Animal farm
Animal Farm
The Author of the book is George Orwell, whose real name is Eric Blair. He changed his old name into George because he sure about that George is a traditional English name and Orwell because that’s the name of a small river near his primary school. George Orwell was born in 1903 and died 1950 because of a lung disease in London. In addition to that he grew up in poor family, father was a British civil servant. 1911George started education at private primary school. He had to pay less and was therefore badly treated by headmasters.
May this has developed his attitude towards tyrannical systems. 1917 he came t Eton and got a full education there. After graduating in Eton he spent following 5 years in Burma as an officer in the Indian Imperial Police. From 1927-1933 he had a life of poverty and instability in London and Paris as well. George Orwell was a volunteer in the pacivication in civil war. During the second world war he went back to England and worked for the BBC.
His biggest hit was Animal Farm which he has finished shortly before his death.
Mr. Jones is the owner of the “Manor Farm”, he is often drunk and very awful to his animals. One night the old boar Major tells the animals about his vision of freedom and Animalism. He shows the animals a way out of their misery. The way to start a revolution first to overthrow the farm and then to beat down the humans all over the land.
After the speech old Major teach the animals the song “Beast of England” and “The seven Commandments of Animalism”:
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend
No animal shall wear clothes
No animal shall sleep in a bed
No animal shall drink alcohol
No animal shall kill another animal
All animals are equal
Three days later old Major dies peacefully, but the animals still keep his vision in mind. One day Mr. Jones comes home late and drunken and forget to feed the hungry animals. The animal can’t stand it anymore and conquer the farm. Since that time the “Manor Farm” belongs to the animals and is named into “Animal Farm”. Two pigs Napoleon and Snowball who firstly follow the thoughts of old Major make themselves to leaders over the animal farm and lead the organisation on the farm.
Every Sunday the animals gather in the barn to organize the following week or to find solutions about problems by voting. In the end of this meetings they sing “Beast of England” to express their unity. Over one year the animals live in harmony on the farm then Mr. Jones and ten of his man come to the farm and try to recapture the farm, but they are defeated by the animals. The animals call this victorious battle “The battle of Cowshed”. Until now Snowball and Napoleon are always in disagreement especially because of building a windmill which would make in Snowball eyes life more bearable on Animal Farm, but Napoleon disagrees and he chases Snowball away with his dogs which he had reared secretly.
Napoleons forbids the Sunday meetings and decides all the things by himself. Squealer becomes the right hand of Napoleon and is furthermore responsible to keep the animals by speaking under control faithful. He always argues with: “You all should follow Napoleon or Mr. Jones will come Back”. This arguing always works because the animals didn’t want Jones Back. Napoleon Even decides to build the windmill but not for the benefit of the animals but for economic reasons.
It is destroyed for 2 times. This is a hard time for Squealer because he is ordered to convince the animals that Snowball is responsible for the destruction of the mill. More and more the pigs start to behave like humans. They begin to sleep in the human beds, to drink alcohol, to wear clothes and at least to walk on two legs. Concerning to this they alter the seven Commandments of Animalism in that way:
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy
Four legs good two legs better
No animal shall wear clothes
No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets
No animal shall drink alcohol to excess
No animal shall kill another animal without cause
All animal are equal but some are more equal then others
Furthermore the pigs engage in trade with the 2 neighboring farms. The farm become richer and richer but not the animals themselves, except napoleon, his pigs and his dogs.
A week later some humans come to the farm to celebrate a feast with the pigs, and as the other animals look through the window into the farmhouse they can’t divide the pigs from the humans.
Characters
Mr. Jones: Orwell said that at one time John was actually a decent master to his animals. At this time the farm was thriving. But in some years the farm had fallen to harder times. This is a symbol of the world – wide Great Depression of the 30’s.
The parallels between the crop failures in the book and the depression in 1930 are clear. Only the leaders and their followers ate their fill during this period. Mr Jones symbolizes Czar Nicholas 2, the leader before Stalin (Napoleon). Jones represents the old Russian government, the last of the Czars.
Old Major: He can be seen as a fatherly philosopher of change. He may be an obvious metaphor for Karl Marx.
He shows the animals a solution, a solution which would make them free of slavery and hard work. So he inspires the animals to revolt against the current power of Jones.
Moses: Moses is an old raven which is described as the “especial pet” of Mr. Jones. He is the only animal who doesn’t work. Moses was a tale-bearer and spy of Mr.
Jones. He told the animals about a beautiful country up in the sky named “Sugarcandy Mountain“ where every animal will go after death. So is Moses in Orwell’s view the church which was used by Mr Jones or the Czars to recapture their power. During the revolution in Russia the church was used as a tool to keep the proletarian motivated and under control. If the people are hopeful and have something to believe in they would never start a revolt.
Snowball: He is a pig which is very similar to Napoleon.
Both of them want the leadership over Animal Farm. In addition to that they always were in disagreement and arguing. But as times goes one they have realized that won of them will have to step down. Therefore Napoleon chased with his dogs Snowball away to secure his domination on Animal Farm. Snowball represents Trotsky, the arch rival of Stalin in Russia. Trotsky was exiled as well because Stalin’s fear of losing his leadership in Russia.
Snowball became a scapegoat.
Napoleon: He became the leader over Animal Farm after Jones was driven away. He is the central character on the farm and obviously a metaphor for Stalin. In addition to that he represents all cruelties of any revolution. He executed a lot of animals which had sympathy to Snowball, he cheated all the animals by changing the seven Commandments and transformed Animalism into a Dictatorship. At first Napoleon seemed to be a good leader but he was eventually overcome by greed and power-hungry.
Boxer and Clover: are two horses and used by Orwell to represent the proletariat, unskilled labor class in Russian society. Totally obedience to Napoleon for instance Boxer’s remark to every problem: “I will work harder, Napoleon is always right.”
Squealer: He is the right hand of Napoleon on Animal Farm. He is both persuader and manipulator because he can turn black into white. Squealer is the newspaper which was used by Russian propaganda. He was the link between Napoleon and his animals.
Otherwise Squealer is a symbol for Goebbels (minister of the propaganda) under Hitler. Useful to keep people believing in the social system.
Mollie: Mollie is the animal which is most opposed to the new government under Napoleon. She doesn’t care politics and did not work, she just want to tie her hair with ribbons and eat sugar. She quietly leaves the farm one night.
Benjamin: He is the oldest animal on the farm.
He never change in the book. He still does his work the same way, never becoming exited or disappointed about anything. He symbolizes the older Generation, critics of any revolution. He is sure that this rebellion is a big failure.
Dogs: Bodyguard of Napoleon (Stalin). Symbolizes the KGB.
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