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Animal farm and soviet history
Russian Revolution and animal farm
Orwell’s satirical depiction of political power in animal farm
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In the novel Animal Farm, the writer satirizes certain characters, in an effort to depict society in a humorous way. This essay will focus on the characters of Boxer, Mollie and Napoleon. Boxer, described as a huge strong horse, is used by Orwell to represent the proletariat or working class of Russia. Orwell may have been a socialist, but he didn’t hesitate to give a less than flattering portrayal of the mighty beast. Amongst Boxers qualities of being brave, loyal, selfless and compassionate, he is largely criticized for his stupidity and gullible attitude. Harsh isn’t it? Throughout the book Boxer takes on the motto’s “I will work harder.” And “Napoleon is always right.”, by doing this Orwell suggests that the Russian people were far too loyal to the soviets. In the same way that the pigs could never have come to power without Boxers strength and stupidity, the Bolsheviks could never have come to power without the hard work of the majority of Russia’s population, the working class. In many respects we could say that Boxer was far too kind. After a stable boy was killed in the battl...
The 1945 novel 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell is an allegory for the Russian Revolution specifically for a variety of themes, such as lies and deceit, manipulation, and dreams and hopes. The novel shows great similarities to the Russian Revolution through these themes. In Animal Farm, Orwell portrays a society that is somewhat messed up that promises things that which people betray, which is rather quite alike our society where one is higher up than another and to be intimidated is very often. Lies and deceit, manipulation and hopes and dreams are themes that are portrayed and displayed in Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution.
George Orwell’s renown book “ Animal Farm” has been praised for its delicate way of criticizing communism during the Russian Revolution besides this, there is another underlying theme which Edmun Burke quotes very well: “It is necessary only for the good man to do nothing for evil to triumph”. George Orwell uses characters such as Boxer, Clover, and Benjamin to demonstrate that all it takes is a good man doing nothing, for evil to win.
One of the main ideas in Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is how each event in it corresponds to an event in the Russian Revolution. Orwell’s entire novel is essentially an allegory, in which each detail represents a different aspect of this historical event and the episodes surrounding it. I believe that “Animal Farm” shows that too much power can corrupt anyone. “When Old Major’s vision, later called “Animalism,” was put into practice, the pigs in charge took over and became selfish and violent, twisting the philosophy until it barely contained an echo of the original intent.” (Orwell, n.d.) This same exact thing happened with communism, as Stalin left much of the country helpless without money, and put people to death if they showed the slightest
The saying “history repeats itself” is used quite often, but how many times have you actually seen it happen? The book Animal Farm portrays the idea of history repeating itself. The character Benjamin and the pigs in the story show history repeating itself throughout the book. In addition to these characters within the book, North Korea displays history's repetition outside the book.
The novel Animal farm has profusions of allegory and symbolism. The book’s core all linked to the events of the Russian revolution. In this essay I would be targeting a certain element of what I believe is the greatest ground where allegory was present in Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” Dissecting the novel, we encounter characters and at close analysis, each of the characters symbolizes society’s people. Of all the allegory presented in the novel, I’d like to emphasize on a vicious character and its resemblances. As envisaged, this narrative is linked closely with the undertakings of Joseph Stalin. The Criterions of this different character, Napoleon, is clearly analogous to Stalin’s. Overall, the whole novel is a visual rendering of Stalin’s reign of terror and its effect on its society. Napoleon was a replica of Joseph Stalin, who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1922 until his death more than 30 years later. As we get deeper into the text, Napoleon portrays evolution of leadership. Let’s get back in time for a while to the Russian revolution. In 192four, when Lenin died, Trotsky and Stalin competed for authority and position. Trostky was a bright, brilliant personality while Stalin was simple and not as bright. Trotsky believed in putting a conclusion to Russia’s attempts to spread communism all over the world. Stalin was more focused on the prosperity of Russia, In Animal Farm, as we can compare, Snowball had the perception and sharp intellect and as the source of ideas and resolution. On the other hand, Napoleon was not a thinker. Napoleon focused more on the production of the farm and its modernization rather than animalism as Snowball’s focus. After banishing Snowball, Napoleon ordered the re-erection of...
