Literary devices used in Animal Farm Timothy Quong
What is the definition of a good novel? Opinions on this question may differ, but there are many things that good novels have in common. Most importantly, the reader must enjoy the novel. When I use the word enjoy, I don’t necessarily mean that it should make the reader ‘happy’ or ‘joyful’. The novel should give the reader a valuable or worthwhile experience. Many good novels often address topics that relate to our own reality. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, one of the main focuses is on power and corruption.
Although consisting of only 95 pages, Animal Farm is effective in delivering its message. Orwell uses a variety of literary devices in Animal Farm that make it a deceptively complex and effective novel. I have decided to examine three of these literary devices:
Structure, atmosphere, and irony. To chart the progression of the story, I will demonstrate how different things change throughout the story.
Work and food-
After the revolution, all the animals shared the food equally. They also worked to their own capacity. The first cases of inequality occur in the third chapter. All the milk and windfall apples are given to the pigs, instead of being shared among all the animals.
After Napoleon took power, the common animals worked 60 hours a week and had to work on Sundays as well. In the past, each animal worked to his own capacity, now anyone that didn’t work on Sunday would have his rations reduced. As the story progresses, the rations of the working animals slowly decrease and the amount of work increases.
Ideology-
After the death of Old Major, seven commandments were proclaimed. Over time, the pigs changed the commandments.
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy – The pigs engage in business and trade with the humans. Napoleon socializes and plays cards with the humans.
Four legs good, two legs bad – Four legs goo, two legs better.
No animal shall wear clothes – The pigs eventually wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed – It changes to: No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.
No animal shall drink alcohol – No animal shall drink alcohol in excess.
No animal shall kill any other animal -- No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.
All animals are equal -- All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others are.
Ceremonies-
Initially, the animals used a gre...
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...stic. The mood turns mournful after the brutal executions, “When it was all over, the remaining animals, except for the pigs and dogs, crept away in a body. They were shaken and miserable.” A very emotional scene occurs later in chapter when the animals gather around Clover on the knoll, “As Clover looked down the hillside her eyes filled with tears. If she could have spoken her thoughts, it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race. These scenes of terror and torture were not what they had looked forward to on that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion.”
In chapter nine, Boxer’s death had a large impact on the animals that had known him. Even Benjamin who appears to be least affected by the turn of events is changed by the death of Boxer, “Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever, except for being a little greyer around the muzzle, and since Boxer’s death, more morose taciturn than ever.”
In the last scene where animals watch as Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington brawl over the game of cards, the reader truly gets a sense of how badly the revolution went wrong.
...protest movements throughout America and the world.” Among the gay community Stonewall has become the word for freedom, for fighting, for equality. It became a turning point in Gay history, so much so that most books on the subject refer to “pre-Stonewall” and “post-Stonewall” as the lines of demarcation. Of course the journey is still long and fight has not been won. At the turn of the century there were still 20 states that made homosexual sex illegal , any only a few states would recognize the love and companionship of gays through marriage or civil unions. The military policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is still active and prejudices continue to exist. But, as exemplified by any other civil rights movement, it is through the constant grind of activists and lay-people constantly protesting and educating, that change occurs, even if only one person at a time.
First of all, Napoleon and the pigs used propaganda to tell lies the animals would
The gay rights movement has made great progress in the United States, compared to generations ago, with the legalization of marriage in some states, and also the gaining of certain equal rights. Many people today accept homosexuals within society, and society in general is more...
The pigs break all seven commandments, some without notice, simply because power is addictive, and they constantly want more of it. It is never enough. These
Before the death of Old Major the animals are inspired to rebel against the humans. They join together as a strong team to eventually, in chapter two, drive Mr. Jones from the farm. The Seven Commandments are soon developed with all the animals contented as equals.
