Animal Farm By George Orwell

Allegory  Animal Farm is an allegorical fable in which animals attempt to create a revolutionary utopia. In the end their visions of utopia are over run by tyranny and corruption.  Allegory – deeper meanings – Characters represent something other than themselves.

Fable  On the surface this appears to be just a tale about the animals on Manor Farm.  This fable has deeper meanings. – George Orwell wrote this story as a representation for WWII and the different government ideologies of the time. – The representations of ideas and people can be applied to any time period, even today. – The battles of man vs. man and man vs. corruption of power continue to rage. They are a part of the existence of man.

Communism in Russia  Mid 1800s – Capitalism flourished in Europe and America.  1847 – Karl Marx drew up a plan for the Communist League to unite the working classes of Europe. – Marx wrote The Manifesto of the Communist Party. – Marx imagined a workers’ revolt followed by a paradise society where each person would work according to his or her ability and receive according to their needs.

Communism in Russia  Clear cut difference in the classes. – very wealthy – very poor – This extreme gap in social classes will open the door for manipulation and corruption.  1917 Communist Revolution in Russia. – The Czar and his family are overthrown. – Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin took control. as a ruling body called the Central Executive Committee –with Lenin in the lead.  1924 Lenin died.  Trotsky and Stalin developed opposing ideologies.

Opposing Ideologies Believed the revolution in Russia would only succeed with the help of other revolutions throughout Europe. Felt that industry basis should be consumable goods: food, clothing, and household items. Trotsky Believed that the revolution in Russia should be strengthened from within and prepare to defend themselves from the outside world. Stalin believed that the industry basis should be heavy industry: machinery, transportation equipment, and weapons Stalin

 1926 – Stalin gains control. – Stalin and his followers in the Communist Party voted Trotsky out and forced him into exile.  1929 – Stalin became the Supreme Head of the Soviet Union.  Authoritarian government and central control began.  Civil rights were disregarded.  Expression was censored. Communism in Russia

 Secret police would make arrests without due cause, torture, and conduct mass executions to maintain Stalin’s dictatorship. Any one could be a victim for no apparent reason.  There was no freedom in the new system. Forced labor created wealth and privilege for a few and left the masses in worse conditions than they had began in. Communism in Russia

Connections  What formed was a society and a government based on totalitarianism. – People were made less conscious and less able to make distinctions between truths and lies and to be able to draw logical conclusions. – Censorship and propaganda were used to convince people that their political system was right and the others were wrong.  Animal Farm parallels these historical events. By using symbolism, Orwell uses the setting and characters of the book to represent true event.

Corruption of Power  How can power corrupt a person?  How can this happen in… – Relationships among friends – School situations – In family units – Government at any level  What happens in each relationship when there is no check to absolute authority? In other words what happens when there is nobody or nothing to make sure that any one person or group take complete control?  What are some checks and balances in our government that limit absolute power?  What examples of corruption of power can you think of personally and historically?

Historical Parallels Animal FarmRussia Old MajorLenin and Marxism Farmer JonesCzar Nicholas II Animal RebellionRussian Revolution of 1917 Chasing away JonesDisposal of Czar and family NapoleonStalin Napoleon takes over the farmStalin becomes a dictator SnowballTrotsky SquealerPravda Napoleon’s dogsSecret Police Foxwood Farm (Pilkington)England (Churchill) Pinchfield Farm (Frederick)Germany (Hitler) Animals other than pigs and dogsThe proletariat

Other Connections?