Old “Mc” Orwell Had a Farm: Manor Farm or Animal Farm

What Is an Allegory? Narrative that serves as an extended metaphor. May be fables, parables, poems, stories, any almost any other form of literature. Four levels: literal meaning, satirical allegory, political treatise, beast fable.

Which Three Forms of Allegory Fit Animal Farm? Satirical Allegory Political Treatise Beast Fable Learning to Walk

Allegory vs. Symbol Allegory is a complete narrative that conveys abstract ideas to get a point across. Symbol is a representation of an idea or concept that can have different meanings throughout a literary work.

A Simple Story Becomes… A moral warning against the abuse of power; A story of disillusionment with the Russian Revolution of 1917; An exposure of Stalin’s evils; A fable of human strengths and weaknesses.

Why Orwell Wrote the Book He was a democratic socialist. He was disgusted by Stalin’s betrayal of the ideals of the Russian Revolution (Czars). He wanted to teach us: Power corrupts; Revolutions come full circle and devour their people;

George Orwell

Why Orwell Wrote the Book (Continued) Even good people are vulnerable to power- hungry leaders if they do not question what they are told.

Marx/Lenin Marx and Lenin were “thinkers” and writers. Dream of abolishing class distinctions and redistribution of land and resources Philosophical belief in the possibility of an utopian society based on equality and work sharing

Marx and Lenin

Character: Old Major Represents a mixture of Marx and Lenin Marx and Lenin were well-educated “thinkers.” They were revolutionaries, NOT street fighters. Marx was dead before the Revolution started, and Lenin was already an old man.

Character: Farmer Jones Represents the Czar Nicholas and his royal family Not a bad ruler, but too weak to deal with the revolution and put a stop to it.

Josef Stalin Totalitarian ruler of Russia after Lenin Expels Leon Trotsky from the Party and then adopts many of Trotsky’s financial and political plans Iron-fisted dictator

Joseph Stalin (Con’d) Took control from Lenin Cold-blooded killer Far more murders than Hitler Responsible for 10-20 MILLION murders Personally enjoyed killing and watching others kill Murdered at least one wife

Joseph Stalin (Con’d) Ruled Soviet Russia 1922-1953

Character: Napoleon Napoleon represents Stalin

Russian Church Lenin called religion “the opiate of the masses”; He meant that is was used as a painkiller for the unfairness of the workers’ world. The raven, Moses, represents religion in the book.

Leon Trotsky An intellectual and Lenin’s “right hand” man Much more practical than Lenin, more aware of the daily struggles of the population Conceives of the notion of the Five Year Plan that Stalin later adopts

Character: Snowball Snowball represents Leon Trotsky. Trotsky was a “thinker,” but also a street fighter for the revolution. Stalin felt that Trotsky had to be eliminated because he was too smart and powerful and might pose a threat to Stalin’s rule.

Forced Labor The Revolt of the Hens and their brutal punishment represents to measures taken by Stalin and his men to force the Russian farmers to give up their land and way of life.

Secret Police (Beria) NKVD (later the KGB) came to be regarded with great fear by the Russians was responsible for political repression during the Stalinist era.

Characters: Squealer and the Dogs The Dogs were taken by Napoleon to train as his protection force. They became his ruthless killers.

Finale By the end of the book, it is impossible to tell the difference in the actions of the Hogs and Man. The animals are still suffering under the rule of a monster. It may be an “animal” monster, but he is still a monster.