Animal Farm
For what purpose did George Orwell write “Animal Farm” ? Discuss your understanding of it’s purpose with detailed reference to the novella’s construction of character.
George Orwell’s famous allegory of Animal Farm is an exposé of the atrocities that occurred after 1917 Russia. Published in 1945, Animal Farm contradicted the usual procedure when writing a political satire, as it was written while the event was still in progress. This made it very hard for Orwell to get his work published because it was- ‘unsavory’ to depict Joseph Stalin as a pig. Orwell wrote Animal Farm to ‘pull back the curtain’ on the events taking place in Russia at the time. In doing this, he revealed characteristics and behaviours of those involved with the revolution, and commented on types of human behaviour. Orwell procreated this through the portrayal of figures from the Revolution as animals, this is most prominently seen in the characters of Napoleon and Squealer.
Napoleon Napoleon is the pinnacle of avarice (excessive greed) and corruption in Animal Farm. Napoleon is the vehicle for which Orwell used to reveal and provide commentary on Joseph Stalin, the totalitarian ruler of Communist Russia. Orwell portrays Stalin through the figure of Napoleon throughout the novella, thus is most prominent when Napoleon modifies the Laws of Animalism for his own selfish desires. The laws of Animalism were-
“a set of rules by which all animals would live” they were pure and good before Napoleon modified them, “ No animal shall kill any other animal” became “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause”. This Law was modified so Napoleon could execute the animals that were supposedly in league with Snowball, “A pile or corpses lay at Napoleons feet”. “The stench of blood filled the air which was unknown to the animals since Jones‘ day” As the novella progresses, more and more laws are modified until it reaches the most revered and last standing pure law of Animalism- “All animals
George Orwell’s famous allegory of Animal Farm is an exposé of the atrocities that occurred after 1917 Russia. Published in 1945, Animal Farm contradicted the usual procedure when writing a political satire, as it was written while the event was still in progress. This made it very hard for Orwell to get his work published because it was- ‘unsavory’ to depict Joseph Stalin as a pig. Orwell wrote Animal Farm to ‘pull back the curtain’ on the events taking place in Russia at the time. In doing this, he revealed characteristics and behaviours of those involved with the revolution, and commented on types of human behaviour. Orwell procreated this through the portrayal of figures from the Revolution as animals, this is most prominently seen in the characters of Napoleon and Squealer.
Napoleon Napoleon is the pinnacle of avarice (excessive greed) and corruption in Animal Farm. Napoleon is the vehicle for which Orwell used to reveal and provide commentary on Joseph Stalin, the totalitarian ruler of Communist Russia. Orwell portrays Stalin through the figure of Napoleon throughout the novella, thus is most prominent when Napoleon modifies the Laws of Animalism for his own selfish desires. The laws of Animalism were-
“a set of rules by which all animals would live” they were pure and good before Napoleon modified them, “ No animal shall kill any other animal” became “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause”. This Law was modified so Napoleon could execute the animals that were supposedly in league with Snowball, “A pile or corpses lay at Napoleons feet”. “The stench of blood filled the air which was unknown to the animals since Jones‘ day” As the novella progresses, more and more laws are modified until it reaches the most revered and last standing pure law of Animalism- “All animals