Animal Farm

ANIMATED SHEEP

Animal Farm (1945)

C.- A Brief Annalysis of the 'characters'

A.- What's about Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a satire on Stalinism and
the Russian revolution. Because in 1945
Russia, was an allied of England Orwell had
a hard time publishing it.

B.- Summary

The story takes place on a farm somewhere in England. The story is told by
an all-knowing narrator in the third person. The action of this novel starts when the
oldest pig, Old Major on the farm calls all animals to a secret meeting. He tells all
the other animals about his dream of a revolution against the cruel Mr. Jones.
Three days later Major dies, but the speech gave the more intelligent animals a
new outlook on life. The pigs, who were considered the most intelligent animals,
instructed the other ones. During the period of preparation two pigs could
distinguish themselves, Napoleon and Snowball. Napoleon is big, and although he
isn't a good speaker, he could assert himself. Napoleon is a better speaker, he
has a lot of ideas and he is very vivid. Together with another pig called Squealer,
who is a very good speaker, they work out the theory of "Animalism". The rebellion
starts some months later, as one night Mr Jones comes home drunken, and
forgets to feed the animals. They break out of the barns and run to the house,
where the food is stored. As Mr Jones recognises this he takes out his shotgun,
but it is to late for him, all the animals fall over him and drive him off the farm. The
animals destroy all whips nose rings, reins, and all other instruments that were
used to suppress them. The same day the animals celebrate their victory with an
extra ration of food. The pigs have made up the seven commandments, and they
have written then above the door of the big barn.

They run thus:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill another animal.
7. All animals are equal.

The animals also agreed that no animal shall ever enter the farmhouse, and that no
animal shall have contact with humans. This commandments are summarised in
the simple phrase: "Four legs good, two legs bad". After some time Jones came
back with some other men from the village to recapture the farm. The animals fight
brave, and they manage to defend the farm. Snowball and Boxer received medals
of honour for defending the farm so bravely. Also Napoleon who had not fought at
all takes a medal. This is the reason that the two pigs, snowball and Napoleon are
often arguing. As Snowball one day presented his idea to build a windmill, to
produce electricity to the other animals, Napoleon calls nine strong dogs. The dogs
drive off Snowball from the farm, and Napoleon explains that Snowball in fact was
co-operating with Mr Jones. He also explains that Snowball in realty never had a
medal of honour, that in Snowball was always trying to cover up that he was fighting
at the side of Mr Jones. The animals then started with the building of the windmill,
and as time went on the working-time went up, whereas the food ration went down.
Although the "common" animals had not enough food, the pigs grow fatter and
fatter. The pigs tell the animals that they need more food, for they are managing the
whole farm. Again some time later the pigs explain to the other animals that they
have to trade with the neighbour farms. The common animals are very upset ,
because after the revolution, there has been a resolution that no animal shall make
trade with a human. But the pigs ensured that there never has been such a
resolution, and that this was a evil lye by Snowball. Short after this decision the
pigs moved to the farm house. The other animals remembered that there was a
commandment that forbids sleeping in beds, and so they go to the big barn to look
at the commandments. As they arrive there they can't believe their eyes, the 4th
commandment has been changed to: "No animal shall sleep in bed with sheets".
And also the other commandments were changed: "No animal shall kill another
animal without reason", or "No animal shall drink alcohol in excess". Some months
there is a heavy storm that destroys the windmill, that is nearly ready. Napoleon
accuses Snowball of destroying the mill, and he promises a reward to the animal
who gets Snowball. The rebuilding of the mill takes two years. Again Jones attacks
the farm, and although the animals defend the farm the windmill is once again
destroyed. The pigs decide to build the mill again, and they cut down the food
ration. And some day Boxer breaks down. He is sold to a butcher, whereas
Napoleon tells the pigs that Boxer was brought to a hospital where he has died.
Three years later the mill was finally ready. In this time Napoleon deepens the
relations with the neighbour farm, and one day Napoleon even invites the owners
of this farm for an inspection. They sit inside the farmhouse and celebrate the
efficiency of his farm, where the animals work very hard with the minimum of food.
During this celebration all the other animals have meet at the window of the farm,
and as they look inside they can't distinguish between man and animal.

C.- A brief criticism of the characters

The novel Animal Farm is a satire on the Russian revolution, and therefore full
of symbolism. General Orwell associates certain real characters with the
characters of the book. Here is a list of the characters and things and their
meaning:

Mr Jones: the farmer Mr Jones stands for the Russian Tsar Nicolaii the second
who was forced to abdicate after the successful February-revolution. But Mr Jones
also somehow stands for the moral decline of men in a capitalist or feudalist type
of socierty.

Old Major: Old major on the one hand represents the workers of the Putilow
factory, who started the February-revolution, and on the other hand Old Major is
representing the Russian intelligentsia. But it is also possible that Orwell made Old
Major a symbol for Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who somehow invented the
communist ideology. Another possibility is that Old Major represents Wladimir
Iljitsch Lenin, the leader of the October revolution.

