Animal Farm Like Communism in Russia

Animal Farm is a famous literary classic written in 1943-1944 by George Orwell. The book first published in 17 August 1945 in England. The reason is it was not easy for Orwell to find a publisher during the Second World War for a book criticizing an ally, the Soviet Union and especially its leader, Josef Stalin. Criticism of allies was not banned in wartime British press but it was also not highly encouraged. Animal Farm is read in three different ways, as a fable, an allegory for the Russian Revolution of 1917 and finally, an example of wide variety of propaganda and persuasion methods used in politics and daily life. Animal Farm has faced an increasing interest over the years, sold millions of copies and translated into many languages. The reason for the huge success and interest can be interpreted to validity of the propaganda and persuasion techniques illustrated in the book in real life scenarios. George Orwell clearly states the reasons for writing the book in his preface to the Ukrainian edition of Animal Farm (1947) and these allowed us to evaluate the book in a different and deeper perspective. After the publication of the book, films and various literary works and visuals were made.

One night, the members of Mr. Jones’ Manor Farm gather in a barn to hear what the pig, Old Major has to say about the dream he saw earlier. He describes his dream he had about a world where all animals live free from the tyranny of the men. Old Major asks for every animal to prepare themselves and the future generations for the revolution as it will happen sooner or later, but for sure. Old Major tells the animals that they must work toward such a paradise and teaches them a song called “Beasts of England,” in which his dream vision is lyrically described to be reminder of him and his ideas after he passes away. The animals embrace Old Major’s vision with great enthusiasm. Three nights after the meeting Old Major dies and three younger pigs Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer starts working on Animalism, inspired by Old Major’s philosophy. One day drunk Mr. Jones forgets to feed the animals and this ignites the revolution. Animals chase off Mr. Jones and his men off the farm.

Now that the animals are the sole owner of the farm, they work harder, devoting themselves to the cause, achieving Old Major’s dream. At first, Animal Farm starts to live in prosperity. Animals defeat Mr. Jones when he attempts to take the farm back. As time passes, Napoleon and Snowball are getting more and more controversial about the future of the farm and they are starting to fight each other for power and influence among other animals. A meeting is held to vote Snowball’s windmill project but Napoleon banishes Snowball away the farm by force. Absence of Snowball, Napoleon quickly changes his mind and orders animals to build it. One day, after a storm animals see that windmill is collapsed. While the reason was walls being too thin, Napoleon claims that Snowball returned to the farm to sabotage the windmill. He stages a great purge on the animal who have allegedly participated in Snowball’s great conspiracy, meaning any animal who opposes Napoleon’s leadership, meet instant death at the teeth of the Napoleon’s specially trained attack dogs. Since noone can question his leadership, Napoleon begins expanding his powers, rewrites history to make Snowball a villain. Later, Napoleon becomes more and more men-like, sleeps in a bed, drinks whisky and engages in trade with other human farmers which is strictly forbidden by the original Animalist principles but Squealer, Napoleon’s propagandist, justifies every action of Napoleon to other animals, convincing them to Napoleon is a perfect leader and he is making things better for everyone, despite the fact that the other animals are hungry, cold and working dawn until dusk, exact opposite of what they are promised.

Years pass on Animal Farm with pigs resembling human beings and also violating other Animalism principles, walking upright, carrying whips, and wearing clothes but portraying it as normal using propaganda on the less smart members of Animal Farm. Eventually, the seven principles of Animalism is become one single principle “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Napoleon organizes a dinner for human farmer named Mr. Pilkington and declares ask him to ally himself with the human farmers against the laboring classes of both the human and animal communities. He also changes the name of Animal Farm back to the Manor Farm, claiming that this title is the correct one. Animals who look at through the farmhouse window to group of elites can no longer tell which are the pigs and which are the human beings. The book ends with the conclusion of Old Major’s dream will never happen.

An allegory, in simple terms is a story that can be read on two different ways, literally and symbolically. Events and characters should stand for something other than themselves. When we take a look at the Orwell’s Animal Farm it is literally a story about animals taking over the farm but it is also allegorical of the Russian Revolution. Some of the characters and events in the story one hundred percent match with what happened during Russian Revolution and its aftermath. Orwell wrote Animal Farm because he wanted everyone to know and understand what actually happened during the Russian Revolution even if they did not know all the historical details. Also broader argument about political power and oppression in general can be understood. For example, Old Major represents Karl Marx, commonly known as the father of Communism, corresponds to Animalism in the story. Places and objects of the Russian Revolution are also symbolized in Animal Farm. The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a political movement in Russia, peaked in the overthrow of the Provisional Government as a result of communism in 1917. Communism means that when the government controls everything, everything is distributed equally to people, there is no rich but also there is no poor. In general, this is a dictatorship. However, the people of Russia thought that the requirements of communism were not implemented, so a revolution began. Animal Farm is an allegory about the crookedness and abuse of power in Russia. Russia was coping with totalitarianism under the Czar and later under Joseph Stalin, who was leader of Russia when the book was written. It can not be said that the allegory is an exact representation of people or events. However, it can be said that characters and historical figures, events, institutions are closely related. Czar Nicholas II, Karl Marx, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin are among the Russian leaders represented in the novel. 

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