1. Animal Farm as Allegory: Historical Parallels
Characters and Events in the Novel as Symbols

2. Animalism = Communism Animalism Communism Taught by Old Major
No rich, but no poor
Better life for workers
All animals are equal
Everyone owns the farm
Invented by Karl Marx
All people are equal
Government owns everything
People own the government

3. This side is helpful if you didn’t complete your character log…
Write this name in the right column
This name is on your chart already
Farmer Jones
= Czar Nicholas II
Mr. Jones
Nicholas II
This side is helpful if you didn’t complete your character log…
Irresponsible owner of the farm
Lets his animals starve and beast them with a whip
Sometimes shows random kindness
Weak Russian leader during the early 1900s
Often cruel and brutal to his subjects
Displays isolated kindness
This is what should go in the description column – summarize!

4. = Karl Marx/Vladimir Lenin
Old Major
= Karl Marx/Vladimir Lenin
Old Major
Karl Marx
Old boar whose speech about evils of humans rouses the animals into rebelling
Philosophy on the tyranny of man = Animalism
Teaches the animals the song “Beasts of England”
Dies before revolution
Inventor of Marxism – basis for communism
Wanted to unite the working class to overthrow gov’t
Died before Russian Revolution
Lenin originally took over after the Revolution. He died in 1924, after which Trotsky and Stalin struggled for power

5. Napoleon = Joseph Stalin Napoleon Stalin
Notable names: The real Napoleon was the “arch-villain” in pre-WWII Europe!
Napoleon
= Joseph Stalin
Napoleon
Stalin
Boar who leads the rebellion against farmer Jones
After rebellion’s success, he systematically begins to control all aspects of the farm until he is an undisputed tyrant
Went from Russian “savior” in revolution to Communist dictator of the Soviet Union
Killed all who opposed him
Loved power – used the KGB (secret police) to enforce his ruthless, corrupt antics

6. The first revolt = March 1917 uprising Animal Revolt Russian Uprising
“With on accord, although nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand, they flung themselves on their tormentors” because Jones had stopped feeding the animals
All 3 pigs are leading, but none in charge
Follow Major’s commandments
Unplanned, unled, spontaneous revolution
Resulted in first/only and BRIEF democratic regime in Russia

7. Snowball = Leon Trotsky Snowball Trotksy
Notable names: Snow is a symbol of purity
Snowball
= Leon Trotsky
Snowball
Trotksy
Boar who becomes one of the rebellions most valuable leaders
After drawing complicated plans for the windmill, he is chased off the farm by Napoleon’s dogs
Used as a scapegoat for the animals’ troubles
Pure intentioned communist leader who was influenced by the teachings of Karl Marx
Wanted to improve life for people in Russia, but was driven away by Stalin’s KGB

8. = Pravda (Russian news)
Notable names: To “squeal” = to make a lot of convincing noise
= Pravda (Russian news)
Squealer
Squealer
Pravda
Big-mouth pig who becomes Napoleon’s mouthpiece
Manipulates the animals through hollow, yet convincing rhetoric (language)
Russia’s official news organ
Name means “truth!” = irony
Used by Stalin as propaganda – they would “spin” the info to convince people to follow Stalin
Vyacheslay Molotov: Stalin’s protégé in the communist goverment

9. = the Proletariat (working class)
Notable names: the Boxer Rebellion was the start of communism in China
Boxer
= the Proletariat (working class)
Boxer
Proletariat
Hardest worker on the farm, a horse who gives everything he has to fight for the survival of the farm
Dedicated, but dimwitted (follow blindly)
Motto: “I will work harder!”
The “workhorse” of Russia
Many hard-working Russian people blindly believed in the Revolution and gave their all to it
Not enough education or information to understand the decisions their leaders were making
Many stayed loyal even after it was obvious that Stalin was a tyrant
Many people betrayed, neglected, even put to death

10. = Russian Orthodox Church
Notable names: Moses is the name of a Biblical figure
= Russian Orthodox Church
Moses
Moses
Church
Tame raven/pet of the Joneses who tells the animals stories about a paradise called Sugarcandy Mountain
“spy” and “tale-bearer” as well as a clever talker
Black-robed priests
Used religious principles to influence people to work and avoid revolt
Rasputin: mysterious monk who was the “special pet” of Czarina Alexandra

