• Symbolic Connections– Backgroun

d

– Allegory

– Symbolism of Characters

• Animal Farm presents a terrifying picture of a world without personal freedom

• The story can be read on two levels: 1. Beast fable 2. History of Soviet

communism

• The pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, are symbolic of soviet leaders Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky

• Historical Background– Soviet Political History

– The Problem

– Philosophies of Karl Marx

• Orwell uses the plight of the Soviet nation as a powerful tool to condemn any political body that seek to gain total control over the masses.

• Early 20th Century, a tiny minority controlled most of the country’s wealth

• The working class rallied around political philosopher Karl Marx’s doctrine of “Workers of the world, unite!”

• Historical Background, Continued– Marx’s Theory

– The Russian Revolution

– Stalin vs. Trotsky

• Marx believed that when all property is commonly owned, everyone is equal.

• Vladimir Lenin seized control of Russian and took land and industry from private control and put them under government supervision

• After Lenin’s death their was an ugly struggle for power in Russia

• Background, Continued– Stalin Takes Control

– Control through Intimidation

• Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky both jockeyed for control of the communist party, with Stalin coming out victorious

• Stalin used his power in vicious and often demeaning ways—killing and imprisoning enemies

• Background, Continued– Stalin’s Rule

• It is estimated that millions of Soviet citizens were murdered while he was in power

• The Soviet government began to crumble; economic plans failed; violence, fear and starvation gripped the Soviet nation

Animalism and Communism

• Animalism– No owners,

no rich, but no poor

– Workers get a better life, all animals equal

– Everyone owns the farm

• Communism– Aristocracy

and workers share and become one

– All people equal

– Government owns everything, people own government

Animal Revolution and Russian Revolution

• Animal Revolution– It was supposed to make

life better for all

– Life was worse at the end

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

• Russian Revolution– Supposed to fix problems

from Czar

– Life was even worse long after revolution

– Stalin made Czar look like a nice guy

Old Major and Karl Marx

• Old Major– taught

Animalism

– Believed animals needed to revolt; even the “lower” animals must come together

– dies before revolution

• Karl Marx– invented

Communism

– Believed in the maxim, “Workers of the world, Unite!"

– dies before Russian Revolution

Napoleon and Joseph Stalin• Napoleon

– not a good speaker, not as clever like Snowball

– cruel, brutal, selfish, devious, corrupt

– his ambition is for power, killed opponents

– used dogs, Moses, and Squealer to control animals

• Joseph Stalin– not a good

speaker, not educated like Trotsky

– same as Napoleon, didn't follow Marx's ideas

– cared for power, killed all that opposed him

– used KGB, church, and propaganda (newspapers, media)

Snowball and Leon Trotsky• Snowball

– young, smart, good speaker, idealistic

– really wants to make life better for all

– One of leaders of revolution

– chased away into exile by Napoleon's dogs

• Leon Trotsky– other leader of

"October Revolution"

– pure communist, followed Marx

– wanted to improve life for all in Russia

– chased away by Lenin's KGB (Lenin's secret police)

Squealer and Propaganda, Newspapers

• Squealer– big mouth,

talks a lot

– convinces animals to believe and follow Napoleon

– Changes and manipulates the commandments

• Newspapers– 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

Mr. Jones and Czar Nicholas II • Mr. Jones

– irresponsible to his animals (lets them starve)

– sometimes cruel - beats them with whip

– sometimes kind - mixes milk in animal mash

• Czar Nicholas II– a poor

leader at best, compared to western kings

– cruel and sometimes brutal with opponents

– Sometimes kind - hired students as spies to make $

The Dogs and KGB

• The Dogs– a private army

that used fear to force animals to work

– killed or intimidated any opponent of Napoleon

• KGB (Secret Police)– not really

police, but forced support for Stalin

– used force, often killed entire families for disobedience

Mollie and Human Greed

• Mollie– was vain - loved her beauty

and self

– didn't think about the animal farm

– went with anyone who gave her what she wanted

• Human Greed– some people didn't care

about revolution

– Often only think about themselves

– went to other countries that offered more for them

Moses and Religion• Moses

– SugarCandy mountain

• animals can go there if they work hard

– Kept the animals spirits up, despite harsh conditions

– Napoleon let

him stay because he taught animals to work and not complain

• Religion (Communism)

– Heaven

– Religion was tolerated because people would work

– Stalin knew religion would stop violent revolutions

Boxer and the Working Class

• Boxer– strong, hard working horse,

believes in Animal Farm – "Napoleon is always right",

"I must work harder" – gives his all, is betrayed by

Napoleon, who sells him

• Working Class– people believed Stalin

because he was "Communist"

– many stayed loyal after it was obvious Stalin a tyrant

– betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them

Windmill and Industrial Revolution

• Windmill– the windmill was promised to

make the animal's life easier

– Shorten work week

– Windmill Destroyed

– Build new windmills

• Industrial Revolution– 'Five-Year Plan' was supposed to

improve Soviet industry and increase production

– It would allow the soviets to shorten the work-week

– Plan failed miserably

– Stalin kept churning out new 'Five-year Plans

Mr. Frederick and Adolf Hitler• Mr. Frederick

– Fredrick's known for being vicious to older animals, beating animals even throwing them in his furnace

– Frederick and his farmhands attack Animal Farm

• Adolf Hitler– Committed

unthinkable crimes against humanity during the Holocaust

– broken pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany by invading the country

Mr. Pilkington and Capitalist Governments

• Mr. Pilkington

– Neighbor to Animal Farm

– Napoleon and Pilkington’s relationship quickly turns icy when they play a simultaneous Ace of Spades at the conclusion of the novella.

• Capitalist Governments– Western capitalist

countries such as the United States and Britain.

– After the end of World War II, the Cold War was ignited between the US and the Soviet Union,