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Animal Farm

Gabriele Lima
Isaac Azevedo
George Orwell's life
George Orwell, born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903, was
an influential British writer and journalist. He is best known
for his dystopian novels "Nineteen Eighty-Four" and
"Animal Farm," which explore themes of totalitarianism,
censorship, and the abuse of power.
Orwell's upbringing in colonial India and his experiences as a
colonial police officer in Burma shaped his critical
perspective on imperialism. He later adopted the pen
name George Orwell to protect his family's reputation while
writing about sensitive political issues.
Orwell actively participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting
against Francisco Franco's fascist forces and joining the
Republican militias. This experience greatly influenced his
writing, and he later chronicled his time in Spain in his
memoir "Homage to Catalonia."
Animal Farm, what is it about?
The book is described as a Fairy Tale,
since practically all the characters are
talking animals, and we can see the
use of the anthropomorphic device
throughout the story. If it’s read by a
child, they would see it as just another
children’s Fairy Tale, but for an adult
(with a minimum of political and
historical sense), the tale tells a very
different story. 
“I thought about denouncing the Soviet
myth through a story easily
understandable by anyone, and easily
translated into other languages.
However, the story’s details only
occurred to me when I saw a little boy,
around ten years old, guiding a huge
horse through a narrow path, that got
whipped by the boy whenever it tried to
deviate. I realized that, if those animals
acquired conscience of their strength, we
wouldn’t have any power over them, and
also, that animals are exploited by the
man similarly to how the proletariat is
exploited by the rich.” - George Orwell,
free translation.
Historical events and characters
portrayed in Animal Farm
Orwell declares that his ambition was to
“analyze Marx’s theory from the animals’ point
of view.”
The portrait of some historical characters and
groups present in the characters from the
story

• The Old major - Karl Marx


In the beginning, one of the oldest pigs dies,
and in his deathbed, he analyzed the
hardship faced by the animals, and urges
them to defeat their oppressors. He also
dreams about a radiant future based on the
principle of mutual help and prosperity. 
• Boxer and Clover - Proletariat

These two characters are cart-


horses, Boxer being described as
very strong, fast and loyal to the pigs’
ideals for the Animal Farm, but never
shows any ability to question their
rulings, having two mottoes, “I will
work harder” and “Napoleon is
always right”. Clover is the one that
often suspects that the pigs are
altering the ‘Seven Commandments’,
but keeps blaming herself of
forgetting them.
• The sheep, cows and hens - Middle Class

Also part of the working class, these


animals follow the pigs’ ruling blindly
and spend their days working, no
matter the condition.
• Mr. Jones - Tsar Nicholas II
He owns the farm before the animals take
control of it. Often drunk, Mr. Jones is an
unkind Master who indulges himself while
his animals lack food, representing the Tsar
Nicholas II, whom the Russian Revolution
ousted.
• Napoleon - Stalin
The character uses military forces (his nine
loyal dogs) to intimidate the other animals
and consolidate his power.

• Snowball - Trotsky
The pig who challenges Napoleon for control
of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Snowball
is eloquent, passionate, intelligent and less
subtle and devious than his counterpart.
• Consciously or not, Orwell erases
the presence of Lenin from the
story, a character who could have
made the story too complicated.
Weirdly, or maybe for similar
reasons, In Orwell’s novel 1984
you can find figures of Stalin (the
Big Brother) and Trotsky
(Goldstein), but Lenin is absent.
Anyone with a little knowledge about the
Russian Revolution will have noticed the
similarities, and Orwell strives to
emphasize some parallels. 
• The excommunication of Dissidents
• History’s rewriting 
• Spectacular Trials
• Mass execution 
Historically relevant
passages from the book

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more


equal than others."
This quote encapsulates the central theme of the
book, highlighting the hypocrisy and corruption of
the ruling class. It reflects the Soviet government's
manipulation of socialist ideals to consolidate
power and establish a privileged elite.
"Four legs good, two legs bad."

This slogan represents the simplification and manipulation of ideas for


political purposes. It signifies the early ideals of Animalism, where all
animals are equal, contrasting with the later distortion of those ideals by
the pigs, who eventually begin walking on two legs like humans.
"Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove
Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger
and overwork is abolished forever."
This passage reflects the initial
hope and belief of the animals
that their liberation from human
oppression would bring about a
utopia. However, it also
foreshadows the pigs' gradual
adoption of human vices and
their transformation into the
oppressors they initially rebelled
against.
The betrayal of
Boxer, the loyal and
hardworking horse.
Boxer's relentless labor and
unquestioning loyalty symbolize the
working class in the Soviet Union. When
he becomes injured and is sold to the
knacker instead of receiving proper
medical treatment, it demonstrates the
betrayal of the common people by the
ruling elite.
The rewriting of the
Seven
Commandments.
Throughout the book, the pigs alter the
commandments that represent the
principles of Animalism to suit their own
interests and consolidate their power.
This mirrors the manipulation of laws
and propaganda by totalitarian regimes
to control and deceive the populace.
These passages from "Animal Farm"
serve as powerful critiques of the
corruption and manipulation of power in
the Soviet Union and resonate with
historical events and ideologies that
extend beyond the specific context of the
Russian Revolution.
"When someone defends freedom of expression and press, they are not claiming an absolute liberty. As
long as organized societies exist, there will always exist a certain degree of censorship. But freedom, like
Rosa Luxemburgo once said, it's "freedom for the other". The same principle found in Voltaire's words "I
hate every word you say, but I'll fight to the death for your right to say them." - George Orwell, free
translation.

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