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Animal Farm
George Orwell Born in 1903, died in 1950 English novelist and journalist Famous focus: totalitarianism
a political system where the state, usually under the control of a single political organization, recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life
wherever feasible**Robert Conquest Reflections on a Ravaged Century (2000) page 74
Orwell’s Life Name at birth: Eric Arthur Blair Born in India, in 1903, where his father worked for the
Civil Service, one of the officials who ran India Worked for Indian Imperial Police – made him hate
Imperialism 1936 – married and went with wife to fight in the
Spanish civil war between the left-wing Republican government and right-wing Fascist rebels – experienced same kind of events that happened during Russian revolution
Was wounded and never fully recovered Wanted to write about what he had witnessed –
governments taking full control
Background Written during WWII Published in 1945 Critical to the Soviet Union even though they
were an ally of Great Britain Considered classic because it examines the
methods that unscrupulous leaders use to acquire power over people and how they abuse it. Orwell wrote about the world of politics
Classifications
Can be considered:A Fable An AllegoryA Satire
Fable
A short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters
Ex. The Fable of the Tortoise and the Hare Animal Farm: using animal characters, a
significant moral is taught
Allegory
A story that can be read on more than one level A story that parallels or illustrates another Animal Farm: the story of an animal rebellion on
Jones’ farm illustrates the events, individuals and motives of the Russian revolution
Satire
A story that attacks a serious issue by presenting it as ridiculous or poking fun at it.
A story that mocks human nature and behaviour We recognize ourselves, our behaviour or attitude We chose to avoid it or we learn from it Animal Farm: by mocking the characters in the
novel, we recognize our own human frailties
What is it about?
Animal Farm satirizes the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union through fable and allegory
The Russian Revolution
At the turn of the 20th century Russia is:
Huge Isolated Mostly rural Isolated from Europe Diverse ethnically Total population: 170 million (only 25 in cities)
Peasants in Russia Lots didn’t own land Uneducated, poor No communication or
transportation Most are not aware of the
world outside of their village and many are not even aware that they live in a country called Russia
“Spoon Carvers” in 1900
Seriously. SPOON carvers.
Running Russia
Church -- kept rural population in line
Bureaucracy – formal, paper-driven, ineffectual
Police – keep the cities in line
Czarist Rule Old fashioned, likes the
benefits of being a czar Nicholas II – wants to be
more a modern country Dislikes being Czar Wants nothing to do with
peasants Alexandra – German-born,
disliked by Russians
Industrial Revolution Comes Late
Economy expands rapidly but still lags behind the rest of Europe
Russia is a backwards agrarian society
Intelligentsia, Czar and middle class want to modernize
Marxism/Communism Karl Marx and Friedrich
Engels The Communist Manifesto,
23 pages long. “Communism” –common
ownership
Communism Intended for German workers Class struggle – proletariat vs. bourgeoisie Oppressed vs. oppressors Revolution = classless society ****This revolution will come to the most
industrially advanced nations first*****
The Russian Revolution in 12 Concise Points
Early 1900’s- population unhappy Czarist rule is harsh
WWI makes things worse
1917 Revolution led by Vladmir Lenin takes control of Russia – Czar killed
•Lenin dies in 1924
Trotsky and Stalin fight for power
Stalin wins, deports Trotsky
Stalin’s Actions Encourages
Nationalism Moves Soviet Union
into industrialism Seizes land,
collectivizes farms Creates Five Year
Plan (production targets)
Stalin’s Actions Purges/kills
opponents (20 million est.)
Controls information
Outlaws churches