George Orwell Social Group Analysis
How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?
For several centuries now, literature has been a tool for various writers to voice their opinions, express sentiments, or raise awareness about issues. Deeply torn by the oppression he saw in the late 40s in a significantly communist Europe, George Orwell makes use of this medium to illustrate a dystopian future under the influence of a totalitarian regime. He comments on and condemns the Soviet communists through the allegorical fable, which, quite literally, designates them as ‘the pigs’. Through this representation, George Orwell attempts to unveil the propensity in humans for power, the injustice that occurs under the guise of such a regime, as well as the inevitable social …show more content…
The characters are representations of political leaders like Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, the two of whom are represented by the uncompromising Old Major, who sparks the revolution believing that those of his kind were being mistreated. The representation and actions of Old Major strongly correspond to Marx’s ideology of the absence of social class distinction in the system. Lenin was uncompromising in his Marxist views, as Old Major is absolute in his hatred of Man.[1] As Old Major mentions in the novel, “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend” (Orwell, 31). In this case, as Marx’s vision goes, man is the bourgeoisie and the animals are the proletariat who need to revolt against their oppressors. Additionally, Josef Stalin is symbolized by another pig named Napoleon, a potentate who was "A large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way" (Orwell, p.15) – much like the individual who inspired his character. On the other hand, characters such as Boxer, a hardworking, gullible horse, symbolize the uneducated, suffering proletariat, with blind faith in their tyrant …show more content…
Pigs have been popularized as dirty, greedy, and smelly animals, among other unflattering descriptions. They are, on the other hand, also known to be intelligent creatures. These stereotypes are what have made them the perfect representations for the corrupt communist leaders, bringing to mind unpleasant images of the leaders as being pigs. Orwell also grants the other social classes symbols of animals, based on the different traits associated with the animals. Boxer, the loyal, dubious horse, for instance, represents the working class. The puppies, which are taken away at birth by Napoleon and reared to guard him later, represent the brainwashed youth of the time.
Through such representations, the allegorical fable suggests that revolutions are futile, and injustice will remain so as long as corrupt human nature persists. Orwell intends to depict how the Russian Revolution was futile because it only exacerbated the system with a different set of leaders – as, in the Animal Farm, the “two legged human oppressors are simply replaced by two legged pig oppressors”. Throughout the novel, the most prominent theme is that of the inevitability of social stratification. A quote that sums the whole ideology is “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than
For several centuries now, literature has been a tool for various writers to voice their opinions, express sentiments, or raise awareness about issues. Deeply torn by the oppression he saw in the late 40s in a significantly communist Europe, George Orwell makes use of this medium to illustrate a dystopian future under the influence of a totalitarian regime. He comments on and condemns the Soviet communists through the allegorical fable, which, quite literally, designates them as ‘the pigs’. Through this representation, George Orwell attempts to unveil the propensity in humans for power, the injustice that occurs under the guise of such a regime, as well as the inevitable social …show more content…
The characters are representations of political leaders like Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, the two of whom are represented by the uncompromising Old Major, who sparks the revolution believing that those of his kind were being mistreated. The representation and actions of Old Major strongly correspond to Marx’s ideology of the absence of social class distinction in the system. Lenin was uncompromising in his Marxist views, as Old Major is absolute in his hatred of Man.[1] As Old Major mentions in the novel, “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend” (Orwell, 31). In this case, as Marx’s vision goes, man is the bourgeoisie and the animals are the proletariat who need to revolt against their oppressors. Additionally, Josef Stalin is symbolized by another pig named Napoleon, a potentate who was "A large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way" (Orwell, p.15) – much like the individual who inspired his character. On the other hand, characters such as Boxer, a hardworking, gullible horse, symbolize the uneducated, suffering proletariat, with blind faith in their tyrant …show more content…
Pigs have been popularized as dirty, greedy, and smelly animals, among other unflattering descriptions. They are, on the other hand, also known to be intelligent creatures. These stereotypes are what have made them the perfect representations for the corrupt communist leaders, bringing to mind unpleasant images of the leaders as being pigs. Orwell also grants the other social classes symbols of animals, based on the different traits associated with the animals. Boxer, the loyal, dubious horse, for instance, represents the working class. The puppies, which are taken away at birth by Napoleon and reared to guard him later, represent the brainwashed youth of the time.
Through such representations, the allegorical fable suggests that revolutions are futile, and injustice will remain so as long as corrupt human nature persists. Orwell intends to depict how the Russian Revolution was futile because it only exacerbated the system with a different set of leaders – as, in the Animal Farm, the “two legged human oppressors are simply replaced by two legged pig oppressors”. Throughout the novel, the most prominent theme is that of the inevitability of social stratification. A quote that sums the whole ideology is “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than