The Impossible Utopia
Jungwon Kim
Mrs. Griffith
English 10 GT
1 April, 2014
The Impossible Utopia “History consists of a series of swindles, in which he masses are first lured into revolt by the promise of utopia, and then, when they have done their job, enslaved over again by new masters” (Brander). Animal Farm, a farm with animals that are treated cruelly and dream for a better life in which animals are all equal and independent of depraved humans, is an allegory of the development of communism, even totalitarianism. After successfully driving away Mr. Jones, the cruel, tyrannous, drunken owner of the farm, the animals, with the pigs acting as leaders for their superior intelligence, believe they are going to be rewarded with the certainty of living in an environment in which everyone has freedom and are equal, free from corruption. Ironically, one pig, Napoleon, takes complete control and, through overweening ambition, delineates from the original utopian dream to one of abject oppression, completely controlling the food and power of the farm. By the conclusion of the book, Napoleon is indistinguishable from the humans, and the punishments, deficiency of food, and general destitution for the regular farm animals make the farm an even worse place. Will humans, or animals, ever be able to live in a perfect world? As shown in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, utopian societies like the one Old Major envisioned will never be possible in the real world. By the flaws in the system of a utopia, inherent human, or animal, nature, and individuality, utopian societies are impossible in the real world. A utopia is society or place in which everything is perfect. However, a utopia itself, due to flaws and contradictions in the system and conception, is merely an illusory design. In a true utopia, there would be no separation of class, differences, or any uneven apportionment of power among people or groups. No matter what, there will always be someone with an ambition for political power,
Mrs. Griffith
English 10 GT
1 April, 2014
The Impossible Utopia “History consists of a series of swindles, in which he masses are first lured into revolt by the promise of utopia, and then, when they have done their job, enslaved over again by new masters” (Brander). Animal Farm, a farm with animals that are treated cruelly and dream for a better life in which animals are all equal and independent of depraved humans, is an allegory of the development of communism, even totalitarianism. After successfully driving away Mr. Jones, the cruel, tyrannous, drunken owner of the farm, the animals, with the pigs acting as leaders for their superior intelligence, believe they are going to be rewarded with the certainty of living in an environment in which everyone has freedom and are equal, free from corruption. Ironically, one pig, Napoleon, takes complete control and, through overweening ambition, delineates from the original utopian dream to one of abject oppression, completely controlling the food and power of the farm. By the conclusion of the book, Napoleon is indistinguishable from the humans, and the punishments, deficiency of food, and general destitution for the regular farm animals make the farm an even worse place. Will humans, or animals, ever be able to live in a perfect world? As shown in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, utopian societies like the one Old Major envisioned will never be possible in the real world. By the flaws in the system of a utopia, inherent human, or animal, nature, and individuality, utopian societies are impossible in the real world. A utopia is society or place in which everything is perfect. However, a utopia itself, due to flaws and contradictions in the system and conception, is merely an illusory design. In a true utopia, there would be no separation of class, differences, or any uneven apportionment of power among people or groups. No matter what, there will always be someone with an ambition for political power,
Cited: Quinn, Edward. "Animal Farm." Bloom 's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 11 Mar. 2014 Firchow, Peter Edgerly. "George Orwell 's Dystopias: From Animal Farm to Nineteen Eighty-Four." Bloom 's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 11 Mar. 201 Brander, Laurence. "George Orwell." EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003.Student Resources in Context. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1954. Print.