Animal Farm is one of those rare books that can be read in two ways:

As a child, this could easily be read simply as a group of animals on a farm getting rid of the farmer, coming together to live, eat and build together. As a child you could learn to love the animals but just as equally hate the pigs for being 'the baddies'. You could easily put this book down without realising its significance.

As an adult, reading this book is quite a defining experience. It is an interesting and unique take on dictatorship and reflects Orwell's feelings about Stalin's regime. We are all well aware of Stalin's regime in the Cold War. Of course, we also know of the horrors inflicted upon others by the Nazi's and we have all experienced the effect of terrorism in our present world. This short story takes those concepts and applies them in a new way: to animals.

Orwell very cleverly shows how an uprising, seemingly for the benefit of everyone, can quickly turn into a dictatorship, with those leading being the only ones to benefit. The boar Napoleon is Orwell's reflection of Stalin himself, the leader of the dictatorship, and we see how Napoleon uses those around him to get what he wants while inflicting terror and uncertainty among the other animals. Even those who are wary of him are too scared to question him, because surely their leader is right?

This is a profound and important story with strong messages about society and the human condition. A must read for everyone.