Animal Animal FarmFarmNotesNotes

Internal Conflicts in Animal Internal Conflicts in Animal FarmFarm

There is a lack of There is a lack of internal conflict among internal conflict among animals whose doubts animals whose doubts and disillusions are so and disillusions are so easily smoothed over.easily smoothed over.

External Conflicts in Animal External Conflicts in Animal

FarmFarm Conflicts existConflicts exist

between the animals,between the animals,between the animals between the animals and the humans, andand the humans, and

between the animals between the animals and the elements.and the elements.

Major ConflictsMajor Conflicts The animals vs. Mr. The animals vs. Mr. JonesJones

Snowball vs. NapoleonSnowball vs. Napoleon Common animals vs. the Common animals vs. the pigspigs

Animal Farm vs. the Animal Farm vs. the neighboring farmsneighboring farms

All of them are the All of them are the expressions of expressions of underlying tension underlying tension between the exploited between the exploited and exploiting classes and exploiting classes and between the lofty and between the lofty ideals and harsh ideals and harsh realities of socialism.realities of socialism.

Animal Farm as an Animal Farm as an AllegoryAllegory

Represents Russia’s Represents Russia’s political history political history from around 1917 from around 1917 to 1943.to 1943.

Begins with the Begins with the Russian Revolution Russian Revolution then follows the then follows the establishment of establishment of the Soviet Union the Soviet Union and the descent of and the descent of a revolutionary a revolutionary ideal into a ideal into a repressive regime.repressive regime.

Most locations can be Most locations can be transplanted into the transplanted into the historical context of Animal historical context of Animal Farm.Farm.

Animal Farm = RussiaAnimal Farm = Russia Mr. Jones = Czar Nicholas IIMr. Jones = Czar Nicholas II Old Major = Vladimir LeninOld Major = Vladimir Lenin Snowball = Leon TrotskySnowball = Leon Trotsky Napoleon = Joseph Stalin Napoleon = Joseph Stalin

(revolutionary who becomes (revolutionary who becomes dictator)dictator)

Mr. Frederick = Adolf Hitler (or Mr. Frederick = Adolf Hitler (or Germany)Germany)

Mr. Pilkington = Winston Mr. Pilkington = Winston Churchill (Britain)Churchill (Britain)

Pigs = privileged class Pigs = privileged class (Bolsheviks or Reds)(Bolsheviks or Reds)

Farmhouse = the Kremlin Farmhouse = the Kremlin (originally the palace of the (originally the palace of the Czars which becomes the center Czars which becomes the center of the Soviet government)of the Soviet government)

The Rebellion = the October The Rebellion = the October RevolutionRevolution

Squealer = Squealer = PravdaPravda, the official , the official newspaper of Communist newspaper of Communist propagandapropaganda

Boxer = the loyal workers, Boxer = the loyal workers, also known as the proletariatalso known as the proletariat

““Beasts of England” = Beasts of England” = “L’Internationale”“L’Internationale”

The wild animals = the The wild animals = the muzhiksmuzhiks, or peasants, or peasants

Moses = Russian Orthodox Moses = Russian Orthodox ChurchChurch

Mollie = the White Russians Mollie = the White Russians (the opposition to the (the opposition to the Bolsheviks or Reds)Bolsheviks or Reds)

Hoof and horn flag = hammer Hoof and horn flag = hammer and sickle flag of the soviet and sickle flag of the soviet UnionUnion

The Battle of the Cowshed = The Battle of the Cowshed = the Allied invasion of 1918-the Allied invasion of 1918-19191919

The trials of the animals The trials of the animals = Moscow Purge Trials, = Moscow Purge Trials, 1936 through 19381936 through 1938

The windmill = the five-The windmill = the five-year plansyear plans

The 9 dogs = the Cheka, The 9 dogs = the Cheka, or secret policeor secret police

Revolt of the hens = Revolt of the hens = peasant revolts in 1920peasant revolts in 1920

Karl MarxKarl Marx Journalist who wrote Journalist who wrote The The

Communist ManifestoCommunist Manifesto, a , a pamphlet outlining Marx’s pamphlet outlining Marx’s ideas about government ideas about government and economics, including and economics, including his belief that pure his belief that pure communism would be the communism would be the inevitable outcome of inevitable outcome of human history.human history.