In the allegorical book “Animal Farm”, the author George Orwell portrayed the similarities of communism on an “Animal Farm” to Russia, under the rule of Joseph Stalin. Orwell used animal characters on the farm to represent particular members of the Russian society. One example is Napoleon, one of the pigs in the book, whom was the ruler of the “Animal Farm”, and was the character that represented Stalin. Orwell used each character in the book to show readers the flaws of communism, and sent the message that if citizens do not take an active role in contributing to society they will crumble. The characters in the book coined their way of living as “Animalism”, which is Communism in animal terms. Every character written portrayed the failures of Stalin’s reign, and showed the readers that if you take the good in society and ignore the bad, eventually people will begin to see the world they love fall apart around them.
In his book, Orwell uses his allegorical farm to symbolize the communist system. Though the original intention of overthrowing Mr. Jones (who represents the Czars), is not inherently evil in itself, Napoleon’s subsequent adoption of nearly all of Mr. Jones’ principles and harsh mistreatment of the animals proves to the reader that indeed communism is not equality, but just another form of inequality. The pigs and dogs take most of the power for themselves, thinking that they are the best administrators of government. Eventually the power corrupts them, and they turn on their fellow animals, eliminating competitors through propaganda and bloodshed. This is of course a reference to Stalin, who murdered many of his own people in order to maintain his dictatorship of Russia.
One of the main characters of Animal Farm is an allegorical parallel of Joseph Stalin. Napoleon is the pig that emerges as the leader of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. He represents the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in Animal Farm, but can easily stand for any of the great dictators in world history. Napoleon seems at first to be a good leader, but he is eventually overcome by greed and becomes power-hungry. Stalin was the same in Russia, leaving the original equality of socialism behind, giving himself all the power and living in luxury while the peasants suffered. While Stalin’s national and international status flourished, the welfare of Russia remained unchanged. In Animal Farm, Orwell writes a similar thing: “Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves richer – except of course the pigs and the dogs.” In the novel, Napoleon openly seizes power for himself by using the dogs he trained to chase Snowball off Animal Farm. He banishes Snowball with no justification and rewrites history in order to further his own ends. Similarly, Stalin forced Trotsky from Russia and seized control of Russia. Stalin used his secret police ...
In the world today animals are treated poorly and are overworked under harsh conditions. In Animal Farm by George Orwell the idea of Animalism and lack of freedom is shown. Old Major gave an inspiring speech about how the animals live together without humans. After not being fed the animals attack Jones and end up taking over the farm. The animals survive on the farm, by making commandments, assigning jobs, and soon electing a leader. With Snowball and Napoleon guiding them they soon come across an amazing idea that could shorten the work week. After debating on the different viewpoints they both had on the windmill, Napoleon trains dogs to attack Snowball. With Napoleon now as the leader and Squealer as his spokesman they both run “Animal Farm”. With the victory at the Battle of Cowshed the animals start to have hope, after the windmill was knocked down by the humans everything falls apart. After years of mistreatment the animals decide to fight back. Unknowingly they place themselves under a manipulating leader. The animals soon believe that Napoleon is always right. In the end they lose their strongest most dedicated animal, Boxer. In order to secure a life of luxury for Napoleon and his fellow pigs, Napoleon (with Squealer as his spokesman) uses language that intimidates, language that distorts the truth, and language that appeals to the emotion of the others to manipulate the gullible animals of the farm.
Of the many parallels that Animal Farm holds with the realities of Russia, its leaders, and it’s successive revolution, one of the most important of those similarities are the struggles for unsurpassed power in Napoleon from Animal Farm and Joseph Stalin. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, he convinces readers to accept the failures of the farm and Russia itself. George Orwell portrays Napoleon as Joseph Stalin in Animal Farm in the sense that Napoleon tries to control the animals on the farm at every cost, much like Joseph Stalin did during the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR). The brutal living conditions of Russians during Czar Nicholas II and Stalin’s reign led them to completely lose faith in their leaders and generated multiple revolutionary events.
Orwell’s Animal Farm closely follows the people and events of the Russian Revolution. In fact, Orwell wrote Animal Farm to convey the evil correlation between revolutions and tyrannies, and to point out the fault in revolutions (“Animal Farm” Literature). The Russian Revolution came about when the Bolsheviks took power after overthrowing Czar Nicholas II and Romanov rule, around the 1920s (Smele). This revolution was the real life version of the Rebellion on Animal Farm, an event in which the animals overthrew the evil humans who owned the farm. Two of the most well-known figures of this time include Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin, who both used and accentuated propaganda. In the novella, Napoleon the pig represents Stalin. Both Napoleon and Stalin became a dictator and stopped any resistance to their power through the use of propaganda (Stults). Old Major, a respec...
