1. Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution D. Maldonado

2. George Orwell (1903-1950)  Eric Blair  Educated at private schools  Resulted in hating the class system  disapproved of Communism  a socialist  Communism was not pure socialism because:  gulf in society  control of the peasants  Hypocritical  used his writings to communicate a political message

3. Orwell and Satire  Orwell was a socialist as well as a satirist  Orwell became a critic of capitalism and communism  Animal Farm is a Fable, a Satire, and an Allegory

4. Fable - A short story that has a moral and has animals as characters Brainstorm: Fables?

5. Satire -The use of ridicule to attack ideas/failures/evil action Brainstorm: Satirical cartoons?

6. Modern Examples

7. Allegory  emblem: a visible symbol representing an abstract idea  uses fictional characters and events to describe some subject by suggestive resemblances; an extended metaphor

8. Wall-E as an Allegory “Allegorically, two metallic robots and a tiny green plant growing out of a discarded shoe appear prophetic, perhaps hyperbolically representing the concept of love for another, the necessity for community and the fragility of the balance of nature.”

9. Why an Allegory?  Provides for a greater audience  Easy way to spread a complex idea to the masses  Less “in your face” type of persuasion; provides a way to talk about something without REALLY talking about it To understand how Animal Farm is an allegory, you must have knowledge of the Russian Revolution.

10. Allegory in Animal Farm  Farmer Jones – Czar, Aggressive & Brutal  Old Major – Karl Marx; philosopher  Snowball – Lenin; democracy and industrialism  Napoleon – Stalin; controlling, terrorism  Squealer - propaganda

11. Allegory in Animal Farm  Beasts of England – Song of Rebellion  Windmill – Industrialization; hope that things will improve/life will get easier  Dogs – Secret Police (KGB); kill enemies and enslave those who threaten ruling class  Pigs – government (“smarter” than everyone else)  Boxer – proletariat (working class); loyal & hardworking  Mollie – upper class; lazy elitist  Moses – Russian Orthodox Church (heaven = Sugar Candy Mountain)  Benjamin – Older generation; things never change