Animal Farm

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Animal Farm is a novella written by George Orwell and first published in 1945. The book is a satire on the Russian Revolution and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. It uses a farm and its animal inhabitants to allegorically depict the events leading up to the revolution and the early years of the Soviet Union.

Plot Summary

The story begins on Manor Farm, where the animals are mistreated by their owner, Mr. Jones. Inspired by the teachings of Old Major, a wise and elderly pig, the animals stage a rebellion and take over the farm, renaming it "Animal Farm." The pigs, led by Napoleon and Snowball, assume leadership roles.

Initially, the farm prospers under the new regime, and the animals adopt the Seven Commandments of Animalism, which promote equality and the idea that "All animals are equal." However, as time passes, Napoleon ousts Snowball and gradually becomes a dictator, altering the commandments to justify his actions. The pigs begin to resemble the humans they replaced, and the farm's original ideals are corrupted.

Characters

• Napoleon: A large boar who becomes the farm's dictator.
• Snowball: An intelligent and passionate pig who is exiled by Napoleon.
• Old Major: An elderly pig whose vision of a utopian farm inspires the rebellion.
• Boxer: A hardworking and loyal cart-horse.
• Squealer: A pig who serves as Napoleon's propagandist.
• Mr. Jones: The original human owner of Manor Farm.

Themes

Animal Farm explores several themes, including:

• Power and Corruption: The novella illustrates how power can corrupt those who hold it.
• Class Struggle: The story reflects the class struggles that were prominent during the Russian Revolution.
• Propaganda: The use of propaganda by those in power to control and manipulate the populace.

Symbolism

The characters and events in Animal Farm symbolize real-life figures and occurrences from the Russian Revolution and the early Soviet Union. For example:

• Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin.
• Snowball represents Leon Trotsky.
• Old Major represents Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.

Adaptations

Animal Farm has been adapted into various media, including:

• A 1954 animated film directed by John Halas and Joy Batchelor.
• A 1999 live-action film directed by John Stephenson.

Related Pages

• George Orwell
• Russian Revolution
• Stalinism
• Satire
• Allegory