are equal. The pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, become the leaders,
but as the story goes on snowball and Napoleon get into an argument
where Napoleon uses the attack dogs to take control. Napoleon begins to
rule with an iron fist and soon starts to become just like the humans that
they once overthrew. The pigs then start to become just like humans, and
it ends with the pigs allying with another human farmer. The animals not
being able to tell the pigs apart from the humans. “All animals are equal,
but some animals are more equal than other”.
Animal Farm can change a person’s views on power, leadership, and
political revolutions. The book shows how dangerous unchecked authority
is and the ways movements can be turned by those in power, leading to
oppression. The book makes readers think about how power structures are
set up in real world political systems. The transformation of the pigs from
liberators to oppressors shows the importance of transparency and
accountability in leadership.
THE MAIN HIGHLIGHT OF THE BOOK:
The main highlight of the book for me was the moment at the start of the
book in which the animals overthrew Mr Jones and took over the farm. It is
my highlight of the book as I believe that it is one of the most powerful
and important moments in the story. It sets the stage for the main story to
begin. This moment also foreshadows the betrayal of their pigs. As the
pigs take control, the reader begins to see the corruption that will take
place throughout the novel, making the initial victory of the animals feel
hollow as the story progresses. This also shows the significance of this
moment.
CHARACTER SKETCHES:
In Animal farm the characters are all symbols to represent something in
society. There are 10 main characters, but I will only go through 4 so it
doesn’t take too long. Old Major: The wise and elderly boar who inspired
the Rebellion with his vision of animal equality. He starts the plan for the
animals to overthrow their human oppressors, making the start of the
Revolution. Napoleon: he is a power hungry pig who becomes the dictator
of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. He manipulates the other animals,
using fear and violence to maintain control, becoming just like the humans
they originally overthrew. Napoleon symbolizes Joseph Stalin and
totalitarian regimes. Squealer: A pig who acts as Napoleon’s
spokesperson, he uses propaganda and lies to keep the regime's control.
Squealer manipulates the truth and convinces the animals that their
situation is improving. He represents the propaganda machinery of
totalitarian states. The Sheep: they are easily manipulated and “simple
minded”, the sheep blindly follow Napoleon’s commands and slogans, like
“Four legs good, two legs bad” and later, “Four legs good, two legs
better.” They symbolize the people who are easily swayed by propaganda
and follow authority/dictatorship without questioning it.
THEMES:
There are 3 main themes in the book: Class, Equality and Inequality and
power and control.
In Animal Farm, G. Orwell uses the animals to show the hardships of the
working classes. He uses Mr Jones as a symbol for the dictator. The
animals each represent a different section of society at the time, they are
a Metaphor for what happened to the people. The animals are like the
working class of Russia, they had short, difficult lives, working to produce
things that the ruling class would take for themselves. The Rebellion on
the farm wanted to change this, but the revolutionary pigs soon turned to
the ways of the ruling class that they wanted to get rid of. In Animal Farm
Mr Jones takes everything that the animals have away from them.
After the Rebellion the animals are free from the tyranny of Mr Jones and
want to create equality amongst themselves. One of the Commandments
is 'All animals are equal'. However, this equality does not last long, and
the pigs begin to bend the rules until inequality returns to the farm.
Power and control are one of the most important themes in Animal Farm.
Orwell shows different political powers. Mr Jones owns the farm and the
animals and uses his men and whips to keep them under control and keep
his power. Orwell shows that the animals have the power to challenge Mr
Jones' control and take over the farm, using their power in a positive way.
He then shows how the pigs use propaganda to put themselves in power
and take control of the farm.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion the book animal farm shows how power can corrupt people
and how revolutions can lose the purpose which they intended to have.
The characters, theme and plot all show the dangers of a dictatorship,
propaganda and blindly following someone in a place of power. It is a well
written book, which provokes thoughts in the reader.
RATING: 4/5