The novel “Animal Farm” was written by the author name George Orwell. Animal Farm is a novel based upon the lives of a society of animals wanting a better life for themselves living on the Manor Farm. The setting of the book is a farm called “Manor Farm”. The theme of this book is that the animals should make a stand; if they continue doing the same thing they will continue getting the same results. It is better to be free and starving, than to be fed and enslaved.
Napoleon stops making appearances to the other animals and makes a deal with Mr. Whymper to sell 400 eggs a week. Napoleon also gets some animals to confess of wrong doings and then “makes examples of them,” by killing them.
Primary Source Analysis 2 / Chapter 7: Travelers’ Tales and Observations (Sources 7.1 / 7.2)
There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran: ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others’” (Orwell 134).
Another inequality on the farm was that only the pigs slept in the farmhouse. Not only that, but even among the pigs there was inequality. Napoleon had Jones’ bedroom all to himself. The usual excuse was given, that the pigs needed extra rest, because they had to organize everything and such, but the end result was that all the pigs lived in the comfort of a house, while the rest of the animals had to sleep on hay in the barn.
Around the time of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Europe was a place in need of inspiration. Marco Polo, a merchant, and still a simple man, was this source of inspiration. He was an ordinary boy during his childhood, living a similar life to the other boys his age. Although his intentions might not have been as significant as his impact, he was very influential. Marco Polo served as an influence to many later explorers. Whether it was through his book, The Travels of Marco Polo, which focused mainly on descriptions of spices and commercial goods and many other interesting trade items he encountered in his travels, he sparked an interest and desire of not only Europe, but later explorers as well . Marco Polo was viewed to have had definite charm and also having much capability. He has also proven that he was a tough man. This is evident because of the many voyages he survived, which included occurrences of bandit ambushes, disease, and not to mention the fatigue of the travel. There have been many who believe that Marco Polo was not intellectually equipped, meaning that he was not a very educated man, as no European probably was at the time . But as always, there is of course some speculation on the many aspects of the life of Marco Polo. Many people have their own beliefs of whom the real Marco Polo was and what he accomplished. There will be mention on some of the alleged negative, yet also positive aspects of his life. Despite all the accusations or assumptions of Marco Polo, history was affected as a result of his existence. He still remains an important figure in history.
If a seven year old read Animal Farm he/she would have thought that it is a sad story about a farm in England. If an older person reads it however, he/she realizes that this story has much more meaning to it. The story is filled with themes that help us understand the world around us. In this essay I am going to talk about four themes that Orwell discussed in this story. They are power, totemism, coercion, and violence. Power leads to absolute power, the job of totemism is to keep the people loyal, and after that doesn't work coercion comes in effect by using violence.
Immediately after the revolution, the pigs began their intellectual exploitation of the lower farm animals by telling them that the cows' milk would be mixed with apples for the benefit of the pigs' health. " ' It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back'" (42). This statement dumbfounded the animals. The fact that apples and milk were being stolen was lost in the fear of the tyrant Jones returning. Their lack of intelligence keeps them from recognizing that the pigs are exploiting them, and they slowly begin to hand over their newly-won freedom to their new masters, the pigs. The next freedom the animals unknowingly give up is the freedom of choice.
Although the animals follow a gradual decline, Animal Farm is written in a friendly style with a matter-of-fact tone. Orwell’s characterisation connects the reader emotionally to the characters through simplistic descriptions which draw upon sympathy when labelled as “feeble” (Orwell, Animal Farm, 1945). Alongside this simplistic style, Orwell’s matter-of-face tone reflects the characters inability to respond to events and depicts the severity of the outcome. 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
As he talks he says “Excuse me, poem, are you gay? Have you grown up contrarily to what I wanted you to say? I most certainly didn 't write you that way. Was it something I said, something I did that turned you? Maybe I should have peppered your verses with sport, girls and beer. Maybe as your author I deserted you...Or did another writer turn you queer?” (Jarrett). As he is asking his poem this multitude of questions, he is describing perfectly how LGBT people are constantly harassed with these same questions. Similarly, these people are asked what was done wrong, what caused this, and what could someone have done to prevent it,