Animal Farm A Study In Parallels

The Characters In History Animal Farm Mr. Jones Czar Nicholas II Irresponsible to the animals (lets them starve) Cruel--beats animals with a whip Sometimes kind--mixes milk in animals’ food occasionally In History Czar Nicholas II A poor leader compared to other leaders of the time Cruel – Kills and tortures opponents Sometimes kind – hired students as spies to give them an income

The Characters Animal Farm Old Major Taught Animalism Workers do the work, rich keep the money, animals revolt Dies before actual revolution In History Karl Marx Invented Communism Taught that workers should revolt and take over the government Dies before the Russian Revolution

The Characters In History Animal Farm Communism Animalism All people are equal Government owns everything, and the people own the government Animal Farm Animalism No owners, no rich, but no poor--utopia Workers get a better life; all animals are equal. Everyone owns the farm.

The Characters Animal Farm Snowball In History Leon Trotsky Young, smart, good speaker, idealistic Wants to make life better for all One of the leaders of the revolution Chased away by Napoleon's dogs In History Leon Trotsky Pure communist, followed Marx’s ideas Wanted to improve life for all in Russia A leader of the revolution Chased away by Lenin’s secret police (KGB)

The Characters Animal Farm Napoleon In History Josef Stalin Not a good speaker or as clever as Snowball Cruel, Brutal, Selfish, Corrupt His ambition is for power; he killed opponents Used Dogs, Moses, and Squealer to control other animals In History Josef Stalin Not a good speaker or as educated as other leaders Didn’t follow Marx’s ideas His ambition is for power; he killed his opponents Used KGB, the church, and propaganda to control the people

The Characters Animal Farm The Dogs In History KGB – Secret Police A private army that used fear to force animals to work Killed or intimidated any opponent of Napoleon Totally loyal to Napoleon In History KGB – Secret Police Forced support for Stalin through fear and intimidation Often killed entire families of opponents of Stalin Totally loyal to Stalin

The Characters Animal Farm Squealer In History Propaganda Dept. Convinces animals to believe and follow Napoleon Changes and Manipulates the commandments In History Propaganda Dept. Used any lie to convince people to follow Stalin Benefited from the fact that education was controlled by the communist party

The Characters Animal Farm Moses the Raven In History Religion Tells Animals about Sugar Candy Mountain- Heaven Sugar Candy Mountain thought to be a lie by the pigs but used to make the animals work Napoleon let him stay because it kept the animals peaceful and working In History Religion Tells the workers about Heaven Heaven thought to be a lie by Communists but used to make the peasants work Communists allowed religion because it kept the peasants happy and working

The Characters Animal Farm In History Mollie The Aristocracy Was vain-loved her beauty and herself Didn’t care about Animal Farm Would follow anyone who gave her treats Left Animal Farm after the revolution In History The Aristocracy Cared only for their possessions and their own comfort Didn’t care about Russia Fled to other countries to maintain their comfortable lives after the revolution

The Characters Animal Farm Boxer In History The Peasants of Russia Strong, hard-working horse Believes in Animal Farm and the pigs Gives his life and is betrayed by Napoleon In History The Peasants of Russia Strong and hardworking people of Russia Believe in Stalin and in the Communist ideal Betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them through intimidation and neglect

The Characters Animal Farm In History Benjamin Old, wise donkey who is suspicious of the pigs motives Says little to avoid attracting attention Thinks “Nothing ever really changes” His suspicions about change and Boxer are true In History The skeptical people of Russia Generally the educated people who will not or cannot escape Russia Say little to avoid attracting attention Think “Nothing ever really changes” Their suspicions about change and the communists are true

Overall Details of the Revolution In History Supposed to make life better for all citizens Life was actually worse at the end of the Communist reign Stalin became much worse than Czar Nicholas II ever was Animal Farm Supposed to make life better for all animals Life was actually worse at the end of the novel The pigs became the same as, or worse, than the original leader, Mr. Jones