All of the characters in Animal farm have counterparts in real life. This book was based on the Russian Revolution, and all the important populace of the revolution are symbolized. Some of the animals represent individuals in the Russian Revolution, and some types of animals represent different types of Russian citizens. The book carries out much like the actual revolution. It starts out with hopes of an empire where all are equal and the unfair unjust leader is thrown out. Then it moves on to where some individuals begin to take more power than is rightfully theirs. At the end the rulers have completely taken over and the kingdom is as it was under the original rulers. I will compare the animals from top of the social class to the bottom. At the top were the pigs. Each pig represented someone different in the revolution. Old Major is compared to Lenin. He was an ideologist who dreamed up a wonderful government where all the animals were equal and the humans, or the czars, were pushed out. Unfortunately his dream would never materialize. Then we are left with his predecessors. The first is Snowball. Snowball believed one hundred percent in Old Majors ideals. He wanted all the things Old Major wanted, such as the welfare of the animals. In the Russian Revolution his counterpart would be Trotsky. Trotsky believed and wanted the same things as Lenin, and wanted to continue what Lenin had started. Then comes Napoleon. Napoleon was selfish and greedy. He did not want to share the power or the decision making with any other individual. This was the same for Stalin. At first Napoleon and Snowball shared the decision making and had debates about what course of action they would take. This worked for awhile. Then Napoleon grew weary of long debates, and he thought he could make the decision by himself. He then forced Snowball out of the farm and started to spread lies about Snowball to get the entire farm against him. Stalin did the same thing against Trotsky and forced Trotsky into hiding into Mexico, where he was eventually assassinated. Both Stalin and Napoleon ruined any hopes of equal and fare government and instead set up dictatorships. Then comes the final important pig, Squealer. Squealer did not make the decisions in the government but acted more like the controlled media as in the Russian government.
Boxer, often used as a figure for sympathy due to his hard work, is taken away from the farm and “rapidly disappears down the road” (Orwell, Animal Farm, 1945) while the others watch on in despair. This becomes a pinnacle moment in the narrative and contrasts with the friendly style Orwell had been using to heighten the readers emotional engagement. Although directed towards a younger audience, Orwell ensures that his views are not altered and finds methods within his work to convey the lies he wishes to expose more efficiently. Orwell indicates in his essay entitled “Why I Write” that he anticipates readers to find the exposition of lies throughout his work that it may inform of historical events to avoid a reoccurrence (Orwell, Why I Write, 1946).
George Orwell’s Animal Farm, is a satirical novel that follows the causes, effects, and outcomes of a revolution. The Manor Farm is overtaken by the fatigued and dissatisfied animals that work tirelessly for Mr. Jones, the owner of the farm. The revolution is inspired by Major, the prize boar on the farm, but is attained by Snoball and Napoleon, two other boars. Squealer, a younger pig, acts as a persuasive communicator between the pigs and the other animals. The revolution is sparked by the desire to live on equal and just terms. The animals on the farm receive little to no education which affects their position in the revolution. The animals’ ignorance plays a major role in both political and social oppression because of their inability to
In Animal Farm George Orwell used his characters to represent the leaders of the Soviet Union and the people of Russia. Mr. Jones, the farmer whom the animals forced off the farm, symbolized Czar Nicholas II as well as the evils of capitalism. Mr. Jones forced the animals to work in order to produce milk, eggs, etc., yet he only gave the animals what they needed to survive and kept the rest for himself. He could not produce any of these products himself, yet he was still the leader of all the animals. This caused the animals to rebel and force Mr. Jones off the farm, similar to when the people of Russia rebelled. Contrary to the book however, the Czar Nicholas II and his family were executed rather than run out of the country. Another individual that Orwell represented in his book was Joseph Stalin. Napoleon was obviously the character that represented Stalin. In the book, Napoleon seemed to be a good leader at first, but then he became very power hungry, just like Stalin did in Russia. Stalin left the idea of socialism behind as he became accustomed to the life of luxury. When Stalin did this, he left the common person suffering. Stalin/Napoleon became a dictator rather than a fair leader. Finally, the pig Snowball represents Leo Trotsky, Stalin’s arch-rival in Russia. Snowball and Napoleon (Trotsky and Stalin) were partners at first, both wishing to see a better future for themselves, bu...