Karl Marx cont’dKarl Marx cont’dTo summarize a major To summarize a major tenet of his philosophy, tenet of his philosophy, Marx stated, Marx stated,

““From each according to From each according to his abilities, to each his abilities, to each according to his need.”according to his need.”

What led to the What led to the Russian Revolution?Russian Revolution?

The writings of Karl MarxThe writings of Karl Marx Increasing economic Increasing economic hardshiphardship

The injustices of the The injustices of the czars which inspired czars which inspired widespread revoltingwidespread revolting

Details of the Russian Details of the Russian RevolutionRevolution

On March 15, 1917, On March 15, 1917, Czar Nicholas II was Czar Nicholas II was overthrown and later overthrown and later executed along with his executed along with his family, and a family, and a provisional government provisional government of revolutionaries of revolutionaries assumed leadership.assumed leadership.

7 months later, the 7 months later, the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew this Lenin, overthrew this provisional government. provisional government. They renamed themselves They renamed themselves the Russian Communist the Russian Communist Party (otherwise known as Party (otherwise known as the Reds)the Reds)

After Lenin diedAfter Lenin diedA power struggle A power struggle began between began between Leon Trotsky and Leon Trotsky and Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin

Leon TrotskyLeon Trotsky Strict MarxistStrict Marxist Talented party organizer Talented party organizer who played an important who played an important role in the Russian role in the Russian RevolutionRevolution

Following a struggle, he Following a struggle, he was exiled in 1928.was exiled in 1928.

Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin Secretary general of the Secretary general of the Communist PartyCommunist Party

Favored a modified form Favored a modified form of Marxismof Marxism

After skillful After skillful maneuvering, became maneuvering, became dictator of the Soviet dictator of the Soviet Union.Union.

Stalin ContinuedStalin Continued His men later assassinated His men later assassinated Trotsky in Mexico.Trotsky in Mexico.

Instituted a totalitarian Instituted a totalitarian dictatorship and a series dictatorship and a series of 5-year plans to increase of 5-year plans to increase economic growth.economic growth.

Ordered the collective Ordered the collective farms to give most of farms to give most of their products to the their products to the government for export government for export to raise money for his to raise money for his program of Soviet program of Soviet industrialization.industrialization.

Nearly 8 million Nearly 8 million people who were people who were thought to be disloyal thought to be disloyal were arrested, tried, were arrested, tried, and sent off to labor and sent off to labor camps, deported or camps, deported or executed.executed.

Themes of Animal Themes of Animal FarmFarm1. 1. The corruptive nature of power.The corruptive nature of power.

Orwell shows how both the Orwell shows how both the leaders and the followers in a leaders and the followers in a society can act in ways that society can act in ways that destroy freedom and equality. destroy freedom and equality. This theme is best seen when This theme is best seen when Napoleon becomes a tyrant Napoleon becomes a tyrant more oppressive than Mr. Jones.more oppressive than Mr. Jones.

2. The oppressed tightening 2. The oppressed tightening the noose of oppression.the noose of oppression.

Orwell illustrates the limiting of individual freedom through the ignorance, inertia, or misplaced loyalty of the animals. This is best seen through Boxer, who proclaims, “If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.”

3.Tyranny distorting 3.Tyranny distorting history and history and language.language.

Orwell shows how Orwell shows how propaganda techniques like propaganda techniques like those practiced by Squealer those practiced by Squealer and accepted by the and accepted by the animals are used to justify a animals are used to justify a tyrant’s decisions and tyrant’s decisions and actions.actions.

It undermines people’s It undermines people’s faith in their own faith in their own judgment so they judgment so they become willing to accept become willing to accept tyrant’s explanations tyrant’s explanations uncritically.uncritically.