ANIMAL FARM George Orwell

Orwell was a British journalist and author, who wrote two of the most famous novels of the 20th century Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. In 1945, Orwell's 'Animal Farm' was published. A political fable set in a farmyard but based on Stalin's betrayal of the Russian Revolution, it made Orwell's name and ensured he was financially comfortable for the first time in his life. Later, following his death, Orwell was named the second most important writer of the 20 th Century by the London Times.

Allegory Allegory: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

One (or Two) Slide Presentations Consider your Animal Farm character(s): Based on your summer assignment (or the internet’s – second slide is for a Works Cited Page if you need it) Create a One Slide Presentation Must hypothesize the allegorical relationship between your character and the REAL person(s) you believe your character represents Short background on the real person(s) invoked by the fictional character (from your research paper or internet) Come up with 2-3 textual examples from the book (paraphrase/summary) that lend credibility to your theory Any graphics / illustrations you believe will enhance your one- slide presentation Due in ONE hour to begin presentations TODAY.

The Humans Mr Jones - Mr Jones is a farmer, and the owner of Manor Farm. He represents the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov (Nicholas II). Mrs. Jones - She represents the Tsar's wife, Alexandra. Mr. Pilkington - Owner of Foxwood. He doesn't represent one person in particular, but rather is a composite of all of the leaders of England. Mr. Frederick - Owner of Pinchfield. Frederick is a composite of the leaders of Germany. However, throughout most of the book, Frederick is a representation of Hitler. It is said that Frederick had ''flogged an old horse to death (A reference to Hitler's euthanasia program), he had starved his cows (A reference to the Jews?), he had killed a dog by throwing it into the furnace (Most likely a reference to Night of Knives), and that he amused himself in the evenings by making cocks (French? / Children?) fight with splinters of razor-blade tied to their spurs.'’

The Pigs Old Major - The father of 'Animalism'. He represents Karl Marx, but in some ways also symbolizes the original communist leader - Vladimir Lenin. (In the book, Old major's skull is displayed in a similar manner to the way Lenin's remains were displayed to the public) The book also says that Old Major had been exhibited at shows under the name Willingdon Beauty, but I'm not sure whether or not this is a reference to a real-life.

The Pigs Continued Napoleon - Napoleon is Joseph Stalin, the second leader of the Soviet Union. Animal farm skips the short rule of Lenin (and seems to combine Lenin with the character Old Major), and has Napoleon leading the farm from the beginning of the revolution. Squealer - This pig represents the Russian media, which spread Stalin's version of the truth to the masses. Snowball - Snowball represents Leo Trotsky. Trotsky was one of the original revolutionaries. But as Stalin rose to power he became one of Stalin's biggest enemies, and was eventually expelled from the Politburo in one year after Stalin took control of the nation. In the novel, Snowball was exiled from the farm just as Trotsky had been in But Trotsky was not only exiled in body, he was also exiled from the minds of the Russian people - His historical role was altered; his face cut out of group photographs of the leaders of the revolution. In Russia he was denounced as a traitor and conspirator and in 1940 a Stalinist agent assassinated him in Mexico City.

Horses Boxer - Boxer represents the working class. Boxer is portrayed as being a dedicated worker, but as possessing a less-than-average intelligence. His personal motto was, "I will work harder!" The novel describes the horses as being the pig's "most faithful disciples" and that they "absorbed everything that they were told [by the pigs], and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments". Clover - Boxer's female counterpart. Mollie - Mollie seems to be some sort of representation of Russia's upper classes. But, since Orwell portrays her as a horse - the same animal used to represent the 'working class' horses Boxer & Clover - Mollie may simply represent members of the working class that remained faithful to the Czar. In either case, Mollie was never really in favor of the revolution. She went along with it, but she didn't actually engage in the fighting. Mollie didn't mind being a 'servant' to the humans, since she was constantly being pampered by them. After the revolution, Mollie begins to miss the beautiful ribbons (fine clothes) and sugar cane (fine food) she used to receive from her human masters. She eventually flees the animal farm to live elsewhere in Willingdon.

Dogs & Sheep Dogs - The dogs represent the military/police. In the beginning of the book, they voted against accepting the rats & rabbits as 'comrades'. Shortly after the revolution, several 'pups' are stolen from their mothers. Later in the book, these pups (now fully grown - and fully trained) protect Napoleon from a second potential revolution, and help to enforce his decrees. Sheep - The sheep represent the masses at large. "Four legs good, two legs bad! Four legs good, two legs ba-a-a-a-d!"