Existentialism In Animal Farm

Existentialist Lens

Animal farm by George Orwell demonstrates existentialism throughout the whole novel in many different ways. Existentialism is basically the philosophy of existence, focusing more on individual existence, freedom, and choice. In the novella the animals come in contact with the fact that life could be much better than just living by the rules made by man. The farm animals can not read nor write, they are uneducated until they are later inspired by a dying pig that goes by the name of old Major. Old Major informs the farm animals that life could be much better and that they have the power to change how all the animals live in the future:

Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives

are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength; (Orwell, 3)

One farm animal in particular, Mollie was incapable of living the way everybody else was. She liked the way she was living before and missed the days when she was comforted with sugar and hair ribbons by the humans. Mollie then leaves animal farm and returns back to the humans. Mollie was incapable of living with freedom, she needed someone there to tell her what to do. Mollie symbolizes the problem with existentialism. After the passing of Old Major, the farm animals decide to go through with the rebellion. The rebellion was a success and for the most part except for Mollie, the rest of the farm animals were their own masters. They were happy with this freedom and found joy in being in charge of themselves. Everything then begins to fall apart when Napoleon gains in control of the animals because the pigs are the more intelligent animals on the farm. Once Napoleon is in charge, freedom becomes a whole new thing. Rules change over and over and because the other animals are not educated they cannot speak up because they only know what they are told.

Animal farm by George Orwell demonstrates existentialism throughout the whole novel in many different ways.

Existentialism is basically the philosophy of existence, focusing more on individual existence, freedom, and choice. In the novella the animals come in contact with the fact that life could be much better than just living by the rules made by man. The farm animals can not read nor write, they are uneducated until they are later inspired by a dying pig that goes by the name of old Major. Old Major informs the farm animals that life could be much better and that they have the power to change how all the animals live in the future. One farm animal in particular, Mollie was incapable of living the way everybody else was. She liked the way she was living before and missed the days when she was comforted with sugar and hair ribbons by the humans. Mollie then leaves animal farm and returns back to the humans. Mollie was incapable of living with freedom, she needed someone there to tell her what to do. Mollie symbolizes the problem with existentialism. After the passing of Old Major, the farm animals decide to go through with the rebellion. The rebellion was a success and for the most part. "Then Snowball (for it was Snowball who was best at writing) took a brush between the two knuckles of his trotter, painted out MANOR FARM from the top bar of the gate and in its place painted ANIMAL FARM. This was to be the name of the farm from now onwards" (Orwell

15).

Animal farm by George Orwell demonstrates existentialism throughout the whole novel in many different ways. Existentialism is basically the philosophy of existence, focusing more on individual existence, freedom, and choice. In the novella the animals come in contact with the fact that life could be much better than just living by the rules made by man. The farm animals can not read nor write, they are uneducated until they are later inspired by a dying pig that goes by the name of old Major. Old Major informs the farm animals that life could be much better and that they have the power to change how all the animals live in the future "Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short… Man. Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever. (Orwell 3, 4)

"Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born" In the novella the animals come in contact with the fact that life could be much better than just living by the rules made by man (Orwell 3). The farm animals can not read nor write, they are uneducated until they are later inspired by a dying pig that goes by the name of old Major. Old Major informs the farm animals that life could be much better and that they have the power to change how all the animals live in the future. One farm animal in particular, Mollie was incapable of living the way everybody else was. She liked the way she was living before and missed the days when she was comforted with sugar and hair ribbons by the humans. Mollie then leaves animal farm and returns back to the humans. Mollie was incapable of living with freedom, she needed someone there to tell her what to do. Mollie symbolizes the problem with existentialism. After the passing of Old Major, the farm animals decide to go through with the rebellion. The rebellion was a success and for the most part except for Mollie, the rest of the farm animals were their own masters. They were happy with this freedom and found joy in being in charge of themselves. Everything then begins to fall apart when Napoleon gains in control of the animals because the pigs are the more intelligent animals on the farm. Once Napoleon is in charge, freedom becomes a whole new thing. Rules change over and over and because the other animals are not educated they cannot speak up because they only know what they are told.

In the novella the animals come in contact with the fact that life could be much better than just living by the rules made by man. The farm animals can not read nor write, they are uneducated until they are later inspired by a dying pig that goes by the name of old Major. Old Major informs the farm animals that life could be much better and that they have the power to change how all the animals live in the future "Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short." One farm animal in particular, Mollie was incapable of living the way everybody else was (Orwell 3).