Fernandes 01

AU21 01243

Olivia Fernandes

Assist. Prof. Finoshka Rodrigues

Understanding Fiction

14 June 2022

Animal Farm - An Allegory To Russian Revolution

Animal farm is a novella written by George Orwell, first published in England in 1945.

Orwell pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair was an essayist, novelist critic, and journalist famous for

his novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. His work is categorized with the aid of using

lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitarianism, and support of democratic socialism.

He produced literary criticism and poetry, fiction, and critical journalism. His most successful

attempt to combine his political thought and artistic purpose is seen in Animal Farm which is an

allegory to the Russian Revolution. Through the story of a group of barnyard animals who

overthrow the proprietor of the farm, animal farm explores the themes of totalitarianism, the

corruption of ideals, and the power of language. In this term paper, the allegorical significance of

the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell is highlighted.

An allegory is a narrative that makes use of literary gadgets to disclose hidden meanings,

typically a moral or political one. At the time when Orwell’s book was published, Animal Farm

wasn’t quite famous since Russia was a close ally of the Western World in the fight against Hitler
 Fernandes 02

in World War II. Orwell wasn’t always a complete anti-activist. He was a socialist who supported

the perception that enterprises have to be managed and owned by the employees for the good of

everyone, and not just the elite. It wasn't till he witnessed the corrupt evolution of Communist

Russia and the way it departed from the preliminary goals, that he felt he has to warn us of the

risks and dangers of unchecked authority. Through Animal Farm, Orwell wished to expose the

negative side of communism when it is taken too far.

Animal Farm is an allegory, a tale wherein concrete and unique characters and conditions

stand for different characters and conditions to make a point about them. The principal motion of

Animal Farm stands for the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the early years of the Soviet Union.

It is full of symbolism. Animalism is virtually communism. Manor Farm is allegorical of Russia,

the neighboring farms represent the European powers that witnessed the Russian Revolution, and

the farmer Mr. Jones, the authentic proprietor of the farm represents the useless and incompetent

Russian Czar, Nicholas II. Old Major stands for both Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, The pigs

constitute key participants of Bolshevik leadership: the pig named Snowball represents the

highbrow modern Leon Trotsky, Napoleon stands for Joseph Stalin, and Squealer represents

Vyacheslav Molotov. Whilst the puppies are his mystery police. The horse Boxer stands in for

the proletariat or operating class, and other animals represent the working class of Russia. Orwell

initially frames his story as passionate about revolution and eventually manipulates it into

supporting a regime that was just as incompetent and arguably more brutal than the previous one.

The Old Major is the oldest on the farm and is highly respected. At the start of the book, he tells

all animals of a bizarre dream that he had about a farm wherein all animals were equal because

they saved and kept whatever they produced for themselves. Similarly, he explains that animals
 Fernandes 03

do not ought to live short lives dominated by tough hard work, labor, and hunger, all for the

advantage of humans. He heralds that man is, “the only creature who consumes without

producing.” Old Major and his bizarre dream represent Karl Marx and The Communist

Manifesto of 1848, wherein Marx presents the evils of feudalism and capitalism, and the

idealistic global of communism, thereby inspiring the Russian Revolution of 1917. Similar to the

revolution on Animal Farm, the Russian Revolution too started with big and terrific intentions.

Even the flags of Animal Farm and Soviet Communism resemble one another.

Snowball the pig rises as one of the leaders and is described as ''vivacious'' and ''inventive,''

Snowball wishes to spread the word of Animal Farm to all of the neighboring farms, so that the

other animals may be free from the dominance of their human owners. Snowball represents Leon

Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin's second-in-command all through the Russian Revolution, and the chief

of the Red Army withinside the next Russian Civil War. Trotsky too wishes to spread

communism to different nations. However, both Snowball and Trotsky get elbowed out of their

positions of power by other more ruthless and corrupt leaders. Napolean too rises as a leader but

rather than attempting to shape and gain from the other animals through big speeches, he focuses

on himself and secretly raises a well-trained personal army of nine puppies for himself. He then

uses them to enforce his goals, irrespective of how brutal or treacherous the techniques are.

Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, the General Secretary of the Russian Communist Party from

1922 till his death over 30 years later. Stalin fashioned the KGB, the communist party's mystery

police, who ruthlessly performed all of his commands. The fake confessions of disloyalty on

Animal Farm and the following executions had been modeled after Stalin's Great Purge of the

1930s, wherein all people who decided to be counter-revolutionists were killed.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the merciless and incompetent proprietors of the farm at the beginning

of the novella. From time to time, they neglect the animals, may it be regarding their feed or to

tend to them, and also try to whip them into submission. They constitute the last czar of Russia

and his wife, Nicholas II and Alexandra, who have been very unpopular since they got Russia

dragged into World War I after which they mismanaged their involvement. Mr. Pilkington, the

neighboring gentleman farmer, is a metaphor for the U.S. and the U.K. Meanwhile, Mr.

