1. A satire of totalitarian governments

2.  Things are about to get a little strange on Manor Farm, so prepare yourself.

3.  After Farmer Jones locks up and goes to bed, he has no idea what will happen next.

4.  Old Major, a prize-winning boar, gives a powerful speech to all the farm animals.

5.  His message: Humans are the enemy. If animals work together, they can rebel and be free!

6.  Can they do it? Will Manor Farm become the first true Animal Farm ?

7.  Animal Farm is an allegory--a story that can be read on two levels. One level is literal: A pig is a pig. The other level is figurative (something represents something else): A pig is a political leader.

8.  Animal Farm was published in 1945 as a warning about the dangers of governments and political leaders who abused power to control others,  specifically:  TOTALITARIANISM  COMMUNISM  DICTATORSHIP

9.  Described as a “beast fable”  Told from point of view of common animals—easier for people to accept  Uses events from Russian history, Communism, and revolutions

10.  Actual name is Eric Blair—pseudonym is George Orwell  Born June 25, 1903 in India while it was a British territory  Went home to England with mother and sisters at age one

11.  Academically gifted—went to prestigious schools on scholarship but family wasn’t wealthy  Experienced prejudice of upper class, wealthy students (looked down on him due to lack of money or social status)  Joined Indian Imperial Police in Burma, but hated how British treated natives as if they were inferior servants

12. Resigned after 5 years—hated the position of privileged oppressor  Decided to experience life of poverty to understand problems of class and government power  Started writing while teaching

13.  Quit teaching and succeeded in getting books published in 1930s  Main focus on oppression of lower classes  Fought against tyranny by volunteering to fight in Spanish Civil War for socialist party that opposed Communism  War

14.  Shot and almost died during war—his side lost (he and wife had to flee for their lives)  Moved to London in 1940, hating all forms of totalitarianism  WWII began, and he joined the Home Guard to fight for England  War

15.  Worked for BBC during WWII to help war efforts against totalitarianism  Became war correspondent, adopted a son, and lost his wife while writing Animal Farm  War

16.  Animal Farm was published in 1945, just at the end of WWII--Touchy time for the novel since the Allies were feeling friendly toward Russia  1984, another renowned novel, was published in 1949, introducing Big Brother (totalitarian government)  Died of tuberculosis Jan. 21, 1950 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4s9pdL7tpA  War

17.  Causes: economic hardship and injustices of Russian czars  Encouraged by the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx

18.  Karl Marx: developed theories of socialism and communism in 1800s  Failure of revolutions of 1848 convinced him that the working class (proletariat) must work together and rebel

19.  His vision: everyone would share equally in work and profits  Believed that private ownership of land must be abolished  Died before Russian Revolution

20.  Russian leaders (czars) had absolute authority  Czar Nicholas II was brutal and hated by Russian peasants  Had unarmed workers killed as they were marching in protest in Revolution of 1905 (Bloody Sunday)

21.  Brutalities and rebellions continued  Czar Nicholas II was overthrown in Mar. 1917

22.  New provisional government failed  Vladimir Lenin: leader of Bolshevik Communists, overthrew government in Oct. Revolution of 1917  Included in his Cabinet were Stalin and Trotsky

23.  Adopted Marx’s ideas  Believed working class was exploited  Slogans: “Workers of the world unite!” “Land, bread, and peace for everyone!”

24.  Followed Marx’s theory of pure Communism  Wanted to improve life for all in Russia  Called for world revolutions for change

25.  Talented organizer and brilliant speaker who helped Lenin overthrow government in 1917  Exiled by Stalin, who outmaneuvered him in 1928  Executed by Stalin’s forces while in exile

26.  Seized power by being ruthless  Became dictator in 1928: TOTALITARIANISM  Rejected Marxist ideas, and glorified government over individual rights

27.  Farmers objected to government wanting their land and produce  Peasants who opposed were sent to labor camps, deported, or executed  By 1938, Stalin began the “Moscow purge trials”

28.  Nearly 8 million people were arrested and tried for treason during Great Purge  Used terror and executions (remember Trotsky?)  Used secret police to eliminate any enemies

29.  Controlled church and education; used propaganda and lies  Used Five Year Plan for economic growth, but government kept most of what was produced, leaving workers poor and oppressed

30.  Formed pact with Hitler and Germany in 1939, but allied with Britain by 1944  When he died, his body was embalmed and displayed in Red Square

31.  Soviet Union under Stalinism  Dangers of Totalitarianism  Lack of Education as Tool of Oppression  Propaganda and Duplicity  Violence and Terror as a Means of Control  Exploitation of Human Rights  War

32.  Allegory  Symbolism  Satire  Dramatic Irony  Situational Irony  Anti-utopian Novel  War

33.  Capitalism  Communism (pure form of Socialism)  Dictatorship  Totalitarianism  War