George Orwell's Animal Farm

How would you handle being underfed, overworked, naive, unequal and absolutely controlled? Would you feel like all your work was being done for the good of someone else? What if you became trapped by an absolute and supreme leader? The animals of Manor Farm know all these feelings. They want a community for the animals, by the animals, where all are equal and work is done for the good of the animals.

Old Major, a wise old pig, holds this view of the perfect society for animals, free from human oppression. He gathers the animals of the Manor Farm for a meeting in the big barn. He and tells the others about his dream for a better life for all, and says it cannot be reached until Mr. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, is overthrown, ending his era of cruelty, slavery and mistreatment. He tells them of a dream he has had in which all animals live together with no human beings to oppress or control them. He 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. The animals greet Major’s vision with great enthusiasm. But before this utopia can be created, Old Major dies.

Three younger pigs—Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer—formulate his main principles into a philosophy called Animalism. These fairly civilized beasts devise a political system to fight their oppression and have the intent to overthrow the human rule in society.

Late one night, the animals manage to defeat the farmer Mr. Jones in a battle, running him off the land. They rename the property Animal Farm and dedicate themselves to achieving Major’s dream. The cart-horse Boxer devotes himself to the cause with particular zeal, committing his great strength to the pr...

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...than the rulers before them because they corrupt their own ideals too. This doesn’t just happen in countries, but it can happen in schools when some kids just take over and then think they can do whatever they want. It also happens in groups when one person tells everyone what to do and doesn’t do anything him or herself.

. This is a good book with a lot of good messages to remember. The old donkey, Benjamin seems to know what will happen. He thinks “life will go on as it always does – badly.” You can look around and see people who “always seem to get their own way” like Napoleon the pig. I think we need to be careful when we choose our leaders because this book shows how people just get to be more like what they already are. The book is an incredible extended metaphor that informs us of our most important asset, our freedom which is pertinent in our lives today.