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calarco 's review for:
Animal Farm
by George Orwell
One of my favorite allegories, Animal Farm is a brilliant tale that both details and criticizes the rise of an authoritarian regime. While Orwell was a prominent democratic socialist who championed worker’s rights (see [b:The Road to Wigan Pier|30553|The Road to Wigan Pier|George Orwell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414451091s/30553.jpg|1034643]), he was a vocal critic of Stalin’s vein of totalitarian communism by 1945, the year Animal Farm was published.
Orwell’s ideology actually enabled for him to authentically detail the appeals of socialism, how these principles can be ethically misrepresented, as well as how the misuse of these principles could deteriorate into totalitarian communism. The pig Old Major (a stand in for Marx and Lenin) introduces ideas of animal (workers) solidarity over the tyranny of the human owners (Imperial Monarchy). He dies before he can see his work completed, but pigs Napoleon (Stalin) and Snowball (Trotsky) carry out his vision.
The two pigs lead an animal rebellion, overthrow the human tyrants, transform Manor Farm in ‘Animal Farm,’ and write out the Seven Commandments of Animalism. While difficult for many of the animals to remember, the pigs simplify that the most important Commandment is, “four legs good, two legs bad.” The difference between humans and animals is held as the most important principle.
Snowball, an idealist, wants the animals to become literate, carry out beneficial work projects like a windmill, and create a program to take care of the elderly. Napoleon, an opportunist who is remarkably good at consolidating power, ends up exiling Snowball (oh, Trotsky) and begins instilling his own version of Animalism. Overtime, Napoleon’s Animalism could not be more warped from what it once was, but the animals are unable to object as the pigs begin to re-write history. Due to their lack of literacy and critical analysis, the animals easily fall into a new status quo and accept Napoleon’s version of events as accepted reality.
As time goes on, and the Seven Commandments of Animalism are re-written to suit the needs of the pigs’ regime, a key and telling change is made. What was once simply, “All animals are equal…” comes to then include, “…but some animals are more equal than others.” Only then do the animals seem to horrifically realize the level of malignant social upheaval that has occurred. Animal Farm once again becomes ‘Manor Farm.’ It is here that Orwell clearly identified the key difference between democratic socialism and communism – ‘equality,’ or lack thereof.
Overall, it’s amazing how accurately Orwell pinned the human condition, but you know, with animals. Even the intelligent donkey Benjamin, who choses to be cynically apathetic, rather than using his knowledge to help his friends, is a pretty good example of how even intelligent people can be readily conquered and emotionally defeated. Apathy is only useful to an authoritarian.
This is a great book; I definitely recommend it.
Orwell’s ideology actually enabled for him to authentically detail the appeals of socialism, how these principles can be ethically misrepresented, as well as how the misuse of these principles could deteriorate into totalitarian communism. The pig Old Major (a stand in for Marx and Lenin) introduces ideas of animal (workers) solidarity over the tyranny of the human owners (Imperial Monarchy). He dies before he can see his work completed, but pigs Napoleon (Stalin) and Snowball (Trotsky) carry out his vision.
The two pigs lead an animal rebellion, overthrow the human tyrants, transform Manor Farm in ‘Animal Farm,’ and write out the Seven Commandments of Animalism. While difficult for many of the animals to remember, the pigs simplify that the most important Commandment is, “four legs good, two legs bad.” The difference between humans and animals is held as the most important principle.
Snowball, an idealist, wants the animals to become literate, carry out beneficial work projects like a windmill, and create a program to take care of the elderly. Napoleon, an opportunist who is remarkably good at consolidating power, ends up exiling Snowball (oh, Trotsky) and begins instilling his own version of Animalism. Overtime, Napoleon’s Animalism could not be more warped from what it once was, but the animals are unable to object as the pigs begin to re-write history. Due to their lack of literacy and critical analysis, the animals easily fall into a new status quo and accept Napoleon’s version of events as accepted reality.
As time goes on, and the Seven Commandments of Animalism are re-written to suit the needs of the pigs’ regime, a key and telling change is made. What was once simply, “All animals are equal…” comes to then include, “…but some animals are more equal than others.” Only then do the animals seem to horrifically realize the level of malignant social upheaval that has occurred. Animal Farm once again becomes ‘Manor Farm.’ It is here that Orwell clearly identified the key difference between democratic socialism and communism – ‘equality,’ or lack thereof.
Overall, it’s amazing how accurately Orwell pinned the human condition, but you know, with animals. Even the intelligent donkey Benjamin, who choses to be cynically apathetic, rather than using his knowledge to help his friends, is a pretty good example of how even intelligent people can be readily conquered and emotionally defeated. Apathy is only useful to an authoritarian.
This is a great book; I definitely recommend it.