Humor is significant throughout literature: it helps the author connect with the reader, it lightens the mood, it helps distinguish attitudes toward certain characters, and it keeps the characters realistic. Authors use varying methods to display humor throughout their writing, along with conveying a universal truth. Animal Farm is an allegorical fable written by George Orwell, which represents the Russian Revolution of 1917. In Animal Farm, animals overthrow their human farm owner, and seek to create a better world for themselves, without humans who “consume without producing”. But, one of the pigs gains an excess of power, and becomes a tyrant, leading the farm to the prior conditions with an animal as their new ruler. Animal Farm mainly
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“Satire is humor that shows the weaknesses or bad qualities of a person, government, society, etc.” (Merriam Webster). George Orwell uses satire throughout his fable to communicate his characters’ personalities; “At the last moment Mollie, the foolish, pretty white mare.. Came mincing daintily in, chewing at a lump of sugar… hoping to draw attention to the red ribbons it was plaited with,”(Orwell 4-5). Mollie doesn’t want to get rid of anything in her life prior the rebellion(ribbons), despite the opinions of the other animals residing on the farm. “ “Those ribbons that you are so devoted to are the badge of slavery…” Mollie agreed, but she did not sound very convinced.” Mollie represents the Russian middle class, consisting of people who were acquisitive, didn’t want to give up their luxuries, and didn’t care for the revolution. This demonstrates satire because it mocks the middle class of Russia, saying that the bourgeois were selfish and materialistic.
Another humor tool is a hyperbole, which exaggerates something to make it seem better or worse. “Every drop of [the cow's milk] has gone down the throats of our enemies.” (Orwell 6). This is an exaggeration; their milk isn’t only for humans, it is also used to nurture their young and is mixed in the food of the other animals (used in the mash for the pigs later in the story). Other examples of hyperbole throughout the story give the characters depth; the animals and humans in the fable have emotions and tend to overdramatize events like humans. Hyperbole is used in many different ways throughout stories to provide
“Satire is humor that shows the weaknesses or bad qualities of a person, government, society, etc.” (Merriam Webster). George Orwell uses satire throughout his fable to communicate his characters’ personalities; “At the last moment Mollie, the foolish, pretty white mare.. Came mincing daintily in, chewing at a lump of sugar… hoping to draw attention to the red ribbons it was plaited with,”(Orwell 4-5). Mollie doesn’t want to get rid of anything in her life prior the rebellion(ribbons), despite the opinions of the other animals residing on the farm. “ “Those ribbons that you are so devoted to are the badge of slavery…” Mollie agreed, but she did not sound very convinced.” Mollie represents the Russian middle class, consisting of people who were acquisitive, didn’t want to give up their luxuries, and didn’t care for the revolution. This demonstrates satire because it mocks the middle class of Russia, saying that the bourgeois were selfish and materialistic.
Another humor tool is a hyperbole, which exaggerates something to make it seem better or worse. “Every drop of [the cow's milk] has gone down the throats of our enemies.” (Orwell 6). This is an exaggeration; their milk isn’t only for humans, it is also used to nurture their young and is mixed in the food of the other animals (used in the mash for the pigs later in the story). Other examples of hyperbole throughout the story give the characters depth; the animals and humans in the fable have emotions and tend to overdramatize events like humans. Hyperbole is used in many different ways throughout stories to provide