Preview

Animal Farm Symbolism

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1370 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Animal Farm Symbolism
Animal Farm Symbolism The story, Animal Farm, is, as a whole, an allegory, cleverly hidden and masterly written. Disguised as a children’s story, with easy-to-read vocabulary, talking animals, and a simple-appearing plot: animals trying to run a farm all by themselves and failing, it provides a deeper meaning, however, when revisited with the understanding how it was based off of the Russian Revolution; each animal playing its part in revolting against the farmer how the people of Russia acted in the time of the Czar and the USSR. In many ways, the author, George Orwell, or Eric Arthur Blair, as his birth certificate would boast, depicts the hardship that he experienced under the rule of Stalin and the Bolshevik reign of terror over all of Russia.
Every chapter is a different phase or event of the Russian Revolution. One example of this would be the first chapter. The first chapter of the book can be simply labeled as “Old Major’s Dream.” As the old boar has the animals all gather to hear of this dream he had. It's not your typical dream, the ones easily forgotten or wild and unrealistic. It's a bit like an idea; Old Major's dream is about equality with all animals, equality only possible with the removal of humans. He tells the other animals that "Man…consumes without producing," and he encourages them to "work … for the over-throw of the human race." Basically, he elucidates that mankind have been taking gain of their fruitless labor for years, and that it's time for the oppression of man to end. His message? "Rebellion.” In the view of an allegory, Old Major's vision is a basic form of the Communist Manifesto, the same Manifesto that sparked Revolution. In 1848, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels printed the Communist Manifesto, which gave out the main ideals and properties that gave birth to what is modernly referred to as communism. The underlying theme of the Manifesto was capitalism was extremely defective, and oppressed all of the men who worked under

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    “Animal Farm” by George Orwell is an allegorical novel published on England in 1945. According to the author, this book reflects historical events leading up and during the Stalin era before World War II. It is the story of a revolution which goes wrong, based on the Russian revolution and Stalin’s use of power, the overall message is that man’s desire for power makes a classless society impossible. In the book, each animal represents a public figure or a type of person in real life. With this we can begin to develop the questions below in order to have a more complete idea of the meaning of the novel.…

    • 1648 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The novella by George Orwell, Animal Farm, is an allegory, or a piece of literature with a hidden meaning, of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Animal Farm follows the events of the farm animals and their uprising against the farmer. Despite the obvious differences between, Animal Farm, and the Russian Revolution, they are very much similar. Characters from the novella can be compared to historical figures from the revolution. While the novella is not limited to these characters, these are the most significant. These characters are: Jones and Czar Nicholas II, Old Major and Karl Marx, Snowball and Leon Trotsky, as well as Napoleon and Joseph Stalin. In addition, certain events of the Russian Revolution can be compared to those of Animal Farm.…

    • 2028 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Orwell uses literal and figurative ideas and concepts to connect the enemies and “heroes” in Animal Farm to the real humans who took part in the Russian Revolution. By comparing the specific characters like Old Major to Vladimir Lenin it is possible to see the comparisons between something as outlandish like Animal Farm to something as serious as the Russian Revolution. Through satire, the reader can see how ridiculous the Russian Revolution has the potential to seem when it is directly compared to animals who revolt for their rights and take over their farm to run on their…

    • 1222 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory based on real life events which occurred in Russia between 1917-1945. George Orwell’s purpose of writing Animal farm was the political leader to be more aware of how they used their power. George Orwell has constructed his characters well and meaningfully. Animals farm is a story, animals rebelling against farmer Jones who mistreat animals in the farm. They rebel for better future and it turn out the new leader ‘Napoleon’ was no…

    • 984 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The story Animal Farm is not just one of farm animals working for human beings. Rather, the tale gives us insight of the Russian Revolution and what occurred during and after the event, the animals functioning as certain historical figures and groups. George Orwell, in Animal Farm condemns and criticizes the actions and injustices that occurred during the reign of Joseph Stalin with the evil character Napoleon. As the farm animals are encountered with no freedom, no equality, and are being slaughtered by their own kind, Orwell illustrates the misinterpretation of a Utopian society and the wrong turn rebellion can take with the wrong leader in charge.…

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel that contains a plethora of symbolism. An example of symbolism is when the animals kick Mr.Jones off the farm. This is the symbol of the Russian revolution that began in March 8th, 1917. Another example of symbolism is when the Battle of the Cowshed started. This symbolizes the Russian Civil war, which outsetted because a few groups in Russia decided to try out communism, called the Red Army. Finally, the windmill was an example of symbolism. It controverted on whether Russia should spread communism to the rest of world. Trosky agreed on spreading communism whereas, Stalin cultivated that it was more important to work within Russia on strengthening the communist…

