Animal Farm, by George Orwell :: Animal Farm Essays

Animal Farm     George Orwells novel, Animal Farm, is a deceitfully transparent story abouta group of farm animals who, tired of toiling for the benefit of humans, rebeland create their own way of life only to adventure themselves, several years later,toiling for the benefit of one of their own kind, the pigs. Because of thesimplicity of this novel, galore(postnominal) people consider it to be a childrens story.However, beyond its lighthearted surface, it is sincerely a satirical attackagainst Stalinism. "It is also a lament for the fate of revolutions and thehopes contained in them." Adding to the complexity of the book, it also showsmans willingness to compromise the truth. In the short scope of this novel,Orwell expresses many of his ideas about men and politics.     Major, an elderly pig, is the one who plants the seed of rebellion inthe minds of the early(a) animals by sharing with them a song which he had learnedas a young p ig, but which he has just recalled during a dream. This song"Beasts of England" describes a peaceful life where all animals will live inharmony, no longer enslaved by humans.          Riches more than mind can picture,          Wheat and barley, oats and hay,          Clover, beans and mangel-wurzels          Shall be ours upon that day.          Bright will shine the fields of England,          Purer shall its waters be,          Sweeter yet shall absorb its breezes          On the day that sets us free. (pp. 7-8)The character of Major symbolizes the Soviet Union leader, Vladimir Ilich Lennin.Lennin too had caused his comrades to rise up in rebellion against the Czaristform of political relation in the hope of creating a country where everyone would beequal. Before he saw his ideas fully enacted, he died.     After the death of Major, the power is left in the hands of two otherpigs, Snowball and Napoleon. Napoleon, who, without anyone else discovering,had raised a litter of puppies into fierce dogs, now uses them to chase Snowballoff the farm. This shares many similarities with the way a leader came intopower to succeed Lennin. Lennins choice was Leon Trotsky, but Stalin, who isrepresented by Napoleon, uses tactful maneuvers to work his way into governmentand establish a totalitarian system.     As the only leader, Napoleon quickly begins to abuse his power. Usinghis superior intelligence, he soon has the other animals doing all the farm workwhile he and the other pigs take on the roles of supervisors. The attitudes ofthe animals, especially Boxer, with his motto, "Napoleon is always right,&q uot arerepresentative of the way people in a totalitarian state blindly keep their