Animal Farm

Animal Farm is an allegorical novella about farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create an equal society. However, the pigs who lead the revolution gradually become as oppressive as the humans they replaced, illustrating how power corrupts and revolutions can betray their original ideals.

• 1The animals revolt against Mr Jones and take control of Manor Farm, renaming it Animal Farm
• 2They establish Seven Commandments based on equality and animal solidarity
• 3The pigs, led by Napoleon and Snowball, assume leadership roles
• 4Napoleon drives out Snowball and takes complete control
• 5The pigs gradually adopt human behaviors and change the commandments
• 6The final commandment reads: 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others'

• •Corruption of power and betrayal of revolutionary ideals
• •Propaganda and manipulation of language
• •Class inequality and exploitation
• •The danger of ignorance and lack of education
• •Totalitarianism and dictatorship
• •The abuse of rhetoric to control others

• Napoleon: Pig who becomes dictator, representing Stalin
• Snowball: Idealistic pig driven out by Napoleon, representing Trotsky
• Squealer: Pig who serves as Napoleon's propagandist
• Boxer: Hardworking horse representing the exploited working class
• Old Major: Pig whose speech inspires the revolution, representing Marx/Lenin
• Benjamin: Cynical donkey who sees through the pigs' deception

• Published in 1945 as an allegory of the Russian Revolution and Stalin's Soviet Union
• Orwell was critical of totalitarianism in all its forms
• Written during World War II when the Soviet Union was a British ally
• Reflects Orwell's disillusionment with communism after the Spanish Civil War
• Uses animal characters to critique political systems and human nature

• Analyze how Orwell uses allegory to criticize the Russian Revolution
• Examine the role of language and propaganda in maintaining power
• Discuss how different animals represent different social classes or historical figures
• Consider the significance of the changing commandments
• Explore how Orwell presents the corruption of revolutionary ideals