1. Animal Farm
George Orwell

2. Fable & Allegory On the surface, the fable is about animals.
On a deeper level, the animals stand for people and ideas
Animal Farm is an allegory that represents Orwell’s criticism of communism in the Soviet Union

3. History of Communism
Capitalism was going strong in Europe and America in the mid 1800s.
However, workers labored hours a day under unsafe conditions.
There were no child labor laws, and wages were barely livable for the common worker.

4. Karl Marx In comes Karl Marx, a German philosopher, in 1847.
He was asked to draw up a plan for an international workers’ group called the Communist League.
Marx then wrote a plan called The Manisfesto of the Communist Party.

5. Marxism
Marx envisioned a workers’ revolt against the present conditions.
Each worker would work according to his or her ability and receive according to need.
He saw communism as being total worldwide economic equality.

6. Marxism
Around this time, labor laws were finally passed in Western Europe and America.
The work place was safer and more tolerable of workers.
The revolution that Marx foresaw never happened.

7. Socialism People following Marx’s thinking were called Socialists.
They split into two groups.
One group wanted to bring about communism by slowly passing new laws.
The other group (Communists) wanted a major workers’ revolt.

8. Communism
The Communists were a small extremist group compared to the larger number of Socialists.
The Bolshevik Party was formed led by Nikolai Lenin in Russia.

9. “All Power to the Soviets”: The Communist Takeover
Czar Nicholas II was the leader until 1917, when he was taken from power
The soviets led by Vladimir Lenin began to take control of Russia’s lines of communication such as railroads and telegraph lines
Lenin was aided by Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin

10. Continued:
The three leaders promised “land, bread, and peace” for everyone
On October 24, 1917, Lenin and his men took control to usher in the first-ever Communist government

11. Communism from
Upon power, the new government stripped land from all of the owners, forbade the holding of private property
The fields were redistributed according to need and hired labor was outlawed.
Communist goal: equality and peace for all!

12. Opposition of Communism
As with any new government taking power, there were those who were opposed to the new government
Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin decided to root out and destroy any opposition to the Communist government
Anti-communists were executed
a civil war raged between the communists and their enemies
The “Red Army” (the communists) prevailed

13. Change of Power
Lenin died in 1922 as a result of three paralyzing strokes
Both Trotsky and Stalin vied for power
Stalin won out and reigned for 25 years

14. Stalin’s Reign
Stalin maintained control through political and social terror
Stalin silenced all opposition
High-ranking officials were arrested, forced to admit to crimes they did not commit, and then executed
Stalin died in 1953

15. Characteristics of Totalitarianism
Organized violence/police terror: Used forced to crush all opposition
Propaganda: one-sided information to persuade and influence that supported the state only
Censorship: Only “official” versions of information was allowed; all other pieces of information was limited, suppressed or destroyed

16. Characteristics:
Cult of the individual/single strong leader: Leader is elevated to God-like status
State control over the individual: demand of total unquestioning obedience & sacrifice for the state
State control over society: control of business, education, family, housing, religion, etc.

17. Characteristics:
Ideology of the state: glorified aims of the state used to justify all government action
Dictatorship/one party rule: absolute control maintained by a single leader or party

18. Post-Stalin
From 1953 to the early 1980’s the Soviet Union remained repressive
Internal spying was rampant, and all communication was tightly monitored by the communists
Ideas that were not communist were considered dangerous
As a result, people were threatened, imprisoned, or executed for expressing these ideas

19. 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev took the reigns of Soviet power
He announced economic restructuring and social and political openness
Ideas were now accepted that were not communist
By 1991, the communist government of the Soviet Union admitted its demise

20. How would you define tyranny?

21. How is governmental power best distributed?

22. Is democracy the best system?

23. Does the United States have a government that produces perfect equality among the citizenry?

24. What amount of inequality or brutality should be tolerated within a nation?

25. What different kinds of brutality or inequality can you think of?

26. Major Characters

27. Mr. Jones Owner of the farm
Symbolizes Czar Nicholas II, the leader before Stalin
The Czar was abdicated in 1917

28. Old Major “purebred” pig Grand fatherly philosopher of change
Represents a metaphor of Karl Marx (founder of Communism)
Encourages rebellion under the ruling of Mr. Jones

29. Moses Raven Mr. Jones’s especial pet- doesn’t work
Represent Orwell’s view of the Church
To Orwell, the Church is used as a tool by dictatorships to keep the working class hopeful and productive
Orwell is critical of the role of Church

30. Snowball Pig Wants leadership as much as Napoleon (leader of the pigs)
Represents Trotsky (Stalin’s opponent for leadership)

31. Napoleon Chief villain Central character on the farm
Leader of the pigs
Represents Stalin

32. Boxer Horse Represents the unskilled labor class
Lower class drawn to Napoleon (Stalin)
He thinks he will benefit most from the new system

33. Squealer Pig Manipulative and persuasive
Represents the Pravda, the Russian newspaper of the 1930’s
Represents propaganda
He is used to communicate between Napoleon (Stalin) and the other animals (Russians)

34. Mollie
Represents the typical middle-class skilled worker who suffers from this new communism concept
She is very vain and only cares about her looks
She is now considered to be lower class because of the design of communism (everyone is equal)

35. Benjamin Elderly donkey Symbolizes the older generation
Critical of the communist government
He seems smarter than the other animals

36. Muriel Goal Smart and educated
Represents the minority of working class people
He is not inspired by Napoleon (Stalin)

37. Pigs Surround and support Napoleon Symbolize communist party loyalists
Live in luxury and enjoy the benefits of the society they control
The animals work and the pigs make the money!

38. Dogs Represents the KGB (police force of the Soviets)
Bodyguards of Stalin
Dedicated and mindless