Comparing Animal Farm and the Soviet Union The novel Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, parallels and satirizes the events that transpired after the formation of the Soviet Union in a manner that criticizes the corruption and perversion of socialism that operated under communism. This is evinced by similarities between the story of the novel and the history of the Soviet Union, including the character Napoleon being analogous to Joseph Stalin, events within the novel being analogous to historical events, and the comparable formations of society and social classes. The character Napoleon, a pig in the novel, is nearly an exact replica of Joseph Stalin in behavior and motive. The most obvious comparison between the two is likely their personalities, both being power-hungry and extremely sociopathic. This is exemplified by the amoral actions that both utilized in order to gain and hold power, witnessed in the case of Napoleon during his inquisition and execution of certain farm animals, all in order to instill fear in the other animals.
This transformation from dictatorship to ‘Animalism’ was then a full circle transformation back to a dictatorship, but with a different leading party. Orwell even chose the pigs to play the leaders in his satire, because they represented the piggish characteristics shown by the leaders of the Russian Revolution: Stalin, Trotsky, and Lenin. Pigs, being omnivores eat anything and everything that is thrown to them, even their young if it gets in the way. As did Napoleon
After Old Major died, Napoleon changed the rules so they reflected well on him, and gave him the freedom to do what he liked, whereas he left the other animals with no food, and no time to rest and continued to make them work while he sat back and did nothing. Comparison In George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, the majority of the animals were used to represent some of the main characters in the Russian Revolution. For example I am using Joseph Stalin. I think that Joseph Stalin was very similar to Napoleon. There are many similarities such as the actions they put forward and their characteristics.
The essay On Animal Farm is an analysis done by Christopher Hitchens of the in-depth meaning of the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. Within the essay, the major theme being discussed is correlation between the fictional characters and events in the book and the Russian Revolution. It analyzes the usage of fictional animal characters in a confined environment where they rule themselves to the political occurrences in the Soviet Union and the larger Europe. The essay discusses the historical background of Animal Farm, the political ramifications that the book has on autocratic regimes, and the struggle for power between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The aspect of the Cold War and the East-West rivalry is also illustrated in the essay with a special reference to the Russian-British period of conflicts.
(BBC News 2015). Kim Jong-un did not stop the idea of communism but support it just like his father.. In Animal Farm there is no communism but instead it is call Animalism. As the animals stay in the farm they come up with The Seven Commandments “ Whatever goes upon two legs (referring to humans) is an enemy. What goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend...All animals are equal.” (Orwell 9).
1953 saw the death of Soviet Russia’s greatest leader, in a never-ending atmosphere of anxiety, betrayal and paranoia. Stalin had become the state, not through the path of diplomacy, but through tumultuous bloodshed and trickery. He held absolute power and anyone foolish enough to protest against him and his path to the ultimate communist Utopia would find them selves dead or in a forced labor camp. The roots of this ultimate power lie in the years 1929-39, where Stalin employed the ‘Great Terror’, with the purges to secure political and economic control over the Soviet state. This essay will deduce how effective the ‘terror’ was employed to secure these corner stones.
They also act as executioners, tearing out the throats of animals that confess to treachery. The dogs represent the KGB, agencies Joseph Stalin fostered and used to terrorize and commit atrocities upon the Soviet Union’s populace. Orwell uses the dogs in his book, Animal Farm, to represent the KGB or perhaps more accurately, the bodyguards of Stalin. The dogs are the arch-defenders of Napoleon and the pigs, and although they don’t speak, they are definitely a force the other animals have to contend with. "Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn.
The rebellion itself is led by two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball who are inspired by Old Major, the old pig. However, because Napoleon does not like Snowball, he makes a plan to put Snowball away from the farm. According to Orwell, this story has a reflection of Russian Revolution of 1917. Some of the characters in the story are believed to be a representatives of certain famous or infamous people. Moreover, this story has been adapted to be a movie.
What have you found interesting about Orwell’s presentation of power in the novel? How does Orwell’s presentation of power reflect ideas about society? In this essay I will be exploring the aspects of power in Animal Farm that George Orwell presents most interestingly and how they relate to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In Animal Farm, Orwell presents power as a key theme. He presents power to be abused through the character of Mr Jones, who represents Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the last Tsar of Russia whom the Russian public rebelled against.
The Story Animal farm and the Russian Revolution have a lot of similarities; the characters represent leaders and many important people during the Russian revolution as well as many events that have taken place, they were represented in Animal Farm by symbolism. Karl Marx in Animal Farm represents “Old Major (pig)” they are very similar to each other. They both invented a form of communism and taught their peers “how workers do all the work and the rich keep all the money”. They gave inspiration to others in a different ways either being right or wrong the people were convinced it was right. “Manor Farm” represents Russia when the original owner still had power just like when Mr. Jones still had power.