Introduction to Animal Farm: The Political Background

Slides:



Advertisements
Similar presentations
( ).
Advertisements

The Russian Revolution and the Major Players
Animal Farm. Russian Revolution How It Started o Czar Nicolas II o Absolute power o Huge social gulf between the peasants and the land owner and the elite.
Background Information
Animal Farm, “A Fairy Story” George Orwell “A powerful fable that uses animals to reflect human political failure”
About the Author … George Orwell’s real name is Eric Blair.
Animal Farm by. George Orwell. Animal Farm is a… 1. Fable - has two levels of meaning. On the surface, the fable is about animals. But on a second level,
“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
Background Information on Animal Farm. George Orwell ( ) Pen name of Eric Blair Pen name of Eric Blair Grew up in British India Grew up in British.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution … One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path,
Animal Farm Background Information. Overview  George Orwell’s 1945 novella, Animal Farm, is the story of an animal revolution. The animal residents of.
George Orwell, The Russian Revolution, and Animal Farm. Take Notes…You’ll Need Them!
C P POSe POSp All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. from George Orwell’s Animal Farm Journal 21 Title: 4-Level Analysis.
Introduction Background Discussion Starters Menu Animal Farm George Orwell.
By Mrs. Arguello English I.  Fable: A short tale that has animal characters with human qualities that teaches readers a moral or lesson.  Characters.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution … One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path,
Animal Farm By George Orwell.
Aim: What is the underlying meaning and message of George Orwell’s Animal Farm? Do Now: What gets you “fired up”? What makes you want to contribute to.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution … One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path,
Symbolic Connections –Background –Allegory –Symbolism of Characters Animal Farm presents a terrifying picture of a world without personal freedom The.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and Soviet Russia “… One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path, whipping.
ANIMAL FARM By George Orwell George Orwell Born Eric Arthur Blair in Motihari, India in 1903 Died in London in 1950 Other works: 1984, Burmese Days.
Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution The history and inspiration for George Orwell’s novel.
Animal Farm & the Russian Revolution. Monarchy Under Czar Nicholas II Czar Nicholas was dictator of Russia Czar = “power from God”
Animal Farm By George Orwell “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” Allegory - Satire.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
George Orwell: British Author and Journalist
ANIMAL FARM By George Orwell.
Animal Farm Introduction
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Animal Farm George Orwell
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm & Russian Revolution: A Historical Backdrop
Animal Farm By George Orwell
Animal Farm George Orwell
Historical Background
… One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path, whipping it whenever it tried to turn. It struck me.
Background Info or What means What
Animal Farm Intro.
Historical Background
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm & Russian Revolution: A Historical Backdrop
Animal Farm George Orwell
Animal Farm Introduction.
A Satire/Allegory on the Russian Revolution
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
GEORGE ORWELL.
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely
Orwell’s Animal Farm VS. The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Old “Mc” Orwell Had a Farm:
Introduction to Animal Farm: The Political Background
Animal Farm By George Orwell.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
ANIMAL FARM.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
Introduction to Animal Farm: The Political Background
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm By George Orwell. Animal Farm By George Orwell.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm George Orwell
Literary Devices for Animal Farm
Introduction to Animal Farm
Animal Farm: The Political Background
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution
Animal Farm By George Orwell
George Orwell: “One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path, whipping it whenever it tried to turn.
Russian Revolution vs Animal Farm
Presentation transcript:

Introduction to Animal Farm: The Political Background

George Orwell — the author Born in India in 1903 Name was originally Eric Blair Experienced many social inequalities due to Indian and British class system Intelligent but poor Worked as an officer in the Indian Imperial Police Due to guilt and discomfort, quit and moved to Europe Lived and worked among the lower class Joined the military in Spain to fight in their Civil War Wrote Animal Farm during World War II to fuse political purpose with artistic purpose into one whole‖ Suffered from tuberculosis and died in 1950 after finishing 1984

An economic system characterized by: – Private or corporate ownership of resources and means of production prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market Goal is to use profits to expand business thus creating more jobs and wealth Distribution of profits is determined by owners Often results in the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer

Socialism The means of production, distribution and exchange are mostly owned by the state, and used, in theory, on behalf of the people Belief that capitalism is unfair because it concentrates wealth in a few hands and doesn’t protect the overall welfare of the majority Therefore, the state redistributes the wealth of society in a more equitable way, according to the judgment of the legislator

A system of government characterized by: – collective ownership of property (both material and intellectual) – organization of labor for the advantage of all members – Goal of erasing inequalities in the possession of property, by distributing all wealth equally to all “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs”

Basically how each one functions…using cows.

Totalitarianism A form of government with a strong central rule that attempts to control individuals by means of violence or repression. The government pursues a specific goal no matter the cost to others. Participation in government-approved organizations becomes required. Large-scale violence is often used to protect the government’s ideas and achieve its goals. Groups of individuals are singled out and blamed for the government’s troubles. They are persecuted or killed.

Totalitarianism (The result of a dictator taking control) Communism (The actual government created in the Soviet Union Socialism (Ideal goal of Soviets who revolted to overthrow the Czar Capitalism (Monarchy led by a Czar)

George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution … One day I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path, whipping it whenever it tried to turn. It struck me that if only such animals became aware of their strength we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the proletariat. George Orwell (1947)

Things are about to get a little strange on Manor Farm. Farmer Jones has just locked up the henhouse and stumbled off to bed, thinking all is well in his barnyard. He probably wouldn’t believe the events that are about to unfold in the barn.

