The Western Canon is a collection of texts deemed to be the very best of their kind. These classics are benchmarks of literary style – a time period or a genre. They explore universal themes that make them much more poignant than traditional novels, such as providing insight into a particular event or aspect of the human condition. Indeed, classics can even aim to anticipate the future or serve as cautionary tales for future societies. Two such classics are George Orwell’s novel ‘Animal Farm’ (1945) and the film ‘V for Vendetta’ (2006) directed by James McTeigue. Orwell’s classic and others like it, act as cautionary tales in a world where oppression and public manipulation are commonplace.
Both the novel ‘Animal Farm’ and the film ‘V for Vendetta’ express …show more content…
While in in McTeigue’s ‘V for Vendetta’ the ‘Norsefire’ party has complete control of the city of London. Both texts illustrate similar themes such as public manipulation, power, propaganda and finally the retaliation of an uneducated class.
George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Blair, a British political novelist. Orwell became a socialist, openly speaking out against political oppression and public manipulation. Orwell’s novel ‘Animal Farm’ is famous for its critique of the Russian Revolution, retelling the story of the development of Soviet communism in the more simplistic form, of an animal fable. ‘Animal Farm’ demonstrates the rise to power of the ruthless dictator - Joseph Stalin. In the novel when the human oppressor ‘Mr Jones’ is overthrown by a democratic coalition of animals inspired by ideals of Animalism, the animals quickly give the newly found power to the pigs. The pigs then establish themselves as an oligarchy. Throughout the novel, corruption and oppression become evident themes, as the gradual disintegration of the seven commandments and philosophical justifications for the pig’s blatantly unprincipled actions. Orwell had a
Both the novel ‘Animal Farm’ and the film ‘V for Vendetta’ express …show more content…
While in in McTeigue’s ‘V for Vendetta’ the ‘Norsefire’ party has complete control of the city of London. Both texts illustrate similar themes such as public manipulation, power, propaganda and finally the retaliation of an uneducated class.
George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Blair, a British political novelist. Orwell became a socialist, openly speaking out against political oppression and public manipulation. Orwell’s novel ‘Animal Farm’ is famous for its critique of the Russian Revolution, retelling the story of the development of Soviet communism in the more simplistic form, of an animal fable. ‘Animal Farm’ demonstrates the rise to power of the ruthless dictator - Joseph Stalin. In the novel when the human oppressor ‘Mr Jones’ is overthrown by a democratic coalition of animals inspired by ideals of Animalism, the animals quickly give the newly found power to the pigs. The pigs then establish themselves as an oligarchy. Throughout the novel, corruption and oppression become evident themes, as the gradual disintegration of the seven commandments and philosophical justifications for the pig’s blatantly unprincipled actions. Orwell had a