    • 119 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Satire In Animal Farm

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The novella, Animal Farm, satirizes the lifestyle of Stalinist Russia. The author, Eric Blair, known by the pseudonym George Orwell, uses a farm in which every animal and conflict is allegorical to the lifestyle of the Soviet Union. In the story, Orwell portrays how the animals are unaware of their power similar to the working class in Russia. After the rebellion, which represents the Russian Revolution, the animals anticipate an exponentially better life that consists of bigger rations, proper care, and a society with no social classes and equality among all animals, similar to communism. The pigs, who are naturally the leaders, create a list of commandments, but due to the lack of education among the farm animals, the pigs sum up the commandments…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Satire Animal Farm

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is a satire, which criticizes the Russian leaders, government, communism, and world powers. It shows how an uneducable lower class can lead to social corruption in the fictional world and real world. Orwell shows Stalin and Trotsky as the leaders of Russia, in a way, in which the nation of Russia and the world had never seen before; he portrays the world leaders as animals on a farm that wish for a rebellion. Mr. Jones treats the animals on the farm atrociously and consequently they long for freedom from the humans. However, the animals later realize that their freedom was not everything they wish for. The book includes many ideas from the Russian rebellion, the injustice of communism, and the struggles of the lower class in Russia. Animal Farm demonstrates that when many leaders come together and others blindly follow, social corruption and inequality may occur.…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of equality fueled by anger can lead people to act out and do what they believe is right. In the allegorical comparison to the Russian Revolution, Animal Farm by George Orwell, this statement holds truth. In the novel the animals represent the people, both tire and angry with the cruel treatment from their leaders they look for new hope. With the help of new ideas and the hunger to seek justice the citizens of both Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution fight for what they believe.…

    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Have you ever heard about the Russian Revolution and other important events of Russia? George Orwell, amazing author, published a novel in 1947, called Animal Farm, that intelligently satirized animals in a farm to the events that occurred during the Russian Revolution and the events surrounding the Russian Revolution. Through the character Napoleon and his use of terror and propaganda on the citizens of the Animal Farm, George Orwell castigates mad dictator Joseph Stalin and his reign on Russia.…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    There is no doubt that George Orwell's Animal Farm is one of the great literary works of the 20th century. He retells the 1917 Russian Revolution in the form of an allegory taking place on a farm run entirely by the animals. The animals quickly find their utopia corrupt by the greed and cunning of the pigs. Much like the actual revolution, the animals blame the ruling party for their poor lives, while the animal’s revolution is sparked by the idea that man is the root of all animal problems. Although the existence of man and its domination of animal species is a problem, there are other factors that come into play when considering the fall of Animal Farm, including natural disasters, weather, internal corruption and poor living conditions.…

    • 890 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal Farm Paper

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Have you ever seen the cruel things that a dictator ever done? Sadly, people over the world have been ruled by a dictator, like Russia. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the animals start a rebellion against Mr. Jones, with the pigs in charge of the rest of the animals, they have to suffer trying to stay alive. The story demonstrates that weakness can be dominated by strength, fear, and trickery. George Orwell uses animals as an exciting way to show what happens in the Soviet Russia.…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How many times in your life have you seen symbols? Symbols are everywhere, and they have many different meanings. Symbols can symbolize words, emotions, people, places, events and more. In the book Animal Farm by George Orwell, symbolism plays a huge role. The entire story symbolizes the Russian revolution. The people, animals, places, events and ideas all have a significant meaning relating to the revolution.…

    • 1311 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal farm Essay

    • 754 Words
    • 3 Pages

    George Orwell’s famous Allegorical Beast fable titled Animal Farm, comments on the Russian revolution and on the misuse and abuse of power. A master piece of political satire, Animal Farm is a tale of oppressed individuals who long for freedom. Through his literary links to scapegoating, revisionism and propaganda Orwell makes a satirical comment on the way in which those who long for freedom, ultimately are corrupted by assuming the very power that had originally oppressed them. This reveals his contextual concerns around socialism, communism and fascism, which he viewed as repressive and self serving. By depicting those involved in communism and the Russian revolution as animals, Orwell undermines their authority so as to expose the underlying truth.…

    • 754 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The determination in Animal farm and the journey they faced was compacted. Animal Farm by Gorge Orwell was a yet aggravating book. It caused many disconcerted emotions. This book is a very good example of the history of the Soviet Union. This book gives a very good understanding to young adults who read it. I realized the events that took place during that time were atrocious and so much people were suffering and in pain while the power that went to Stalin’s head was effecting so much…

    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays