Dystopian worlds are an imagined place or environment in which everything is unpleasant or hazardous. These worlds make a criticism or warning about society through worst-case scenarios in which the protagonist feels trapped.
He sent out a single command, issuing it with all the power he could manage. Raja reared back, snarling, front paws swiping at the air in an effort to break free. 1
Victor Kelleher
Author of 'Taronga '
The book 'Taronga ' was written by Victor Kelleher in 1988. The protagonist, Ben, is a 14 year old boy who lives in Australia after the 'Last Days ' (post-apocalyptic). He has the rare ability to talk to, or 'Call ' to animals. When Ben stumbles upon the mysterious Taronga zoo, it at first seems untouched by the surrounding
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Almost everyone knows about animal abuse, so why is there no difference to it? We may not see it, but though we say we love our animals, we often end up betraying them. We think that we are doing good, but in the end we control them, and steal their liberty. How far is too far?
Both issues that have been presented are prominent in today 's society. However, the last is still the most disputed over of our time. Ask yourself, how often do you watch the news, or listen to a radio report without hearing of some government issue? There are constantly reports about rising taxes, suspected fraud or the embezzlement of our money by the government. The question is, is our government forming us into a dystopian society?
This issue is not only presented in 'Taronga ', through the rulership of Steve and Molly, but also in the book 'Animal Farm ' by George Orwell. In this dystopian book, a group of farm animals overthrow the human owners, to live a life of freedom, but the pigs take leadership, and start controlling, and manipulating the animals, until they are leading a worse life than before.
The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership. 4
George Orwell
Author of 'Animal Farm
Dystopia is a term that defines a corrupt government that projects a false image. Thus, in a dystopian society, making belief and comfort that the society is proper to its followers. One good example of dystopian society is the Hunger Games. The terms that describe that dystopia towards the Hunger games are a “hierarchical society, fear of the outside world, penal system and a back story” (“Dystopia”).
In George Orwell’s Animal Farm farm animals drive their cruel owner out to have independence. After this rebellion, the pigs being naturally smart take the role as leaders. The pigs are able to keep their rule because they take advantage of the animals’ horrible memory and lie about the past in order to benefit themselves and sustain a better rule for the future.
The pigs in George Orwell’s Animal Farm use specific laws, use unknown vocabulary and excruciating detail, implement scare tactics, and create and manipulate law to successfully attain the other animal’s trust, acquire certain luxuries unavailable to most animal, and establish themselves as the dictators of a totalitarian-like society. Through using detail, unknown vocabulary, specific laws, and scare tactics, the pigs acquire the ability to drink alcohol, sleep on beds, eat and drink the milk and apples, destroy Snowball’s credibility, and establish a trust between themselves and the other animals. From Orwell’s Animal Farm, one realizes how leaders with absolute power use carefully manipulated language to abuse their power.
Many people may argue that animal cruelty laws should not be stricter because abuse to animals and abuse to humans are on an entirely different level; however, the numerous studies connecting the violence to animals with the violence to humans are indisputable proof that lenient animal cruelty laws are not only unethical but also dangerous. Ask your conscious what is the right thing to do, and when it tells you, write to your congressman and ask them to fight for helpless animals’ rights, and if you join organizations such as the ASPCA, perhaps together we can successfully end the suffering.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.” (Gandhi). Sadly it seems that there is much to be desired from America. Over the past few years there has been an increase in animal abuse, sadly numerous cases go unreported and unrecognized. It is estimated by the HSUS that every year nearly one million animals are abused or killed with connections of domestic violence. From this growing issue, it is seen that humans have power over animals.
It was however generally understood that the pigs were the cleverest of the animals, so the work of organising for the Rebellion fell naturally to them. Especially two pigs take over leadership: Napoleon and Snowball.
Dystopian novels are written to reflect the fears a population has about its government and they are successful because they capture that fright and display what can happen if it is ignored. George Orwell wrote 1984 with this fear of government in mind and used it to portray his opinion of the current government discretely. Along with fear, dystopian novels have many other elements that make them characteristic of their genre. The dystopian society in Orwell’s novel became an achievement because he utilized a large devastated city, a shattered family system, life in fear, a theme of oppression, and a lone hero.
To begin, when analyzing the definition, one could depict the true meaning of dystopia and find out how to identify it. “a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression,disease, and overcrowding..” (“dystopia”). Dystopia is a genre created on the base of human misery; essentially it is a nightmare that has become the characters’ unfortunate reality. Many prolific authors create books like
“There can be many reason for animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, is often committed by a person who feels powerless, unnoticed, or under control of others. Some who are cruel to animals copy acts what they have seen or that have been done to them, others see harming an animal as a safe way to get revenge against--or threaten-- someone who cares about that animal”. (“Animal… Statistics”) Concerns towards abusing animals have gone up in the past. Although there are not many cases on animal abuse, many have occurred. Abusers are charged with Criminal Animal Abuse and then sentenced to life in prison. Some animals that are physically abused are sometimes rescued by Animal Control, and are taken it to an animal shelter. However, many shelters have not had the space to keep the animals so the workers would have to put them down (Carol Roach). Researchers have shown that the main animals getting abused are dogs, chickens, horses, and livestock (“Animal...
leader or leaders must be found to represent the animals. Because the pigs are believed to be the
The definition of a dystopia is a futuristic universe where oppressive societal control and creating an illusion of a perfect society (or rather a Utopia) are maintained through either corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control. A lot of popular books and movies we see today are created from this concept, and often have a character who defines the rules within the dystopian setting. The book Fahrenheit 451 and the movie The Hunger Games both contain a dystopian genre which go by the definition of a dystopia.
A Dystopia is defined as a futuristic, imagined universe in which there is oppressive, societal control. In a Dystopia the illusion of a perfect society is maintained through corporate, technological, or totalitarian control. Dystopias make a criticisms about a current trend, societal norm, or political system through an exaggerated worst-case scenario. Nineteen eighty-four is a dystopian novel published in 1949 by English author George Orwell.
After the Animal Revolution the pigs take the initiative and place themselves in charge because of their claim of having higher intelligence. Over time this power begins to distort the basis of their revolt by recreating the same social situation they were previously in. “When the pigs takeover they claim that their goal is to preside a farm of equal animals, all working together to support one another, yet power quickly proves too much for a pig.” Though the animals originally took over the farm to increase the animal’s independence as a whole, because of the pig’s superiority they soon take the place of the humans further limiting their independence.
Every 60 seconds an animal is abused. Dogs, cats, horses, and many other types of animals are being neglected and tortured everyday, yet resulting in few and minor consequences for the perpetrators. Animal abuse is prevalent in the United States and has been an ongoing issue since the 1970's, and prior to. Society as a whole has chosen to avoid the facts and arguments about animal cruelty, because to some it is seen as acceptable and typical. It becomes much more frowned upon when people actually see the results of the cruelty, especially in the media.
In conclusion, in the novel ‘Animal Farm’, the dream of animals to have a better or a more perfect society, transforms into a totalitarian nightmare mainly due to the actions of the pigs. Yet in a way, the other animals are also responsible for that as they could not stand consistently for their dream. Thus ultimately, they become the victims of the totalitarianism of the pigs and loose their freedom and happiness.