Animal Farm

983 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Symbolic political exploitation in George Orwell's Animal Farm

Animal Farm is an allegorical novel about the ups and downs of the Communist Revolution in Russia. Although fictional, characters in novels, tv, and film can be used to explain complex topics. George Orwell create an allegory based on the Russian Revolution in “Animal Farm”. The characters in Animal Farm represent their counterparts well, because Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, and Mollie represents the bourgeoisie.

One of the first characters introduced in the novel is a large, Berkshire boar named Napoleon. Napoleon is intimidating, however, he failed to garner support against Snowball as he was a weak speaker. Instead, Napoleon utilised a smaller pig named Squealer to speak for him and sway the animal’s …show more content…

With her bow and her sugar cubes, Mollie only complains about the revolution and is the only animal who wants Mr. Jones to return. Upper class Russians wanted nothing to do with the revolution, like Mollie, as it would only result in them losing their lifestyle. Contrary to what the rich wanted, the revolutionaries beliefs didn’t allow them to live in luxury without a worry in the world. Mollie was fed up with the revolution and “...disappeared,” it wasn’t for a few weeks until the pigeons spotted her on another farm with a “..man…. stroking her nose and feeding her sugar.” Her opposition to the revolution drove her back to enslavement with another farm, just as the rich of Tsarist Russia scattered after their revolution. While on the farm, Mollie was even less of a help. She selfishly woke up late and left work early, unlike the cart horses Boxer and Clover. These other horses are the same species as Mollie, however Mollie is a polar opposite to them. Just as the horses are opposites, the Russian upper class were Russian just as much as anyone else, however, they didn’t support the same ideals, instead Mollie was in support of the farmers, or in real life, the Czars. Horses are represented as powerful animals, crucial to the revolution on the farm, and then there is Mollie, faithful to her captors for her own personal

Show More
Related

  • The Warnings in George Orwell's Animal Farm

    1250 Words  | 3 Pages

    George Orwell's goal in writing the novel Animal Farm was to portray the events surrounding the Russian revolution that took place in 1917. Orwell's tale of Animal Farm is seemingly a story of how a group of farmyard animals plot to overthrow their owner and seize control of the land. The novel seems to be a simple story, however Orwell wrote this book as an allegory, a story that has a clear secondary meaning beneath is literal sense. Everything in Animal Farm is used to represent people and events that took place during the Russian revolution from 1917-1939. Orwell chose to represent Russia's three famous leaders during this time with three pigs. Each three are drastically different and have dissimilar beliefs. Snowball representing Leon Trotsky, Napoleon by Josef Stalin and Old Major by Karl Marx. Orwell wrote this and many other books as warnings. The warning is that people must change their ways, or we are most surely doomed.

    Read More

  • Human Nature in Animal Farm

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel based on the lives of a society of animals living on the Manor Farm. Although the title of the book suggests the book is merely about animals, the story is a much more in depth analysis of the workings of society in Communist Russia. The animals are used as puppets to illustrate how the communist class system operated and how Russian citizens responded to this. And also how propaganda was used by early Russian leaders such as Stalin, and the effort this type of leadership had on the behavior of the people of Russia.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Stalin And The Squealer

    437 Words  | 1 Pages

    Mollie was vain and only loved herself; she was very slow in working and didn’t think much for the future of the farm. He went with anyone who gave her what she wanted. In the end, the other animals being treated harshly by a human saw her. The vain, selfish people in Russia and world didn’t care of the revolution, they only thought of their own sake. They went to other countries who offer them more.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    The history of the human race follows a plot detailing the struggles and triumphs of various individuals with the concepts of power and control. In George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, these elaborate concepts are further explored through various characters such as the shire boar, Napoleon. Napoleon’s ability to exercise control over the animals derives from his capability to indoctrinate them with his partial ideologies. Napoleon then further clasps his power by his avail of expert power throughout the novel. Finally, the excessive and abusive use of coercive power, secures Napoleon’s control over the animals. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm Napoleon assumes the reins of power over the animals and controls them by means of physiological manipulations.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is a dystopian allegory. Its book cover sports a red and black background, with a pig (presumably Snowball) sneaking in front of a windmill. Set in Manor Farm, a group of farm animals are mistreated by their owner, Mr. Jones. Shortly before Old Major, an old, highly-respected pig, dies, he tells all the animals to revolt against Mr. Jones. After his death, and shortly after, the expulsion of Mr. Jones, leadership on the farm is divided between Snowball and Napoleon, two intelligent pigs who utilize conflicting methods of rule. Initially, they held equal sway among the other, less intelligent residents of the farm. However, when Snowball, a passionate speaker, tried to convince the farm to build a windmill to make their lives easier, Napoleon set vicious dogs he had raised himself to drive Snowball out of the farm. Justifying this by saying the windmill was a useless idea that would overburden the farm, Napoleon takes sole authority of the farm, leading the animals in an increasingly harsh manner. Ironically, Napoleon also makes a plan to build a...

