Comparing Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution

637 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The animal farm comparison to the russian revolution

Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution In 1917, Russia underwent a massive transformation. Common folk revolted against the corrupt Russian government and attempted to create a better system. However, humans are all flawed and because of this a perfect system of government is an unreachable standard. George Orwell's Animal Farm describes a situation which at first glance appears quite unrelated. In reality, Animal Farm is actually an animalistic version of the revolution. The animals in the book overthrow the farmer and strive to operate the farm without human aid. Eventually, the animal's revolution follows the same path as the Russian Revolution, the perfect intentions of the revolution soon gave away to corruption and greed as leaders chipped away at citizens' rights. Throughout the slow removal of freedom, propagandists spread the news that things were better than ever before. In Animal Farm, three characters represent key elements in a political revolution. …show more content…

Although he is fairly young, Squealer is incredibly influential. Spreading lies about the farm's welfare to all the common animals, gaining their trust until the next drastic change. Squealer represents a political propagandist. Propaganda is every where during wartime, calling citizens to protect their country and fight back against their enemies. Other times it is used to direct attention away from the "man behind the curtain". Squealer demonstrated both applications by spouting out meaningless numbers that he claimed showed how much better off the farm was than under the old farmer and by slandering the name of former leader Snowball and the humans. Political propagandists are always present during revolutions and wars. Often they are the main ignition in starting a revolution as they spread hatred and unrest among their

Show More
Related

  • The Necessary Intellect of Ordinary People

    1460 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1917, a majority Russian people were unhappy with their leader, Czar Nicholas II. As the dislike grew, Vladimir Lenin began forming a revolution against the leader. After Lenin, along with Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky, overthrew the Czar, they began to slowly take control of the people (Stults). Orwell wrote an allegory to the revolution, Animal farm, which includes the same pattern of events as in the Russian revolution. He explains how the manipulation using words can be a powerful tool against many audiences (“Animal Farm” Novels). The animals on Animal Farm supported the revolt against Jones because they felt they were not living as they should be, in the same way that peasants and farmers supported the revolution because they felt they were not treated right (“Animal Farm” Literature). In both situations the purpose of rebellion in to overthrow the hierarchy that later forms again by the leaders of the mutiny. A...

    Read More

  • Animal Farm Essay

    1704 Words  | 4 Pages

    Although George Orwell’s Animal Farm was created in order to mimic individuals as well as occurrences that took place during the Russian Revolution period, it is still possible to gain a comprehensive understanding of the text without a past knowledge of history through the exploitation of human nature’s imperfections. Following the publishment of his novel, Orwell confirmed that his goal in writing this fable was to expose the wrongdoing of the Soviet Union as well as the treachery of the true ideas of the Revolution. Nonetheless, there have been several other examples of events such as the French Revolution that can effortlessly be contrasted against components of the allegory. However, we need not to dig no deeper than to the fundamental faults in human nature to witness the catastrophic consequences that attributes such as hierarchy, propaganda and betrayal have on today’s society.

    Read More

  • Allegory In Animal Farm By George Orwell

    367 Words  | 1 Pages

    One of the main ideas in Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is how each event in it corresponds to an event in the Russian Revolution. Orwell’s entire novel is essentially an allegory, in which each detail represents a different aspect of this historical event and the episodes surrounding it. I believe that “Animal Farm” shows that too much power can corrupt anyone. “When Old Major’s vision, later called “Animalism,” was put into practice, the pigs in charge took over and became selfish and violent, twisting the philosophy until it barely contained an echo of the original intent.” (Orwell, n.d.) This same exact thing happened with communism, as Stalin left much of the country helpless without money, and put people to death if they showed the slightest

    Read More

  • Animal Farm By George Orwell: The Real Villain

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story of Animal Farm is not just one of a bunch of farm animals getting along and enjoying each other. Rather, the tale gives us insight into who is the real villain during the Russian Revolution, as the farm animals represent certain groups George Orwell, in Animal Farm, reveals the villain as a good character in the beginning of the novel, but as we get deeper into the story we figure out that the good animal has been the greedy, self-centered, and cruel villain the whole time. Orwell exposes the injustices that occurred under the rule of Joseph Stalin, through the act of Napoleon becoming a dictator who is lying to the animals and switching the rules for the farm.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm: A Communist Manifesto

    942 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel describes much of the procedure of running a communist state. It includes the organization of committees, and the indoctrination of the public in the form of the sheep. Snowball, one of the two pigs who leads the animals after the revolution, teaches the sheep to repeat the maxim "Four legs good, two legs bad," which, he feels, sums up the laws of their new system - completely against humans. Methods of propaganda are also explored. Carrier pigeons are sent to neighboring farms to deliver heroic tales of the revolution and convert other farms to 'Animalism' - the domino effect in action. Internal propaganda is the responsibility of a pig named Squealer, whose primary function is to convince the animals that the actions taken by the pigs are for their own good. This is a clear description of how to keep a communist regime in power: as long as the pubic is convinced that all actions are for their own good, they will go along with anything.