Napoleon: Without doubt Napoleon stands for Josef Wissarionowitsch Stalin, one
of the most cruel dictators in worlds history.

Squealer: This pig is an excellent speaker. Squealer convinces all animals to
follow the revolution. The appearance of this pig can be compared with Goebbels,
the German minister for propaganda.

Snowball: Snowball is a symbol for Leo Dawidowitsch Trotzky. In the beginning
Trotzky participated in the revolution, but later was forced to go to the exile.

Boxer & Clover: These three animals are a sing for the Russian working-class,
which was convinced of the necessity of the Revolution. The Russian working-class
then has build up the industry, which was forty years behind the western countries.
Then this class that has done so much for the prosperity of Russia has been
betrayed by the Communist party, or in this case the pigs. Orwell also shows up
that the proles are not very intelligent.

Pigs: Orwell has chosen the pigs to represent the communist Party. Before and
short after the revolution the acted like being loyal to the working-class, or common
animals, but later they have became just like, the tsar family. They just exploit the
working-class, an they live in luxury and abundance.

Dogs: The dogs were recruited by the pigs to protect their own power and might.
The dogs were also used to evict and to intimidate political enemies within their
own rows (for example: Snowball-Trotzky). So one can say that the cruel dogs
stand for the army and the secret-police.

Moses: The raven Moses is a symbol for the orthodox church, that was somehow
an allied of the Russian Tsar. Moses always told stories of the "Sugar Candy
Mountain" where all dead animals live on. Moses tries to persuade the animals
that there is no need for revolution.

Humans: The humans stand for the capitalists, who exploit the weak.

Rats & Rabbits: The rats and the rabbits, who are regarded as wild animals,
somehow represent the socialist movement, the so-called "Menscheviki". In the
very beginning of the book the animals vote if rats and rabbits should be
comrades.

Pigeons: The pigeons, who fly out each day to spread out he message of the
victory, represent the "Communist World Revolution".

Beast of England: Communist Internationale

Farm buildings: The farm stabnds for the Kremlin. In the early days of the USSR
there were sightseeing tours trough the Kremlin. Later it became the residence of
Stalin.

Windmill: The Windmill for example stands for the Russian industry, that
has been build up by the working-class (Clover...)

Fredericks: Stands for Hitler. There also has been an arrangement. (allusion to
Fritz)

Foxwood: Foxwood farm is representing England.

Pinchfiled: Pinchfiled symbolises Germany.

Destruction of the Windmill: This destruction is a symbol for the failure of the Five

Year Plan

This information has been taken from: http://www.saltdal.vgs.no/engelsk/orwell/animf.htm#symbol

D.- Criticism

It was written in 1945. Animal Farm is the only one of his books that shows not the least sign of having been sweated over, flowing absolutely clear from start to finish, as though the author had needed to do nothing but copy it out. Four publishers refused it on the ground that at the time it was not possible to print a book attacking a military ally. As events turned out, however, the book's appearance could not have been better timed and it was quickly a best-seller; in America its success was even greater than in Britain. Its plot is about some animals on a farm which are unite against their master. They are successful in getting rid of the tyrant and in managing the practical work of something they had never regarded as a problem: their dealings with each other. Animal Farm is conceived and written in the classic tradition of satire, the tradition of receding planes, which gives it precisely the depth of every reader. T.R. Fivel wrote about this book:

Animal Farm is also a story of frustration and cruelty. From the 7first page onwards, the revolt of the domestic animals of which it tells is predestined to fail. The final scene when the bewildered animals look from their ruling pigs to the neighbouring men cannot tell which is which, is already inherent in the opening where the old boar Major talks of a glories revolutionary animal Utopia to come. But the events in between, as they gently unroll on Animal Farm, seem bathed in a permanent, benign sunshine.

This satire is funny and at the same time it criticise political situation. It is this what makes Animal Farm a book of allegory, which uses metaphors of the present state society and it became as a prophecy, but always with an uncertain condition of the real facts. Matthew Hodgartin his study of this book gives an analysis of the satire genre that Orwell used:

Animal Farm, a gay, fluent work, completed in a few months in the midst of Orwell's wartime preoccupation. He choose a very ancient genre, based on the animal story found in the folk-tales of all primitive and peasant cultures, and reflecting a familiarity and sympathy with animals which Orwell seems to have shared. It is, then, one of his most famous works because of his incredible way of telling a political situation of his country.

E.- Conclusion

Animal Farm was one of the best satirical and political books Orwell published in his life. He dealt with the Russian problem, which was supposed to be an ally to British Government. Because Orwell attacked the Russian system, his book didn’t have the right acceptance in Britain. Orwell analyses each member among the Russian society (represented by different animals), relating to his function in front of politics. Which is the role an individual plays in government.
Animals rebel against the man who is ruling the farm. He controls everything; he has the power of ruling without the community consent. There’s a revolution against this supposed Communism that Orwell was very much concerned. Animal Farm is a revolutionary declaration of thinking; it is a point of view about the situation in politics in Russia, and the rights anyone has in society. We must read it as if we were dealing with a politic-book, nor just a novel.