1. Animal Farm
Character Comparison

2. Mr. Jones = Czar Nicholas II
Irresponsible to his animals (does not remember to feed them)
Sometimes cruel – beats them with whips
Sometimes kind – mixes milk in animal mash (special treat)
Czar Nicholas II
A poor leader at best when compared to European rulers
Sometimes cruel – brutal to his opponents
Sometimes kind – hired students as spies so they could make money

3. Old Major = Karl Marx Karl Marx: Old Major:
-Invented the political theory of Communism
- Said the “workers of the world need to unite” to take over the government
Died before the Russian Revolution
(NOTE: Marx was not Russian, he was German. He did not say Communism would work in Russia but in Germany, that it was what Germany was headed towards!!)
Old Major:
Taught the animals about Animalism
Said the workers do the work but don’t get the money; they should revolt
Dies before the revolution

4. Animalism = Communism Animalism:
Says there should be no owners, no rich OR poor, all are equal
Promises the workers a better life
Says everyone owns the farm
Communism:
Say there should be no owners, no rich OR poor, all are equal
Promises workers a better life through better working conditions
Government owns everything and the people own the government

5. Snowball = Leon Trotsky
Young, smart, good speaker, idealistic
Really wants to make life better for all
One of the leaders of the revolution
Chased away into exile by Napoleon’s dogs; Napoleon wanted the power for himself
Leon Trotsky:
One of the original leaders of the “October Revolution” in Russia with Lenin
A pure communist, followed Marx’s philosophy accurately
Wanted to improve life for all in Russia
Chased away by Lenin’s KGB (secret police)

6. Napoleon = Joseph Stalin
Not a good speaker, not as clever like Snowball
Cruel, brutal, selfish, devious, corrupt
His ambition is for power, killed his opponents
Used dogs, Moses, and Squealer to control the animals
Joseph Stalin:
Not a good speaker, not educated like Trotsky
Same as Napoleon, didn’t follow Marx’s ideas
Really wanted power, killed all that opposed him
Used the KGB and propaganda to control the masses

7. Squealer = Government Propaganda
Has a big mouth, talks a lot
Convinces animals to believe and follow Napoleon
Changes and manipulates the commandments
Government Propaganda:
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

8. The Dogs = KGB (secret Police)
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 the animals
KGB:
Not really police, but forced support for Stalin
Used force, often killing entire families for disobedience
Totally loyal, part of Stalin’s power over all other people

9. Moses the Raven = Religion
Tells animals about Sugar Candy Mountain (heaven)
Says they can go there if they work hard
Snowball and Major were against him; said heaven was a lie to make animals work
Napoleon let him stay because he taught the animals to work and not complain
Religion:
Marx said it was the drug of the people, it was a lie
Marx said religion was only tolerated because people would work
Stalin knew allowing people to be religious would stop violent revolutions so he used it to control others

10. Mollie = Vain, selfish people
Was vain – loved her beauty and self
Didn’t care about Animal Farm
Went with anyone who gave her what she wanted.
Vain, selfish people:
Some people didn’t care about the revolution
Only thought about themselves
Went to other countries that offered more for them

11. Boxer = Dedicated, but tricked supporter
Strong, hard working horse, believes in Animal Farm
Gives his all, is betrayed by Napoleon, who sells him to be killed for profit
Dedicated, but tricked supporter:
These people believed Stalin because he said he was “communist”
Stayed loyal even after it was obvious Stalin was evil
Were betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them

12. Benjamin = Skeptics Benjamin:
Old, wise donkey who is suspicious of the revolution
Thinks ‘nothing ever changes’ and is right
His suspicions end up being right
Skeptics:
Weren’t sure the revolution would change anything
Realized that anyone can call themselves a communist and it doesn’t mean anything
Knew that communism wouldn’t work with one in power

13. Overall details about revolution vs Overall details of Russian Revolution
Animal Farm 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 they originally rebelled against
Russian Revolution:
It was supposed to fix the problems from Czar Nicholas II
Life was even worse long after the revolution
Stalin made the Czar look like a nice guy