    Read More

  • Recipe for totalitarianism

    1696 Words  | 4 Pages

    Firstly, perhaps no book has linked animals to human counterparts better than Animal Farm. Orwell's beasts serve as a representation of important characters of the World War II era and beyond. For example, Karl Marx, the inventor of the communist movement, was represented by Old Major, the most important animal on the farm until his death. Much like Old Major, Marx was a visionary who dreamed of equality. Old Major states:"Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings? Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we could become rich and free. What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That is my message to you, comrades: Rebellion!"(Orwell, Animal Farm, 30). In addition, he inspired the Russian Social Democratic Leader Party, led by rivals Joseph Stalin and Leon Trostky. Napoleon is represented by Joseph Stalin and much like him, he builds loyalties within the communist party ( pigs and dogs) so that he can overthrow Snowball (Trostky). Snowball displaying similar traits with Trotsky in the fact that they both fight bravely in their respective battles. Trotsky was an important component to the victory in the Russian civil war, Snowball displaying this bravery during the battle of the cowshed. The hens, geese, and sheep that are executed are a representation of the millions who opposed Stalin's, and who are killed banished as a result. The hens and geese are not known for their docile natures, and serve as perfect rebels . As well, the pigs' metamorphosis of their face and behaviour is symbolic of the transition of a government initially for the people, into ...

    Read More

  • Symbolism of Orwell's Animal Farm

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    The characters and events that George Orwell put in his novel Animal Farm, can be linked to the similar events and people associated with the Russian Revolution. People like Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky can be compared and represented by the 2 pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, in Orwell’s Animal Farm. By writing this novel, Orwell attempted to expose the truth behind the totalitarian-type government in Russia at that time. However, he did this in a discreet way by using animals to symbolize the different people that played a role in the Revolution.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm is a great example of allegory and political satire. The novel was written to criticize totalitarian regimes and particularly Stalin's corrupt rule in Russia. In the first chapter, Orwell gives his reasons for writing the story and what he hopes it will accomplish. It also gives reference to the farm and how it relates to the conflicts of the Russian revolution. The characters, settings, and the plot were written to describe the social upheaval during that period of time and also to prove that the good nature of true communism can be turned into something atrocious by an idea as simple as greed.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm, by George Orwell

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mr. Jones was unable to defeat the animals, therefore the animals got a boost of confidence. Now at this point Mollie runs away and Snowball begins his plans for a windmill. When Snowball’s plans are finished, Napoleon’s dog’s start to chase him off the farm. The farm just lost the best leader they could have had. They loose their chance to give input on what direction the farm should go, and Napoleon begings blaming Snowball for all the things that he did not do. Now Napoleon sets the animals to work on Sundays again and acquires Mr. Whymper as the farm’s broker. Napoleon starts to sell some of the farm’s produce. And the pigs start sleeping one hour later, and in beds. Then the windmill gets blown over and Snowball gets the blame. At this point the pigs still continue to abuse the power and stealing from the other animals.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm: An Allegory of Russian History

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    Animal Farm is an excellent allegory of the period in Russian history between 1917 and 1944. George Orwell symbolizes the characters, places, objects, and events of the Russian revolution superbly. His symbols not only parallel those of the Russian revolution, but any revolution throughout history. The fable Animal Farm relates not only to the Russian Revolution, but also to any revolution where an absolute dictator emerges.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm Comparison

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    Most directly one would say that Animal Farm is an allegory of Stalinism, growing out from the Russian Revolution in 1917. Because it is cast as an animal fable it gives the reader/viewer, some distance from the specific political events. The use of the fable form helps one to examine the certain elements of human nature which can produce a Stalin and enable him to seize power. Orwell, does however, set his fable in familiar events of current history.

    Read More

  • Totalitarianism in Animal Farm

    1637 Words  | 4 Pages

    Animal Farm by George Orwell is a satire of the Russian Revolution that took place during the late 1930s. Orwell uses vibrant characters such as Snowball, Old Major, and Napoleon to represent some of Russia’s horrific past. While Old Major represents the idea of revolution and Snowball represents the idea of industrialism, Napoleon represents the totalitarian dictatorship in Russia. Animal Farm is a good example of what happened to Russia during this time period. While Animal Farm could represent any dictatorship, it more specifically represents the totalitarianism brought on by Joseph Stalin through communism.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm by George Orwell: Research Paper

    1398 Words  | 3 Pages

    Using threats and harsh punishments, he becomes a dictator, just like Stalin. In the novel Animal Farm, George Orwell uses political satires that correlate with the ruling of Stalin in Russia and his inhumane ways of controlling the country. Animal Farm was a metaphor for the Russian Revolution. The animals on the farm overthrew the farmer who treated them unfairly, and they began their own government. As time went on the pigs made themselves rulers, the main pig in charge being Napoleon.

    Read More

  • The Relationship between Snowball and Napoleon in Animal Farm

    424 Words  | 1 Pages

    The relationship surrounding Snowball and Napoleon in George Orwell's Animal Farm tends to be on rocky grounds. Snowball, a clever pig, tends to be loyal, brave, and outgoing. These are just a few excellent qualities of a leader. Napoleon, a boar, on the other hand, is quite frankly rude, wretched, and full of greed. Both have had their share of leadership on the farm, yet both have had their share of conflict as well.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm, by George Orwell

    526 Words  | 2 Pages

    After Old Major died Napoleon and Snowball took over everything. Snowball didn’t last long on being one of the leaders with Napoleon. Napoleon ended up getting rid of Snowball too. Napoleon turned out to be an evil pig. He was just turning just like the humans in the book. Napoleon became a very mean pig that he ended up lying to all the farm animals and saying one thing and then doing another thing. Napoleon mainly just be treated the animals and started treating them bad. He would treat them like slaves in other words.

    Read More

More about Animal Farm

Open Document