(1903-1950)

Real Name: Eric Blair

British Political Novelist

Born: To English parents in India

After his father retired, Eric and his family moved back to England.

He was sent to boarding school at the age of eight to prepare for Eton, an exclusive prep school.

Because he had a scholarship, he was teased and humiliated frequently.

                                     

                                          At eighteen, he passed the Empire’s Civil Service Exam and became a police officer

in Burma.          

Returned in Europe

Socialist: someone who believes that the government should own businesses so that everyone will be equal

Most fables have two levels of meaning. On the surface, the fable is about animals. But on a second level, the animals stand for types of people or ideas. The way the animals interact and the way the plot unfolds says something about the nature of people or the value of ideas. Any type of fiction that has multiple levels of meaning in this way is called an allegory.

A composition making fun of something, usually political.

Animal Farm makes fun of political society after the Bolshevik Revolution.

Russian society in the early twentieth century had two social classes: a tiny minority (bourgeoisie) controlled the country’s wealth.

The working class was called the proletariat.

Communism arose in Russia when the nation’s workers & peasants rebelled against and overwhelmed the wealthy and powerful class of capitalists & aristocrats.

Farmer JonesA drunk and a poor farmer,

his cruelty towards the farm animals inspires their rebellion.

Farmer Jones = Czar Nicholas II

• Farmer Jones– The irresponsible owner of the

farm

– Lets his animals starve and beats them with a whip

– Sometimes shows random kindness

• Czar Nicholas II– Weak Russian leader during the

early 1900s

– Often cruel and brutal to his subjects

– Displays isolated kindess

SnowballA clever pig with a head for ideas,

he becomes one of the main leaders of Animal Farm and

the author of its central commandments.

                              

Snowball = Leon Trotsky

• Snowball– Boar who becomes one of the

rebellion’s most valuable leaders. – After drawing complicated plans for

the construction of a windmill, he is chased off of the farm forever by Napoleon’s dogs and thereafter used as a scapegoat for the animals’ troubles.

• Leon Trotsky– A pure communist leader who was

influenced by the teachings of Karl Marx.

– He wanted to improve life for people in Russia, but was driven away by Lenin’s KGB.

NapoleonA pig with a gift for techniques of control,

he establishes most of the farm’s rules and eventually

becomes its sole leader.

                      

Napoleon = Joseph Stalin• Napoleon

– Boar who leads the rebellion against Farmer Jones

– After the rebellion’s success, he systematically begins to control all aspects of the farm until he is an undisputed tyrant.

• Joseph Stalin– The communist dictator of the Soviet

Union from 1922-1953 who killed all who opposed him.

– He loved power and used the KGB (secret police) to enforce his ruthless, corrupt antics.

Old Major An elderly show pig whose instruction to the animals

about "animalism" becomes the philosophical basis

for the creation of Animal Farm.                       

Characters• Old Major

– An old boar whose speech about the evils perpetrated by humans rouses the animals into rebelling.

– His philosophy concerning the tyranny of Man is named Animalism.

– He teaches the animals the song “Beasts of England”

– Dies before revolution

• Karl Marx– The inventor of communism– Wants to unite the working class to

overthrow the government.– Dies before the Russian Revolution

SquealerA pig with the ability to make any

idea sound reasonable, he is Napoleon's side-kick

and is in charge of communicating to the animals.

                      

Squealer vs. Propaganda Dept. of Stalin’s Government

Squealer• Big mouth, talks a lot• Convinces animals to

believe and follow Napoleon

• Changes and manipulates the commandments

Propaganda Department• Worked for Stalin to

support his image• Used any lie to

convince the people to follow Stalin

• Benefited from the fact that education was controlled

BoxerA strong and hard-working carthorse,

he shows tremendous faith in the rebellion and its leaders.

                      

Boxer vs. Dedicated, but Tricked, Communist Supporters

Boxer• Strong, hard-working

horse – believes in Animal Farm

• “Napoleon is always right”, “I must work harder”

• Gives his all, is betrayed by Napoleon

Dedicated, but Tricked Supporters

• People believed Stalin b/c he was “Communist”

• Many stayed loyal after it was obvious Stalin was a tyrant

• Betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them

The Dogs vs. KGB (Secret Police)

The Dogs• A private army that used

fear to force animals to work

• Killed or intimidated any opponent of Napoleon

• Another part of Napoleon’s strategy to control animals

KGB (Secret Police)• Not really police but

forced support for Stalin• Used force, often killed

entire families for disobedience

• Totally loyal, part of Stalin’s power, even over army

Moses the Raven vs. Religion

Moses the Raven• Tells animals about

SugarCandy mountain• Animals can go there if they

work hard• Snowball and Major were

against him• They thought Heaven was a

lie to make animals work• Napoleon let him stay b/c he

taught animals to work and not complain

Religion• Marx said, “Opiate of the

people” – A LIE!• Used to make people not

complain and do their work• Religion was tolerated b/c

people would work• Stalin knew religion would

stop violent revolutions

Mollie the Mare vs. Vain, selfish people in Russia and world

Mollie the Mare• Was vain – loved her

beauty and self• Didn’t think about the

Animal Farm• Went with anyone

who gave her what she wanted

Vain, selfish Russian people• Some people didn’t care

about revolution• Only thought about

themselves• Went to other countries

that offered more for them

Benjamin vs. Skeptical people in and outside of Russia

Benjamin• Old, wise donkey who

is suspicious of revolution

• Thinks “nothing ever changes” – is RIGHT!

• His suspicions are true about Boxer and sign changes

Skeptical people• Weren’t sure revolution

would change anything• Realized that a crazy

leader can call himself “communist”

• Knew that Communism wouldn’t work with hungry leaders

Animalism = Communism• Animalism

– Taught by Old Major

– No rich, but no poor

– Better life for workers

– All animals are equal

– Everyone owns the farm

• Communism– Invented by Karl Marx

– All people are equal

– Government owns everything

– People own the government

Animal Farm Revolution = Russian Revolution

• Animal Farm Revolution– Was supposed to make life

better for all, but . . .• Life was worse at the end.

• The leaders became the same as, or worse than the other farmers (humans) they rebelled against.

• Russian Revolution– Was supposed to fix the

problems created by the Czar, but . . .

• Life was even worse after the revolution.

• Stalin made the Czar look like a nice guy.

More CharactersPilkington

Jones' neighbor, he finds a way to profit from Animal Farm by forming an alliance with the

pigs. Muriel

A goat who believes in the rebellion, she watches as Animal Farm slips away from its

founding principles. The Sheep

Not tremendously clever, the sheep remind themselves of the principles of animalism by

chanting "four legs good, two legs bad."

Characters and Their Historical Correlation

• Muriel: Goat, helps convey the rules/7 commandments

• Mr. Jones: Manor Farm, Tsar Nicholas II

• Mr. Frederick: Pinchfield Farm, Hitler/Nazi Germany

• Mr. Pilkington: Foxwood Farm, Capitalist England/U.S.A.

• Mr. Whymper: Human Solicitor, ties humans and animals together

• Jessie and Bluebell/Pups: Dogs, Stalin’s brute force-rep. of Hitler’s brainwashed society

• Minimus: Poet Pig, Manipulator of History (Songs)