Two weeks before the end of World War II in 1945, George Orwell published the allegorical novella, Animal Farm. George Orwell was an English novelist who published several of the 20th century’s most influential works, most notably his dystopian novel, 1984. Orwell’s writings were influenced by his support for democratic socialism, and by a strong opposition to tyranny, oppression, and totalitarianism in both its fascist and Stalinist forms. He also fought briefly in the Spanish Civil War with the leftist Republicans against the far-right Nationalists. Overall, Orwell’s principal aim as a writer was to prompt a nation-wide discussion, and his books were intended for the UK public at large. Many British socialists of the time favored the Soviet
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In particular, two pigs emerge as the dominant leaders, and are constantly embroiled in bitter disputes. The first, Snowball, was a charismatic speaker, whose optimism and impassioned speeches swayed many to his side, much like Leon Trotsky in the USSR. Snowball also favored the idea of spreading their form of communism, animalism, across the land. This is most evident when he says, “The flag is green to represent the green fields of England, while the hoof and horn signify the future Republic of the Animals which will arise when the human race has been finally overthrown.” (53). The other pig, Napoleon, was a quiet and brooding figure, who was considered to have a “greater depth of character” (33) than Snowball. To contrast Snowball, Napoleon wanted to focus on developing animalism solely within the Animal Farm, very much like Joseph Stalin and his theory of Socialism in One Country. Napoleon, similar to his real-life analogue, was also much more adept than Snowball at garnering support privately, in between speeches. As time progressed on the Animal Farm, the original ideals that defined it were gradually perverted by the increasingly corrupt leadership. For instance, …show more content…
Not only did it provide insightful and witty commentary on a topic that fascinates me, but it succeeded in doing so without the baggage of endlessly dense and monotonous prose. I especially liked how Animal Farm presented itself as a “fairy story”, and how it used this innocent appearance to capture readers’ attentions and keep them hooked as it strayed farther and farther from the initially perfect picture of an equal society. I think that many can relate to this because youth, such as myself, often have a “fairy story” perspective on the world. Over time, this perspective is gradually tarnished by experience, and often results in a somewhat bitter and cynical outlook on the world. Overall, this book is easily recommendable to anyone with a few hours of spare time on their hands and an interest in
In particular, two pigs emerge as the dominant leaders, and are constantly embroiled in bitter disputes. The first, Snowball, was a charismatic speaker, whose optimism and impassioned speeches swayed many to his side, much like Leon Trotsky in the USSR. Snowball also favored the idea of spreading their form of communism, animalism, across the land. This is most evident when he says, “The flag is green to represent the green fields of England, while the hoof and horn signify the future Republic of the Animals which will arise when the human race has been finally overthrown.” (53). The other pig, Napoleon, was a quiet and brooding figure, who was considered to have a “greater depth of character” (33) than Snowball. To contrast Snowball, Napoleon wanted to focus on developing animalism solely within the Animal Farm, very much like Joseph Stalin and his theory of Socialism in One Country. Napoleon, similar to his real-life analogue, was also much more adept than Snowball at garnering support privately, in between speeches. As time progressed on the Animal Farm, the original ideals that defined it were gradually perverted by the increasingly corrupt leadership. For instance, …show more content…
Not only did it provide insightful and witty commentary on a topic that fascinates me, but it succeeded in doing so without the baggage of endlessly dense and monotonous prose. I especially liked how Animal Farm presented itself as a “fairy story”, and how it used this innocent appearance to capture readers’ attentions and keep them hooked as it strayed farther and farther from the initially perfect picture of an equal society. I think that many can relate to this because youth, such as myself, often have a “fairy story” perspective on the world. Over time, this perspective is gradually tarnished by experience, and often results in a somewhat bitter and cynical outlook on the world. Overall, this book is easily recommendable to anyone with a few hours of spare time on their hands and an interest in