1. George Orwell’s Animal Farm
Purpose and background

2. Part I: Historical Context of Novel

3. Historical context of novel
In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was greatly affecting life in Western Europe – While technology made life easier, there was a “human cost”
Some effects were:
transition from rural to urban living
long working hours
a disenfranchised working class who made the move to the city and could not argue with long hours (too afraid to complain, too afraid of being fired)
an increase in ultra-rich bosses and company owners (think: Carnegie, Melon, Ford, etc.) while the worker suffered on a pittance

4. Child labor – 1900s
One group that was easy for big industry to control and oppress? Poor children and orphans. They were too young, hungry and confused to protest.
Children often lost fingers and toes in the machines that could not be stopped

5. Sparks of Speaking Out…
New York City--The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory of 1911 – notice the close quarters; machinery caught fire, bosses had locked doors until work got done; many died either by fire or they jumped from windows (9th floor); this event caused some labor reform in America
The public began to learn just how bad working conditions were in these new factories that brought about so many comforts of modern life yet at an extreme cost—human happiness.

6. Historical context, cont.
Karl Marx, writer of The Communist Manifesto, observed the harrowing changes of industrialization and how, through hard labor, the worker (the proletariat) made the owner (the bourgeoisie) richer and richer; Marx called for organizational change where equality and sharing of resources would be emphasized, and especially a change where workers could have a voice and be in control
To keep the history light here, many workers around the world felt empowered by Marx’s words and began to push back against the rich, upper classes, especially the ones that thrived on inherited wealth and turned a blind eye to the suffering of the worker
One such group that felt inspired were the Russian Revolutionaries, which included and was led by Vladimir Lenin (depicted in the novel as Old Major)

7. Historical Context, cont.
In 1917, the Russian Revolutionaries overthrow their czar (king), execute his family, and establish a new government that reflects several of Marx’s principles
Russia is now referred to as the USSR
However, Lenin dies in 1924, and his colleague, Joseph Stalin takes over; Stalin is depicted as Napoleon in the novel
Stalin, however, is far more totalitarianist (oppressive, controlling) than Lenin, and soon, the ideals of Marx become twisted into:
a regime of militant authority controlling the people,
dictating their wages and resources, and
not accepting ANY kind of resistance or mere questioning of: quickly-changed policies, hypocrisy (Stalin lived like a king…not exactly what Marx intended), or the excessive propaganda (depicted through Squealer in the novel)

8. Example of Stalin’s Propaganda
Russian newspaper Pravda
Pravda means “truth”…
Excerpt:
“Should you ever run into difficulties at work, or suddenly doubt your abilities, think of him—of Stalin—and you’ll find the necessary self-confidence. Should you feel tired at a time when a man should not be tired, think of him—of Stalin—and work will become easier. Should you be at a loss as to how you should act, think of him—of Stalin— and your decision will be the right one.”

9. Part II: Who wrote Animal Farm and Why?

10. Orwell’s Purposes for Writing
Orwell, a prolific writer of novel and essays, lived
He grew up seeing the vast changes in Russia, from its early, idealistic overthrow to the overtake by Stalin who changed the ideal outset to something corrupt
Orwell, a British citizen, grew up in India where England had imperial control
Orwell looked around and felt similarly about the way that the British were controlling the Indians—he was highly uncomfortable with the oppression and hated his job as a member of the Imperial Police force for it meant he had to exact unfair control and power over a helpless group of people who were scared into compliance and not questioning
Orwell wrote to educate people on control and oppression, to motivate people to feel empowered to speak out against injustice, and to shame oppressors

11. Purpose & Allegory tied to USSR
Orwell wrote Animal Farm as an allegory and satire in order to avoid censorship and to stay safe from people like Stalin who would accept NO resistance or questioning of his methods
An allegory is a highly symbolic story, especially with historical significance; note the parallels already mentioned of Old Major, Napoleon and Lenin. Just as the USSR transitioned into a dictatorship, a far cry from Marx’s ideal society of empowered workers, Animal Farm makes the same transition
Every character in the novel is historically symbolic
Satire is when an author employs ridiculing humor in order to point out a flaw in society so that we will be persuaded towards logic rather than stay embroiled in a failed system. Given that animals are used to depict famous leaders and the Russian citizens, Orwell has a built-in element of satire (not to mention all of the ridiculous things that happen in the novel just because the working animals are too afraid to speak up against the oppressive pigs)

12. Themes and Motifs that uphold Orwell’s Purposes
A powerless group that are brainwashed and scared into believing anything (the horses and sheep in novel)
Citizens who know that the dictators are not right yet do not want to go through the trouble of speaking up (Benjamin the donkey)
Opportunists who “play the game” in order to avoid oppression (Squealer, Mollie)
Oppressive dictators who control with limiting resources, confusing/bureaucratic rules, propaganda, fear-mongering, and busy labor to keep citizens distracted and dependent upon them (Napoleon)