Frederick, the sharp-witted neighboring farmer who drives a tough bargain and is constantly

involved in lawsuits, represents Hitler. Napoleon is constantly negotiating back and forth

between the two of them, and concurrently sending Squealer to explain the alternative animals

and why he is handling humans at all. Mr. Whymper acts as a mediator between Animal Farm

and the people withinside the outdoor world. He found out early on that the animals might want a

broker to behave on their behalf, and he was willing to do it so long as he was to benefit from it.

Mr. Whymper represents the gullible westerners who were happy to spread the communist

message and cater to Stalin's desires for personal profit.

Orwell’s picks about which objects, events, or standards to focus on aren't pushed through the

plot as in narrative fiction. Instead, his picks are cautiously calibrated to awaken a preferred

reaction from the reader. Symbolism isn’t only seen in characters but also inanimate objects. For

example, Whiskey represents corruption. When Animalism is founded, one of the

commandments is ‛No animal shall drink alcohol.’ Slowly, however, Napoleon and the

alternative pigs come to relish whiskey and its effects. The commandment is modified to ‛No

animal shall drink alcohol to excess’ after Napoleon faces his first hangover and learns a way to

moderate his whiskey consumption. When Boxer is sold to the Knacker, Napoleon makes use of
 Fernandes 05

the profit to buy whiskey. With this act, Napoleon completely embodies the human traits that the

animals once revolted against. The windmill represents the effort to modernize Russia and the

overall incompetence of Stalin’s regime. Initially, Snowball proposes the Windmill as a manner

of enhancing the farm’s dwelling conditions; whilst Snowball is pushed off, Napoleon claims it

as his very own idea, however his mismanagement of the venture and the assaults from different

landowners suggest the venture takes far longer to finish than expected. The very last product is

of inferior quality, similar to a few of the tasks undertaken by the Soviets post-revolution. In the

cease the Windmill is used to complement Napoleon and the alternative pigs on the fee of the

alternative animals. The Seven Commandments of Animalism, written on the barn wall for all to

see, constitute the power of propaganda and the malleable nature of history and information

whilst the humans are unaware of the facts. The commandments are altered several times in the

course of the novel; every occasion they're modified suggests that the animals have moved even

further away from their original principles. The most popular line from the novella is "All

animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." This line is emblematic of the

modifications that George Orwell believed followed the 1917 Communist Revolution in Russia.

Rather than disposing of the capitalist class system, it was supposed to overthrow, the revolution

simply replaced it with some other hierarchy. The line is typical of Orwell's notion that the ones

in power typically control language for their benefit.

In this allegory, Orwell argues that any revolution led by a small, conspiratorial institution can

simply degenerate into oppression and tyranny. The revolution started with firm ideas of equality

and justice, and initially, the consequences are positive, because the animals get to hard work for

their very own direct advantage. However, as Orwell demonstrates, innovative leaders can turn
 Fernandes 06

out to be as corrupt and incompetent as the authorities they overthrew. The pigs undertake the

human methods such as consuming whiskey, sleeping in beds, and getting involved in making

business deals that benefit them alone. Meanwhile, the other animals see the only bad and

negative effects in their lives. They keep assisting Napoleon and work harder than ever despite

the decline in quality of living. Animal Farm indicates that totalitarianism and hypocrisy are

endemic to the human condition. Without education and genuine empowerment of the decreased

classes, Orwell argues, society will constantly default to tyranny.

Work Cited

“George Orwell - Animal Farm (Audiobook) Complete HD - Full Book.” YouTube, uploaded by

TopAudiobooks, 20 May 2015, youtu.be/LIFK00vf8Y4.

“George Orwell | Biography, Books, Real Name, Political Views, and Facts.” Encyclopedia

Britannica,www.britannica.com/biography/George-Orwell. Accessed 13 June 2022.

“Study.Com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research Schools, Degrees and

Careers.” John Andrews,

study.com/academy/lesson/allegory-in-animal-farm-characters-examples.html. Accessed

13 June 2022.

“Animal Farm: Themes, Symbols, Allegory.” ThoughtCo, 12 Mar. 2019,

www.thoughtco.com/animal-farm-themes-symbols-4587867#:~:text=George%20Orwell's

%20Animal%20Farm%20is,and%20the%20power%20of%20language.

“Animal Farm: At a Glance | CliffsNotes.” CliffsNotes,

www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/a/animal-farm/animal-farm-at-a-glance. Accessed 14 June

2022.