11. Minor Characters Mollie Opportunists People who played both sides
Made sure not to really do anything for either side
Skeptics
Some people weren’t sure revolution would change anything in Russia
KGB/Secret Police/Red Army
Stalin's loyal, personal army
Mercenaries used to force support for Stalin
Bourgeoisie
Higher class members of Russian society
Mainly concerned with comfort/luxury
Many sought residence in more inviting countries
Mollie
Resists the rebellion because she doesn’t want to give up the treats she receives from humans
The 9 Dogs
Napoleon’s private army
Force the animals to work and kill any opponent
The Cat
Votes on both sides (on whether to revolt)
Manages to avoid doing any work and talk his way out of it
Benjamin
Most cynical of the animals
Doubts the leadership of the pigs, but is faithfully devoted to Boxer

12. = Bolshevik Revolution
The Battle of Cowshed
= Bolshevik Revolution
Battle of Cowshed
Bolshevik Revolution
Animals know humans are coming – plan a formalized strategy and defeat them
Pigs take over the “work of teaching and organizing” the other animals
Napoleon and Snowball clash over ideas
Planned revolution led by Bolshevik/Communist leader Vladimir Lenin
A dedicated, professional (intelligent, educated) group should lead people
Lenin dies shortly after Communist party is established
Stalin and Trotsky struggle for power

13. Mr. Frederick = Hitler/Nazi Party Frederick Hitler
owns the neighboring farm of Pinchfield
Napoleon promises lumber to Pilkington, then decides to sell it to Frederick, instead.
Frederick tricks him: "The bank- notes were forgeries! Frederick had got the timber for nothing!"
Entered a neutrality pact with Stalin (will not get involved)
Profited from their brief alliance
Later broke it by invading

14. = Westerners/ George Bernard Shaw
Mr. Whymper
= Westerners/ George Bernard Shaw
Whymper
Gullible Westerners
acts as "an intermediary between Animal Farm and the outside world“
He’s in it for the money! Napoleon pays him to broker deals with other humans
catered to Soviet interests and helped spread the Soviet myth for personal profit—or just because they were gullible.
Shaw: Irish author/playwright who, after meeting Stalin, used his writing to spread the ideas of and win support for Communism

15. Minimus = Maxim Gorky Minimus Gorky
Writes the new Animal Farm anthem, which replaces Beasts of England
Composes the poem “Comrade Napoleon” that praises Nap. generously
Spent time as a political exile and was initially an open critic of Lenin and the Bolsheviks
Later asked to write Stalin’s biography and declined, but agreed to write in support of some of his policies (in return for Stalin letting him help persecuted writers escape Russia)

16. Pigeons = Comintern The Pigeons The Communist International
Snowball and Nap. Sent out the flocks daily to spread Beasts of England and word of their freedom to other farms
Many animals start singing it and acting out against humans
international communist organization that advocated world communism
Attempted to establish control over other left-wing parties by sending agents to bolster certain factions
Involved with rebellions across Europe following the Russian Revolution

17. Piglets = Communist Party Napoleon’s Piglets
Bureaucrats, intellectuals, and athletes
Napoleon’s 31( !!) privileged offspring
Attend school and get to spend the rest of the time “exercising” (…playing…) in the garden, separate from others
Later wear ribbons and others must “stand aside” to let them pass
Under Stalin, a new class of privileged communists arose
Proved that idea of equality and no separation (of classes) would never achieve its goal

18. = The Great Purge The Confessions and Executions
Napoleon intimidates a number of pigs and hens into confessing to crimes that are either very minor or they didn’t commit
The dogs execute them violently, leaving “a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon’s feet”
large-scale purge of Communist Party and gov’t officials, repression of peasants and the Red Army leadership = Stalin getting rid of people who opposed him
Hundreds of thousands of victims were accused of various political crimes and quickly executed by shooting or sent to labor camps.