    Read More

  • Cruelty in animal Farm

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    This story Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel about an animal revolution over an oppressive farmer. The irony in the story comes when the pigs turn into the very thing revolted against. They exhibit the same cruelty by treating the other animals the same or even worse than previous owners. This cycle of cruelty is shown in the Russian revolution by Joseph Stalin who is represented by Napoleon in the story. Cruelty in animal farm is shown by the human’s treatment of the animals, and the animal’s eventual treatment of each other and the ironic characteristics of the two.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm - Knowledge Is Power

    790 Words  | 2 Pages

    George Orwell’s novel ‘Animal Farm’ is an allegorical fable of the Russian Revolution. It depicts the Revolution in a way that is inoffensive to people and also very easy to understand. This controversial novel also teaches many valuable lessons, all very true in man’s past and also in the present.

    Read More

  • Critique of Communism in Animal Farm by George Orwell

    1289 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...re breaking every rule that they themselves had put forth in accordance with Old Major’s revolutionary vision. Animal Farm was a mirror image of communism gone awry in the Soviet Union. It also shows Marx’s naivety of the fact that there will always be the clever that take advantage of the ignorant. By keeping the population ignorant, the clever gain even more power, which is was happened in the Soviet Union and Animal Farm. The ones that took part in the revolutions would never realize that they were holding the short end of the stick, just as they were in their previous state of affairs. They were cold, miserable, and starving. In their brainwashed state they still believed that the dismal state they were in was better than their situation before the revolution. George Orwell finished his book on a somber note, the state in which Joseph Stalin left the Soviet Union.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm Compared To The Russian Revolution

    2319 Words  | 5 Pages

    Education is not as prominent in the book as during the Russian Revolution. In the book, education is mentioned when Snowball finds old spelling books, once belonging to Mr. Jones. He begins to teach himself, followed by the other pigs, and finally he helps the other animals to read and write. Some of the not so intelligent animals find this quite taxing, whereas the pigs– being the most intelligent, learn the fastest. Snowball is the most interested in educating the animals, and the well being of the other animals on the farm. Just as Trotsky was intent in educating the Russian people, and their well being during the Revolution. “Napoleon took no interest in Snowball’s committees. He said that education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up.” This shows Snowball’s commitment to the animals compared to the uninterested Napoleon.

    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. This essay will cover the comparisons between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution. It will also explain why this novel is a satire and allegory to the Revolution that took place in Russia so long ago.

    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

  • Similarities Between Russian Revolution And Animal Farm

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    The allure of power and the difficulty of resisting said temptation has long been an issue for several rulers. In the metaphorical comparison of the Russian Revolution and Animal Farm by George Orwell, both face the temptation of power and ultimately fall to is corruption. Stalin and his animal representation, Napoleon, are proof that the quote “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” by Lord Acton rings true.

    Read More

  • Hypocrisy In George Orwell's Animal Farm

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    During 1917, Russia underwent one of the most famous revolutions in history; with the sole intention to improve the nation. However, the original plan for the revolution was quickly put aside as the new leaders began to abuse their power; this brought on more than two years of slaughter and economic decrease. Within the text Animal Farm, George Orwell portrays the working class animals as naïve, while also having a lack of personal awareness; the pigs, however, were corrupted and manipulative. The pig’s hypocrisy against their own rules and ideas lead them to become the farms most powerful figure. Nevertheless, none of this would have been possible without the animals constantly turning a blind eye and failing to acknowledge when they were

    Read More

  • George Orwell's Animal Farm

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a political satire of a totalitarian society ruled by a mighty dictatorship, in all probability a fable for the events surrounding the Russian Revolution of 1917. The animals of “Manor Farm” overthrow their human master after a long history of mistreatment. Led by the pigs, the farm animals continue to do their work, only with more pride, knowing that they are working for themselves, as opposed to working for humans. Little by little, the pigs become dominant, gaining more power and advantage over the other animals, so much so that they become as corrupt and power-hungry as their predecessors, the humans.

    Read More

  • Exploration Of The Main Themes In "Animal Farm"

    595 Words  | 2 Pages

    Animal Farm, A novella by George Orwell, tells the tale of the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm, who after much oppression from their master, take over the farm for themselves. In the beginning it seems like the start of a life of freedom and plenty, but ruthless and cunning elite emerges and begins to take control of the farm. The animals find themselves ensnared once again as one form of tyranny gradually replaces the other. The novella is a critique of revolutionary Russia and idealism betrayed by power and corruption. Orwell uses allegory between Animal Farm and the Soviet Union to highlight the corruption of socialist ideals in the soviet union, the power of language and propaganda, and the dangers of a naive working class.

    Read More

More about Comparing Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution

Open Document