Animal Farm & The Russian Revolution

Animal Farm Written by George Orwell Published in 1945 Immediate success-translated into many languages An allegory written to expose the Stalin regime and destroy the “Soviet Myth” that their socialist society was good

The Russian Revolution 1859—Marx publishes The Communist Manifesto 1917—Czar Nicholas II abdicates 1918—Communist Party established 1918-1920—Civil War, Reds (poor) vs. Whites (rich) 1920—85% of Russian population (peasants) flee 1922—Secret Police established by Stalin 1924—Lenin dies, Stalin & Trotsky takes over the Bolsheviks

The Russian Revolution 1925—Trotsky exiled to Mexico 1926—The Russian propaganda newspaper The Pravda (truth for young pioneers) was founded 1928—Stalin crushed revolt of farmers 1932—Massive famine, lower class still works hard for the country 1933—Soviets begin limited trading with the west 1934-38—The Great Purge—Stalin uses KGB to eliminate opposition

The Russian Revolution 1939—Russia sign Non-Aggression pact with Hitler 1941—Germans invade Russia 1945—Western leaders, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt meet with Stalin at the Yalta Conference The word Soviet means “council”

Many of the Characters and Events Parallel People and Events in Russian History The story of Animal Farm is an allegory of the events that took place in the early 1900s. Orwell wrote it to enlighten the western societies to what was actually happening behind the Iron Curtain.

Parallel People/Characters and in Russian History 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—sometimes brutal with opponents Sometimes kind—hired students as spies to earn income

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Old Major Taught Animalism Workers do the work, rich keep the $, animals revolt Dies before revolution Karl Marx / Lenin Invented Communism “Workers of the world unite", take over gov't Dies before Russian Revolution

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Animalism No owners, no rich, but no poor Workers get a better life, all animals equal Everyone owns the farm Communism Same as above All people equal Gov't owns everything, people own gov't

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History 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 Eventually killed because Stalin thought he was too powerful-best leader

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Napoleon Not a good speaker, not clever as 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, allowed church, and propagandized Stalin Means “Man of Steel”

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Squealer Big mouth; talks a lot Convinces animals to believe and follow Napoleon Changes and manipulates the commandments Propaganda department of Lenin's/Stalin’s government 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

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History The Dogs A private army that used fear to force animals to work Killed or intimidated any opponent of Napoleon Another part of Napoleon's strategy to control animals KGB - Secret Police Not really police, but forced support for Stalin Used force, often killed entire families for disobedience Totally loyal, part of Lenin's power, even over army

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Moses the Raven Speaks of Sugar Candy Mountain – Heaven, where animals go if they work hard Snowball and Old Major were against him They thought Heaven was a lie to make animals work Napoleon let him stay because he taught animals to work and not complain Religion Marx said "Opiate of the people" a lie Used to make people not complain and do their work Religion was tolerated because people would work Stalin knew religion would stop violent revolutions *Note: Some believe Moses is Rasputin

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Mollie Vain - loved her beauty and self Didn't think about the animal farm Went with anyone who gave her what she wanted Vain, selfish people in Russia and world Some people didn't care about revolution Only thought about themselves Went to other countries that offered more for them

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History 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 Dedicated, but tricked communist supporters People believed Stalin because he was "Communist" Many stayed loyal after it was obvious Stalin was a tyrant The people of Russia were betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them

Parallel People/Characters in Russian History Animal Farm Slogan: 4 legs good, 2 legs bad Lenin’s Slogan: Peace, Bread, Land

Parallel Events in Russian History Battle of the Cowshed parallels the Civil War that occurred after the 1917 Revolution The confessions and executions of the animals reflect the various purges and “show trials” that Stalin conducted to rid himself of any possible threat of dissention.

Parallel Events in Russian History Animal Farm’s Executions Many animals including pigs, chickens and geese were forced to confess evil deeds. All were executed. Used by Napoleon get rid of those who may not agree with his tactics and to create control through fear The Great Purge Many Russians were executed after “show trials” Used by Stalin to get rid of anyone who may have disagreed with his leadership

Parallel Events in Russian History In 1921, the sailors at the Kronshdadt military base unsuccessfully rebelled against Communist rule, as the hens attempt to rebel against Napoleon.

Parallel Events in Russian History The Battle of the Windmill reflects the U.S.S.R.’s involvement in World War II—specifically the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943, when Stalin’s forces defeated Hitler’s (as Napoleon’s defeat Frederick).

Parallel Events in Russian History Finally, the card game at the novel’s end parallels the Tehran Conference (November 28–December 1, 1943), where Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D. Roosevelt met to discuss the ways to forge a lasting peace after the war—a peace that Orwell mocks by having Napoleon and Pilkington flatter each other and then betray their duplicitous natures by cheating in the card game.