Old Major, Mr. Jones’s prize-winning boar, has just gathered the animals together for a meeting. Pigs, hens, horses, dogs, ducks, and goats congregate to listen to Old Major share his dream.

Humans are the enemy, Old Major tells his fellow farm animals Humans are the enemy, Old Major tells his fellow farm animals. They produce nothing, yet they own everything. Animals, however, work their whole lives for their masters. They receive only enough food to keep them working.

Old Major believes that someday this will all change. Animals will work together to overthrow their oppressors. Animals will create their own farm where they will live and work in harmony, plenty, and equality. The days of slavery will end. The rebellion will come. Every animal must be ready!

Will Manor Farm become the first true … Animal Farm?!

George Orwell wrote Animal Farm between November 1943 and February 1944. He wrote a preface to this novel that was never published. In the preface, he explained his purpose in writing Animal Farm. He was angry that people in Europe admired Soviet Russia. He wanted to write a critical novel about Joseph Stalin.

Literary Form George Orwell decided to write Animal Farm in the form of a fairy story, or fairy tale. A fairy tale is usually written for children about magical or fantastic events that are not true. Orwell originally subtitled Animal Farm “a fairy story” in order to stress that it was fantastic, but unfortunately, it was not untrue. The literary form of the animal fable has been used for centuries. Animal fables are short stories that teach a moral lesson. They include animals that often talk and act like humans. (Ex: Aesop’s fables)

Animal fables soon developed into more complex forms of literature called allegories. An allegory is a story that includes characters, setting, etc. that have both literal and figurative meanings.

Literal and Figurative Meaning in Animal Farm George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory. Therefore, the novel has both a literal and figurative meaning. On the surface, Animal Farm tells the story of farm animals who are tired of obeying the orders of a cruel master. This is the story’s literal meaning. A pig is a pig. It is important to understand that Animal Farm also has a figurative meaning. This novel also tells the story of Soviet Russia during the Russian Revolution. A pig is a political leader.

Satire Animal Farm is also written as a satire. A satire is a form of literature that criticizes a subject by making it seem ridiculous, amusing, or contemptible. Purpose of satire: To make a moral judgment To correct wrongs To criticize injustices Animal Farm makes the Soviet Union seem both laughable and despicable.

Animal Farm and The Russian Revolution: A Comparison In order to understand George Orwell’s literary masterpiece Animal Farm, you must know a few people and events that played important roles in the Russian Revolution.

Czar means emperor and comes from the word Caesar. Czar Nicholas II Czar Nicholas II was Russia’s last czar. He was part of the Romanov dynasty that ruled Russia for over 300 years! Czar means emperor and comes from the word Caesar. Russian czars lived in a magnificent palace called the Kremlin. Czar Nicholas was narrow-minded and incompetent. He was an autocrat – a self-appointed ruler who holds all the political power. In March 1917, there were food riots and army mutinies in Petrograd (a Russian city). Czar Nicholas couldn’t cope with the difficult situation, so he abdicated the throne. In Animal Farm … Mr. Jones = Czar Nicholas II

Karl Marx Marx believed the workers (proletarians) were the true producers of wealth. But the capitalists (bourgeoisie) owned the means of production – land and industry. Therefore, the capitalists made huge profits while the workers earned just enough to survive. Not fair! Marx called for “workers of the world” to unite against their capitalist oppressors. Marx believed that eventually the proletariat would become so numerous and so impoverished that they would rise up against the capitalist system throughout the world. In Animal Farm … Old Major = Karl Marx

Leon Trotsky Trotsky was a brilliant intellectual and speaker who organized the Red Army and led it to victory against the White Armies in the Civil War of 1918-1919. Trotsky and Stalin disagreed on Russia’s future. Trotsky wanted the Communist revolution to be worldwide. Stalin wanted to protect the Soviet Union from outside forces (keep communism in the USSR). Stalin defeated Trotsky at the Communist Party Congress in 1927 and gained control of the secret police. Trotsky was chased away by the KGB (secret police) and fled to Mexico City, where a Soviet agent killed him with an axe in 1940. In Animal Farm … Snowball = Leon Trotsky

Joseph Stalin While most Russian leaders belonged to the middle-class, Joseph Stalin was born into the peasant class. Unlike Trotsky, Stalin was not well-educated and could not discuss Marxist theory on a sophisticated level. Stalin was named General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. He was in charge of dull paperwork for the Communist party. Though this position seemed unimportant, Stalin used his position as secretary to gain supporters for his future rise to power. He eventually defeated Trotsky in the struggle for power. In Animal Farm … Napoleon = Joseph Stalin

Under Joseph Stalin, the country fell under totalitarianism – a form of government with strong central rule that tries to control individual freedoms. Stalin instituted the “Five Years Plan” to increase economic growth, but ordered farms to give most of their produce to the government. Peasants often slaughtered their animals and burned down their farm buildings rather than give them to the Soviets! Peasants who opposed Stalin were sent to labor camps, deported, or executed. The Five-Year Plan created a man-made famine. Five million people starved to death or were executed as a result!

Moscow Purge Trials By 1936, Stalin began to use what would become known as the Moscow Purge Trials to control workers. In 1936, sixteen prominent and loyal Communists publicly confessed to unbelievable crimes – spying, terrorism, and plotting with Leon Trotsky. There was no evidence of their guilt other than the confessions. All sixteen were immediately executed. About 70% of the Party leadership became victims of the Great Purge. These trials served as an example of what would happen to people if they opposed Stalin.

Although exact figures cannot be determined, some historians have estimated that Joseph Stalin may have killed as many as 20 million people! To put this into perspective, consider the fact that Adolf Hitler is believed to have killed 11 million people in the Holocaust!