Table of Contents
Introduction
This work examines the work by George Orwell on Animal Farm. The book is an excellent piece that employs different artistic styles in using animals as the main characters to represent the society. It is a profound piece that depicts the political world and the way politicians use the power of language and speech to manipulate their subjects. The animals initially live on a farm managed by humans and feel that they are manipulated. The animals through their organized leadership drive the agendum of revolution to initiate self-governance. One sidesplitting thing is that the entrusted leaders who facilitated revolution changed and abandoned their promises and instead became tyrannical and brutal. Indeed, the book is a great piece to interact with since it exposes the readers to different episodes of what the political society is like.
The Animal Farm and the Society
The book has a lot for the readers to desire. George Orwell was very creative in his work and chose animal characters to avoid the confrontation with the people who would feel that the book is an attack on them. According to Fadaee (176), three things are apparent when reading the book. The book is an allegoric piece which the characters and situations are used to represent other situations and characters with an imperative message to make about them. In close reflection, it stands for the Russian Revolution that happened in 1917 with experiences similar to the ones explicated in the story. Secondly, the piece represents a dystopian society, not a utopia. It is important to note that a utopian world is that which is imagined in a better way, but a dystopian world is that which is worse than the imagined. Finally, one thing that is ostensibly is that all animals are equal, but others appear to be more significant than others. George Orwell pictured a situation in the communist Russia that sought to eliminate the capitalist system but replaced it with a more tyrannical system.
The animals lived in Mr. Jones farm and were not happy with the way they were treated. The Old Major, a pig was highly respected due to his far-fetched wisdom. He collected the animals and narrated to them a dream he had where he saw all animals enjoying a greater deal of freedom, which had been an illusionary hope for them for a longer period. However, Old Major does not live long, but the remaining animals are more inspired by his philosophy and organize themselves to perpetuate revolution against Mr. Jones and his family. The animals are not happy with the wrath of their human master who is ungrateful even after receiving the greater service from them. Snowball and Napoleon consider themselves more vibrant to lead the rebellion. The rebellion ensues and Mr. Jones and his family are sent out of the farm. The farm is then renamed from “Manor” to “Animal Farm.” This implies that they assume the full authority and control of the affairs of the farm. The seven commandments that guide the administration of the newly formed community are pinned on the wall. Indeed, the revolution is successful and all the animals are happy. They go ahead to do the harvest and initiate weekly meetings, mostly on Sundays to chat the ways of managing the farm. The pigs are appointed to supervise the farm owing to their intelligence.
Later, Jones and his people attack the animals to have the farm back, but there are defeated in a battle known as Cowshed. What is more irritating is the way the newly formed community is incited by the insiders against itself. It is a demonstration of selfish interest that makes the farm worse than it was before the revolution (Orwell 11). Mollie, a horse becomes so selfish by being lured by another human being through the promise of sugar and ribbon to leave the farm. The conflict begins between Napoleon and Snowball concerning the affairs of the animals, more so when Snowball installs the project of electricity that excites all the animals, something that is profoundly opposed by Napoleon. Napoleon argues that allowing such projects would make the animals so lazy to engage in their product works. On the fateful day when Snowball launches the windmill project, Napoleon uses the vicious dogs that expel Snowball out of the farm. He goes ahead and announces that there would be no further debate in the farm while lying to the animals that electricity project was his, and not Snowball’s.
From this background, readers can relate the behaviors to those of the leaders who lie to their people before being elected and only formulate policies that favor them (Fadaee 54). Also, it depicts the way politicians have to remain violent against leaders who try to change the lives of their people. One thing to note in this respect is that the political leaders have used sweet words to have their way. They promise people good things, while in the real sense all are intended to benefit them. For instance, Plato in his book, The Republic, communicates about the concept of justice and the way it is used to manipulate the masses (Bloom and Kirsch 21). Plato states that justice is a promise given to the cow. When it is well fed, it might be blinded to believe that it is for its own welfare. However, in the actual sense, it is fed and made fat for the slaughter. Nothing good the cow can enjoy apart from being good for the knife. The public would feel more excited concerning the things that the government promises, while on the other hand, the government enjoys all the goodies and the products reaped from such projects.
On the same note, Robert Kiyosaki in his book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, enlightens his readers concerning the fallacious life that people project towards the government (Kiyosaki and Sharon 12). He states that many people work hard to be employed thinking that it is something to be happy about, yet it supports the nobility than the normal laborers. He adds that the rich politicians live well and do not give tax. The taxpayers are the people living in the middle or the lower class. He also says that rich are secured by the state and enjoys the privileges, while the individuals in the lower brackets struggle to sustain the state.
Just as demonstrated in Gorge Orwell’s Animal Farm, some animals like Boxer, a stronger horse feel that he is more important than other animals. This indicates that as much as people would feel that they are equal in a society, there are other members who are equal more than others are. The piece is a revelation to the readers not to be blinded by the fake promises given by the people on the pursuit of power. For instance, after driving Snowball out of the farm, Napoleon tries to continue with the project of electricity, but if it fails, he blames it on Snowball again. This behavior represents the same nature of different leaders in the society who lack vision and attendant cost of their responsibility (Yandell 53). They fail to deliver and blame it on other people. Napoleon becomes a fierce dictator who does not allow anyone to question him. He manages the affairs of the farm with wrath which leads the animals to regret more than what they were under Mr. Jones. Therefore, the book is an important piece to relate to as it informs the readers about the actual greed of various leaders solely spirited to galvanize power regardless of the effects on the people governed.
Conclusion
The book by Orwell underpins different behaviors of leaders in the society. The animals were inspired by what Old Major told them about the freedom of the human masters. Napoleon and Snowball set the path for the new agenda of the animal community, but when they become enemies, the whole vision of the animals turns upside down. Just as has been pointed out in this study, people are continuously blinded to believe that the people they choose on leadership has anything good for them, yet they represent their personal interests. The leaders rely greatly on the power of language, promise, and speech that are manipulative. The incredible message to take home from the book is that the society should be very careful in choosing their leaders, lest they become victims of a dupe.
- Bloom, Allan, and Adam Kirsch. The republic of Plato. Basic Books, 2016.
- Fadaee, Elaheh. “Symbols, metaphors and similes in literature: A case study of Animal Farm.” International Journal of English and Literature 2.2 (2010): 19-27.
- Fadaee, Elaheh. “Translation techniques of figures of speech: A case study of George Orwells 1984 and Animal Farm.” International Journal of English and Literature 1.8 (2013): 174-181.
- Orwell, George. Animal farm. Vol. 31. Random House, 2010.
- Robert, T. Kiyosaki, and L. Sharon. “Rich Dad/Poor Dad.” Economics 6 (2000): 2.
- Yandell, John. “The social construction of meaning: reading Animal Farm in the classroom.” Literacy 47.1 (2013): 50-55.