Author's Note- This is a response to the mandatory response for my Language Arts class about Animal Farm, how the pigs have changed since the book started, and what Orwell is saying about those who became leaders of the Russian Revolution. I would appreciate feedback very much for this one. Thanks!
When old Major, a highly regarded farm pig, gathered the farm animals one night to talk about a dream he had, a dream about a revolution, all animals were filled with hope, and ready to do anything to free themselves from a place where they are poked, prodded, branded, worked to exhaustion, and practically starved. During the time, all that was in any animal's head was hatred for the humans, and longing for escape. After the revolution, most animals stayed in that mind set, just not wanting Mr. Jones, the farm owner, to come back. Some didn't. Some wanted more. Some wanted power.
When old Major, a highly regarded farm pig, gathered the farm animals one night to talk about a dream he had, a dream about a revolution, all animals were filled with hope, and ready to do anything to free themselves from a place where they are poked, prodded, branded, worked to exhaustion, and practically starved. During the time, all that was in any animal's head was hatred for the humans, and longing for escape. After the revolution, most animals stayed in that mind set, just not wanting Mr. Jones, the farm owner, to come back. Some didn't. Some wanted more. Some wanted power.
Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer, three of remaining pigs since the death of Old Major, decide that it's time to make some rules. The pigs come up with the Seven Commandments, that every animal must follow and worship. The most important, of course, is the seventh. All animals are equal.
As the Revolution continues, the pigs begin to take more and more control over the farm without the other animals even realizing it, becoming leaders almost secretly, and claiming they are only doing what they believe is best for every farm animal. It is Napoleon, however, that lets the power take control of him. He thirsts for control, so much so that he'll do anything for it. Even accuse, lie about, and exile Snowball, leaving him in total power. To remain in control, of course, he has to make some changes. He adds enforcements in the form of vicious dogs, to protect him from any harm, and makes even more changes to the already switched around and messed up commandments. He begins killing anyone who speaks against him, and starts going mad with power. He started out as a pig trying to help his farm establish into a better community, and ends up misusing and lying to the naïve animals just to satisfy his urges for control.
Napoleon very much resembles Stalin in this way, because Stalin was a ruthless leader that used the military to control the people, much as Napoleon used the dogs to control the animals. Lenin kept trying to get Trotsky on his side, warning against the leadership of Stalin and urging the Soviet system to become more open and democratic. Snowball was doing the same in Animal Farm, was he not? This leads me to the conclusion that Snowball represents Lenin. During this entire animal revolution, Squealer and Napoleon kept getting closer and closer, just as Stalin and Trotsky were doing in Russia. Trotsky represents Squealer because of this.
Orwell wrote this piece of literature for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is to show us how ridiculous and ludicrous the situation was, and how we need to actually think about things we're told instead of just believing them. What I mean by that is thinking about the lies the animals were told- if the pigs don't get more food than us, Mr. Jones will surely return!- how? If the pigs aren't fed better than everyone else, for some reason, Mr. Jones will decide to come back and take over again? All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others- what? That's like saying, 1+3=4 more than 2+2=4! They were even naïve enough to not realize it when Napoleon started taking control right under their noses before it was too late! If the animals had any common sense, and actually questioned things that the pigs said instead of believing their every word, maybe they wouldn't have gotten into this mess!
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