Book Review : Animal Farm

 

                                                       

Genre:   Allegory, Satire, Children's literature, Political satire

Author:  George Orwell

Publisher: Harcourt, Brace, and Company

Pages: 112 (UK paperback edition)

Year of Publish: 1945

Setting Place: A farm somewhere in England

Theme: Revolution and Corruption, Totalitarianism, Power, Soviet Union

Narrator: Third Person narration

Related Books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave new world, Fahrenheit 451, Nineteen eighty-four

Characters: Napoleon, Snowball, Old Major, Boxer, Squealer, more

George Orwell shines out through this the dystopian story told. Ever wondered what one of the greatest works of literary art could look like? Animal Farm is moving, bitter, and a warning from history – one of which will of course be ignored, for that is what humans excel at, repeating the errors and misjudgments of the past.

 It is a story about a farm wherein the animals speak and revolt for their rights. The lives of animals were harsh. They were made to work until they could and once that is over, they were butchered for their meat. This dream was set forward by Old Major (One of the pigs on the farm) to seize the farmer’s land and create a co-operative that reaps the benefits of their combined labors.

However the parable clearly states how successfully the aim of communism, in theory, can easily be turned into totalitarianism. This is all the mischief of the evil that resides in humans for the reign of power and position.

In the end, the animal's wonder did they achieve the goals and how far have they come? Is there hope?
Like history has shown time and again, after the fight for independence naturally, a dominant or charismatic leader brings about. On the farm, this leader stood out to be the pigs. When power is sought, there are many competitors. The fight for power is very tired. Very manipulative. One can go at all stake to reach the utmost height of supremacy. Slowly and eventually. With this said, in the story, one pig was led to expulsion and claimed as a traitor for whatever wrong that happened on the farm.
Napoleon had devilish thoughts all along. It shows apically how we humans are so easily influenced by the pretext of media and their sheer vanity showcased. Do we ever question? And if we question, do we sensitize the public? Do we raise our voices?

The story shows how rightly with the playing of the cards by the dictator Napoleon everything was set according to him. I associated this with networking and using psychology to manipulate the public. It can also mean some characters are fooled in the process and they remain very loyal. In this story, Squealer was used as a Communications POC. Boxer always said that he will work harder. Thus, acting as a motivator or a catalyst.
Furthermore, he took advantage of this in all means possible such as the eventual changes happening on the farm. 

 

"Are you certain that this is not something that you have dreamed of, comrades? Have you any record of such a resolution? Is it written down anywhere?"
 

This book will not consume much of your time. It is very short and crisp. With each sentence, it will make you generate curiosity to discover more. Personally, I was capitulated and could rightly adhere to the propaganda and satire of politics. More importantly, it induced interest in me as it relates to the Russian Revolution. However, all I could relate to was the current politics. History will remain, for time has moved. But has it changed?