Themes in Animal Farm Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The author places them in the work to teach/warn the reader of something about life.

Themes in Animal Farm The Corruption of Socialist Ideals in the Soviet Union In the beginning of the Russian Revolution and the Animal Farm revolt the ideas are great—everyone is equal, no one is better than anyone else.

Themes in Animal Farm The Danger of a Naïve Working Class Sometimes, the working class is so busy working, that they fail to see what their leaders are truly doing. I will work harder!

Themes in Animal Farm The Abuse of Language as Instrumental to the Abuse of Power Propaganda defined: The use of ideas, facts. or allegation spread deliberately to further one’s cause, or to damage an opposing cause

Symbols in Animal Farm: The Farm Animal Farm, known at the beginning and the end of the novel as the Manor Farm, symbolizes Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. But more generally, Animal Farm stands for any human society, be it capitalist, socialist, fascist, or communist. It possesses the internal structure of a nation, with a government (the pigs), a police force or army (the dogs), a working class (the other animals), and state holidays and rituals. Its location amid a number of hostile neighboring farms supports its symbolism as a political entity with diplomatic concerns.

Symbols in Animal Farm: The Barn The barn at Animal Farm, on whose outside walls the pigs paint the Seven Commandments and, later, their revisions, represents the collective memory of a modern nation. .

Symbols in Animal Farm: The Barn The many scenes in which the ruling-class pigs alter the principles of Animalism and in which the working-class animals puzzle over, but accept these changes represent the way an institution in power can revise a community’s concept of history to bolster its control. If the working class believes history to lie on the side of their oppressors, they are less likely to question oppressive practices.

Symbols in Animal Farm: The Barn Moreover, the oppressors, by revising their nation’s conception of its origins and development, gain control of the nation’s very identity, and the oppressed soon come to depend upon the authorities for their communal sense of self. .

Symbols in Animal Farm: The Windmill Despite the immediacy of the need for food and warmth, the pigs exploit Boxer and the other common animals by making them undertake backbreaking labor to build the windmill, which will ultimately earn the pigs more money and thus increase their power. The pigs’ declaration that Snowball is responsible for the windmill’s first collapse constitutes psychological manipulation, as it prevents the common animals from doubting the pigs’ abilities and unites them against a supposed enemy.

Symbols in Animal Farm: The Windmill The ultimate conversion of the windmill to commercial use is one more sign of the pigs’ betrayal of their fellow animals. From an allegorical point of view, the windmill represents the enormous modernization projects undertaken in Soviet Russia after the Russian Revolution.

Works Cited Pictures http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:DRyojqkO3OzTcM:http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/images/a/animfarm.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:lbtQASeWOpLbvM:http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/delia_decourcy/7th%2520grade%2520English/AnimalFarm/snowball_napoleon.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:0e4q4hwiHOn4xM:http://www.johnbaselmans.com/Guest_Artists/Guest_Art13/Assets_Guest_Art13/JIMsquealer.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:XP3daY5XvFuwmM:http://img.search.com/8/8a/300px-Pravda-otsovruk-c.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:xHY6D19O7yZNEM:http://www.audiobooksonline.com/shopsite/media/George_Orwell_Animal_Farm_unabridged_cassettes.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:wn_bBQqL_9jvKM:http://www.slocartoon.net/data/A/Celovecerci/Animal_Farm/Animal_Farm_01.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:LojkOUQeNHO5_M:http://www-wef.nearnorth.edu.on.ca/projects/animal_farm/cowshed.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:N8IVlhaRZndRsM:http://www.equine-world.co.uk/about_horses/horse_images/arab_horse_10.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:AgHlx6IKm3zdsM:http://homepage.eircom.net/~finnegam/war/images/yalta_conference_b.jpg

Works Cited Pictures http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:AJkVcM1FkXtK1M:http://timrb.00freehost.com/imgs/fist.gif http://www.giftsheep.com/Images/BigSheep_01.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:vz3CiZ67IWfBSM:http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/images/hist_bo1.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:niYJYT8FdBXfVM:http://www.petergoodearl.co.uk/laceygreen/windmill/windmill2.gif http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/2554/karlmarx.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:jgDNDvjgQ_77EM:http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/s/fotos/stalin.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:RpjN92UMA3HuEM:http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s2/Time/1929/trotsky.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:Q7MRwA5c0f6O0M:http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/dws/images/dws-t-is-one-Communism.jpg http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:DRyojqkO3OzTcM:http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/images/a/animfarm.gif http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:X8Fph8G__38LhM:http://pinguicula.typepad.com/photos/flickrfaves/sheep.jpg

Work Cited “Propaganda”. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth edition. Merriam- Webster, Inc. Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. 935. Sparknotes, “Animal Farm”. Sparknotes.com. 10 October 2007 <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/animalfarm>./

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