ANIMAL FARM by GEORGE ORWELL (completed) cover art

ANIMAL FARM by GEORGE ORWELL (completed)

ANIMAL FARM by GEORGE ORWELL (completed)

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 George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a political allegory written in the form of a beast fable. Published in 1945, it uses a group of farm animals to satirize the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent Stalinist era of the Soviet Union.The RebellionThe story begins at Manor Farm, run by the irresponsible and often drunken Mr. Jones. An elderly prize boar named Old Major gathers the animals to share his vision of a world where animals are free from human tyranny. He teaches them a song called "Beasts of England" and introduces the philosophy of Animalism.After Old Major dies, the animals successfully revolt and drive Mr. Jones off the farm. They rename it Animal Farm and establish The Seven Commandments, the most important being: "All animals are equal."The Power StruggleTwo pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, emerge as leaders but constantly clash:
  • Snowball: Intelligent and idealistic, he wants to modernize the farm by building a windmill to provide electricity and reduce labor.
  • Napoleon: Cruel and power-hungry, he cares little for ideals and focuses on consolidating control.
The conflict ends when Napoleon uses a pack of fierce dogs (which he raised in secret) to chase Snowball away. Napoleon declares himself the absolute leader and eliminates all democratic meetings.The Corruption of IdealsUnder Napoleon’s rule, life on the farm becomes increasingly harsh for everyone except the pigs.
  • Propaganda: A pig named Squealer serves as Napoleon’s mouthpiece, using clever language and lies to justify the pigs’ luxuries and blame every failure on the exiled Snowball.
  • Betrayal of the Working Class: Boxer, a loyal and hardworking horse whose motto is "I will work harder," is eventually sold to a glue factory once he becomes too old to work, even though he was the farm's most devoted servant.
  • Changing the Rules: The Seven Commandments are secretly altered one by one to suit the pigs' behavior (e.g., "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets").
The EndingYears pass, and the pigs begin walking on two legs, wearing clothes, and carrying whips. The original commandments are replaced by a single, chilling maxim:"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."The novel ends with the pigs hosting a dinner for neighboring human farmers. As the other animals look through the window, they realize they can no longer tell the difference between the pigs and the humans.
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