"Animal Farm: A Fairy Story": Why do you think Orwell chose to use a fable in his condemnation of Soviet communism and totalitarianism?

While reading Animal Farm one will notice many similarities to the Russian Revolution. From the mirroring of characters like Farmer Jones and Czar Nicholas and events like the implementation of labor camps, you can see where Orwell gained his inspiration from. Throughout Animal Farm George Orwell uses different situations and characters to parallel people and events from the Russian Revolution to help simplify and teach students the possible outcomes of totalitarian style government.

Symbolically, Animal Farm itself is supposed to represent Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist control. The farm in today’s world, being a small, self-sustaining entity may relate to current conditions in North Korea. It seems that Kim Jong-il, like the pigs, is much more equal than his subjects. Kim and Napoleon seem to share the paranoia of being attacked by more powerful rivals, and both it seems, have a desire to keep their respective nations in the dark. Perhaps less specifically, the farm could represent human society as a whole. As mentioned earlier, the characters display an entire spectrum of human classes and stereotypical personalities.

Communism, in general, was a prominent theme in the book Animal Farm. George Orwell gives Old Major characteristics not unlike some of the most largely influential communists. The idea of communism often involves a strong sense of individualism and selfishness (Shaoqi). In Animal Farm we see this in the quote “All animals are equal but some more than others” (Orwell 92). These ethics are strongly conveyed by Karl Marx. Karl Marx can be compared to Old Major through their mutual ideas of unity and equality. Marx believed in a state of social equality. “[Marx] describes about his concept of a classless society… [he imagines communism] is the state of equality among people” (www.bachelorandmaster.com). Major expresses this same idea through a similar experience. “Last night… [Beasts of England] came back to me in my dream” (Orwell 9). They go on to sing Beasts of England united as one, paralleling Marx’s idea of equality. Vladimir Lenin, another influential communist, can also be compared to Old Major. Both of them were advocates for socialism and communism but never got to actually see them go through. “Let the ‘socialist’ snivellers croak, let the bourgeoisie rage and fume, but only people who shut their eyes so as not to see, and stuff their ears so as not to hear, can fail to notice that all over the world the birth pangs of the old, capitalist society, which is pregnant with socialism, have begun” (Lenin). He never truly meant for it to progress to a form of extreme communism, just as Old Major hadn’t either. Old Major's ideas and thoughts were different than what was carried out by some of his supporters. There were many who disagreed with the views on extremism and wanted to expand their reign both through manipulation and expansion.

The novel’s name that I’m here to briefly tell you about is by far one of the most well known political allegories in our modern day and falls under the name of Animal Farm. It was initially written in 1943 by George Orwell as a criticism against the events that led up to the creation of the Soviet Union after the Russian revolution.

George Orwell, the pseudonym of english author Eric Arthur Blair, was an influential author of novels, novellas, and essays that criticized the rise and practices of authoritarian governments. One of his most revered works, Animal Farm, is hailed as a brilliant piece that satirizes the statues of Stalinism by allegorizing its tumultuous rise and the harsh, often lethal loyalty Stalinism demands of its followers. One of the hallmarks of Stalinist rule is its frequent use of propaganda. In his novella, Animal Farm, Orwell presents the use of propaganda in a Stalinist society through the deification of a leader, the use of scapegoating against an exiled revolutionary and against the vices of man; and exposes the practice of engendering fear into the population of Animal Farm.

Animal Farm, known at the beginning and the end of the novel as the Manor Farm, symbolizes Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. But more generally, Animal Farm stands for any human society, be it capitalist, socialist, fascist, or communist. It possesses the internal structure of a nation, with a government (the pigs), a police force or army (the dogs), a working class (the other animals), and state holidays and rituals. Its location amid a number of hostile neighboring farms supports its symbolism as a political entity with diplomatic concerns.

Orwell uses the allegory, Animal Farm, to present the story of The Russian Revolution and essentially express his opinions on the matter. By plainly exposing the unjust and corrupt system that is communism, Orwell is ultimately presenting his pessimistic view of human nature.

Old Major is much like well-known German philosopher Karl Marx. Both shared ideas that sparked the beginning of a revolution. Marx invented the idea of communism while Old Major created animalism; however, neither communism nor animalism ended how the philosophers had hoped. Some also compare old major to Vladimir Lenin. Lenin came to rule over what would soon be the Soviet Union but passed away. He then left the country in the hands of Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky.

1A. The main action of Animal Farm stands for the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the early years of the Soviet Union. Animalism is actually communism in the way they handle all situations, and the way certain people get treated. Manor farm is an allegorical of Russia, and Mr. Jones, the farmer, Is the Russian Czar. Old Major stands for Karl Marsey or Vladimir Lenin, and the pig Snowball represents the intellectual revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Napoleon stands for Stalin, and his dogs represent Stalin's secret police.The horse, Boxer, represents the working class of this time period and how they were treated. Boxer works hard and he is loyal to Napoleon, but Napoleon worked him too hard and for too long and Boxer finally got to the point to

One of the biggest comparisons made between the Russian Revolution and the story is the relationship between old Major and Vladimir Lenin. In the story, old Major was the farm’s prized bull, “old Major… was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose an hour’s sleep in order to hear what he had to say” (Orwell, 19). Every animal saw Major as a leader, and all, intelligent or not, looked at his morals as those they should live by. One of said morals is that man brings all the dangers known to animals, “there comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in one word- man. Man is only real enemy we have” (Orwell, 19). This idea later becomes the foundation of animalism, meaning that all animals are

Animal Farm is an allegory of the period in Russian history between 1917 and 1944. It is a satirical story written in the form of an animal fable. In writing Animal Farm as a fable, George Orwell is able to present his subject in simple symbolic terms by treating the development of communism as a story that is taking place on a single farm with talking animals. The characters of Animal Farm represent figures in Russian history during the Russian Revolution. Places, objects, and events of the Russian Revolution are also symbolized in Animal Farm.

The Major outlined the principles of animalism, I believe this makes him the allegorical representation of Karl Marx. Proof is here “It is summed up in

Additionally, the characters that are created by Orwell represent his views on a totalitarian government. George Orwell's Animal Farm utilizes various literary elements to illustrate Orwell's criticism of the Russian Revolution. Diction in the story reveals the bitter result of the animal revolution, or in reality the Russian Revolution. For example, a quote in chapter 6 says, "All that year the animals worked like slaves" (Orwell 116).

The book Animal Farm by George Orwell was written during the Russian Revolution. The animals represent political figures and events on the farm symbolize occurrences during the revolution. Orwell allegorically explains the danger of propaganda and how people can be easily be manipulated by demeaning the uneducated, demonating a common enemy, and frightening the working class. The character named snowball is blamed for most unfortunate happenings on the farm.

For example, the farmhouse symbolizes the Kremlin, capital of Russia and later home to Stalin. The windmill stands for the Russian industry that has been built by the working-class. It is also a symbol showing the tremendous power of the pigs and their amazing ability to manipulate the other animals. The windmill also symbolizes the pigs’ manipulation of the other animals for their own gain. The farm symbolizes Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. The Seven Commandments are extremely symbolic due to the fact that they illustrate both the manipulation in "Animal Farm" and the differences between the pigs and the working animals. Finally, the pigs take all the milk and apples symbolizing their superiority and keeping the luxuries in life away from all the others. There can be little doubt that books like Animal Farm and essays like Why I Write have and will continue to stand the test of