Preview

Similarities Between Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
658 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Similarities Between Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution
George Orwell wrote Animal Farm to inform the world of what happened during the Russian Revolution. Orwell stated that “it was of the utmost importance to me that people in western Europe should see the Soviet régime for what it really was” (Ukrainian Animal Farm Preface). He chose to write Animal Farm as an allegory, a story with a hidden meaning, so that it “could be easily understood by almost anyone” (Ukrainian Animal Farm Preface). Some of the most important themes in Animal Farm include the corruption of power, and the importance of a confident working class.
When the Soviets seized control of Russia, they twisted the rules of communism to give themselves all the power. Orwell commented that “[s]ince 1930 I
…show more content…
Stalin used these show trials to strike fear into anyone that might rebel against the Soviets. This is linked to Animal Farm when four pigs, three hens, a goose, and three sheep “confessed that they had been secretly in touch with Snowball ever since his expulsion... [Then] the dogs promptly tore their throats out... until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon's feet" (Chapter 7). Until this point in the book, no animal had ever killed another animal. Orwell uses this point to show when the Soviets begin to use fear to control their country.
Orwell “points to the need for education and self-confidence in any working class movement if it is to remain democratic in character” (Letemendia). An example of this is when Orwell told his friend that “the key passage” (Letemendia) is when the pigs took the apples and milk for themselves. As a result of the animals not standing up for themselves, they allowed the pigs to take power. If they would have refused to allow the pigs to steal the apples and milk, then Animal Farm could have ended up more like their intended

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Situational irony highlights the cyclical exploitation of power that contradict the development of Animal Farm and illustrates Orwell’s interpretation of how the Russian Revolution ended and the aftermath. For example, after Snowball’s apparent victory as a faction and the supposed peace to have followed, Napoleon “...uttered a high-pitched whimper...at this there was a terrible baying sound outside, nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn” (Orwell 53). The sudden intrusion of the black dogs interrupted the flow of the story and the predicted outcome of Snowball’s win. Such a blatant…

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • 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
  • Good Essays

    Satire Assessment Task

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages

    More specifically, the outrage Orwell expresses is the benevolent dictatorship of Napoleon. Although Napoleon is based on Stalin, over time he has been taken to represent any political leader corrupted with power. We see Napoleon’s dictatorship in full swing after Snowball, (representing Leon Trotsky) is ousted from power. Napoleon sends orders here, there, everywhere to get what he wants. A previous commandment written by Snowball stated, “All animals are created equal,” this changed to, “All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others.” Napoleon brainwashes the working class into thinking their life is great, while behind the scenes selling sick animals for liquor and training a pack of killer dogs. Those animals who confess to shocking crimes that they may or may not have done are killed immediately, and Napoleon’s dictatorship is not questioned. This capital punishment is…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When people give what little they have to a cause, hoping that it is a precursor to a better life, the leader of said cause is entrusted with bringing those hopes and dreams into fruition. In the metaphorical masterpiece that Animal Farm by George Orwell, the storyline closely follows actual events that occurred during the Russian Revolution in a very comedic yet sad way. George Orwell characterized the anger and frustration of the Russians into a group of animals that people could understand and relate to. The communist ideologue was characterized into the animalistic zealot Old Major and the highly despised Czar Nicholas II into Farmer Jones. There are many more allegorical figures and plenty of events to mirror those of the Russian Revolution.…

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good 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

    whenever work had to be done. The ducks were weak and did not get much…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good 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
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell’s disappointment with the communist exploitation that existed during the Russian Revolution is clear throughout the novel Animal Farm. Given that the people often ignored Orwell’s belief in socialism, he grew frustrated. Their lack of reason and knowledge lead to the start of the Russian Revolution. If they knew more of what was going on, it might have changed their country for the better instead of worse. The misleading of one can send thousands to a dangerous…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal Farm, written by George Orwell in 1945, portrays the Russian Revolution by using animals on a farm as symbols of political figures, such as Lenin and Stalin, and historical events as well. Orwell often wrote books such as Animal farm so that he can reflect and share his concern on the political and social circumstances of his day@. After the animals were treated brutally, they decided to revolt and rule the farm on their own. This resulted in them being in the hands of Napoleon, who was one of the pigs. Napoleon was not the leader who they thought he was, but a corrupted dominator. This was much like the Russian Revolution where the citizens revolted against Czar and later resulting in having Stalin, who was much like Napoleon as their leader. The book was very convincing in getting the message of the Russian Revolution and how power can be dangerous when in the wrong hands, across to the readers.…

    • 1780 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Education is not as prominent in the book as during the Russian Revolution. In the book, education is mentioned when Snowball finds old spelling books, once belonging to Mr. Jones. He begins to teach himself, followed by the other pigs, and finally he helps the other animals to read and write. Some of the not so intelligent animals find this quite taxing, whereas the pigs– being the most intelligent, learn the fastest. Snowball is the most interested in educating the animals, and the well being of the other animals on the farm. Just as Trotsky was intent in educating the Russian people, and their well being during the Revolution. "Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. He said that education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up." This shows Snowball's commitment to the animals compared to the uninterested Napoleon.…

    • 2408 Words
    • 10 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

    In George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm”, we can see that he makes the characters personify the leaders in the Russian Revolution. He makes a comparison among animal’s characters during the rebellion against the Russian Revolution and Stalin. Orwell shows how people can be fooled by tyrants to believing anything. The animals in the story who act as the main characters may seem like regular animals but upon historical reference these are actually representatives for Communist leaders, such as Joseph Stalin, Leon Trotsky, and others.…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The characters in the book represent powerful figures in Russia’s history. This novella presents different allusions which all lead of to the main allegorical theme. For example, Napoleon the leader of Animal Farm is an allusion to Joseph Stalin, similarly he uses attack dogs to subdue and keep the animals loyal. Furthermore Napoleon and Stalin were both manipulative dictators with a lust for power. Here the conditions the animals suffered are described, “Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half”(24). This quote shows how Napoleon manipulated the animals so that they were forced to either work unrealistic hours or…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays