Why Did George Orwell Write Animal Farm?
Why Did George Orwell Write Animal Farm?
Before I can answer the question - 'Why did George Orwell write animal farm,' I must explain some of the history from the time George Orwell lived in.
The novel - 'Animal Farm' is based upon reality. Although there is no actual reference, it is easy to see that the book is based upon the Russian Revolution. The story of the Russian Revolution is told as an animal fable. There are several different reasons why George Orwell has chosen to write the book in this way. Here I will outline three of the main reasons. The first reason is to simplify human behaviour and events, which can become complicated when told as reality. The second reason is to allow us, the reader, to stand back from the story, and understand easier, the actions of the animals. The third and final reason that I am going to outline is to express that although the animal world is unlike our world, it is also very much the same. This statement may be seen as a contradiction, but if you look into the story in more depth, you can see that the behaviour of the animals, especially the pigs, is similar to that of the human race.
By describing the Russian Revolution as an animal fable, George Orwell is able to demonstrate how changes that seem good at first, can also turn bad. The novel - 'Animal Farm' shows these changes, when the animals decide to dismiss their current leader, Mr Jones, and run the farm by themselves. At first, the changes seem to be much better, but when the pigs start to take up human behaviour, this is when the so-called 'good' changes, turn bad.
In the 'Animal Farm' story, there is a lot of interest in the farm from outsiders. This is indicating the Russian Revolution, when at this time there was a lot of interest in Russia from other countries.
After the Russian Revolution, Russia was seen as a 'workers paradise.' This is how the animals saw 'Animal Farm' immediately after the Revolution. George Orwell is trying to tell us to take a closer look into the story. Then, and only then will we see the corruptions.
The rebellion started when Old Major, a very old and wise pig who was seen as the leader of the animals, held a meeting in the old barn. All the animals attended. Old Major talked of good times to come. He talked of a time when all animals would be free. Times of when the farm would be run by the animals, and humans would become distant. All the animals agreed to this life. What Old Major calls animalism can also be seen as communism, which profoundly affected the world. I shall now explain the pig's behaviour from the rebellion.
After the rebellion, drew up seven commandments, which all the animals were expected to obey. These are the commandments-:
-Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy
-Whatever goes upon 4 legs or has wings is a friend
-No animal shall wear clothes
-No animal shall sleep in a bed
-No animal shall drink alcohol
-No animal shall kill any other animal
-All animals are equal
The pigs write these commandments. Even though the pigs have not yet taken over, the fact that they write the commandments, indicates that they have the potential to do so.
When the animals take in the harvest, pigs don't actually do any work. They just "directed and supervised" the other animals. This shows leadership and slight domination. Also, it indicates that the pigs are too superior to the other animals to have to do any of the work.
When the milk on the farm disappears, no one instantly admits to taking it. Eventually it is revealed that the milk is being mixed in with the pigs mash everyday. Also, when the apples in the orchard start to ripen, the pigs order that these must be reserved for ...
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When the animals take in the harvest, pigs don't actually do any work. They just "directed and supervised" the other animals. This shows leadership and slight domination. Also, it indicates that the pigs are too superior to the other animals to have to do any of the work.
When the milk on the farm disappears, no one instantly admits to taking it. Eventually it is revealed that the milk is being mixed in with the pigs mash everyday. Also, when the apples in the orchard start to ripen, the pigs order that these must be reserved for pigs only. They claim that this is not out of selfishness, but because pigs need milk and apples to keep their brains in order. The animals accept this because of the fears of Mr Jones coming back.
Although it is not obvious at this time, there is a slight indication of leadership on the pig's part.
The power struggle between Snowball and Napoleon reflects the power struggle between Stalin and Trotsky in the Russian Revolution. Snowball was chased from the farm by Napoleon's team of dogs, and does not actually re-appear throughout the novel, although he is mentioned when the animals want to put the blame for something upon someone. This person is always Snowball.
The pig's power is indicated furthermore, when the animals assemble in the farmyard to receive their "orders for the week." As the story progresses from here, there is more and more indication of slavery "worked like slaves" on the animals' behalf. Also, when Napoleon orders work to be done on Sunday afternoons, it is said that this work is "strictly voluntary," but animal who went against this, would "have his rations reduced by half."
Although there is now evidence of leadership, we are able to see this even more, when the work on the windmill is started. It is done "under the superintendence of the pigs."
Napoleon also decides that the animals must sell a stack of hay, and part of the years' crops. He also announces that if more money were needed, this would be made up by the sale of eggs, which the hens didn't really agree to. In fact, all the animals didn't agree to this, and were "conscious of a vague uneasiness." The animals were assured however, that they would not have to come into contact at all with the humans. All communications between 'Animal farm' and the outside world would be taken care of by Mr Whymper, a solicitor who lived in Willingdon. When the animals recalled a resolution that no trade was to take place between humans and the animals, Napoleon convinced them that this resolution had never been made. Once again, the animals were told that is was the lies of Snowball that made them think this. It also seems as if the first commandment as been broken - Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. If the commandment had been obeyed, then there could have been no contact with Mr Whymper by any of the animals, as he is a human, and therefore walks upon two legs.
During the night, a tremendous storm struck animal farm. The results of this were that the windmill had been blown down in the gale-force winds. When Napoleon inspected the ruins of their work, he immediately concluded that it had been Snowball who had destroyed the windmill. The animals are told that Snowball had crept onto the farm in the night, and destroyed the windmill. Snowball is again here used as a 'scapegoat.' Instead of the pigs admitting to not building the windmill strong enough, which would make them seem less than perfect, they can use Snowball as the excuse.
Another commandment also seems to have been broken, when Napoleon pronounces the death penalty upon Snowball for his sins. The sixth commandment is that 'No animal shall kill any other animal.' All the animals try to think of ways to capture snowball, should he return to the farm. These thoughts show that the animal's trust that was once in Snowball has now gone.
From now on, we can see the animals starting to suffer. One of the main reasons is hunger - "starvation seemed to stare them in the face." The pigs are very careful though, not to let humans know that there is a food shortage on the farm, and when Mr Whymper is on one of his routine visits, Napoleon orders the food bins to be filled just below the brim with sand, then topped with grain. Whymper now believed that there was no food shortage, and reported this around the village.
The pigs had also now, suddenly taken up residence in the farmhouse. It became known that the pigs ate in the kitchen, and slept in the beds. The pigs seemed to recall one of the commandments - "No animal shall sleep in a bed." When Muriel was fetched to read out the commandment to the rest of the animals, she read - "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets." Clover was suspicious of this commandment, as she was sure that there wasn't originally any mention of sheets. Squealer soon settled everything, by saying the pigs were merely sleeping in the beds, and were not actually sleeping with sheets, so this was acceptable. The pigs were said to be sleeping between blankets. The animals were forced to accept this when they were told that if the pigs didn't get the rest they required, then Mr Jones would come back. This meant also, that there was no complaint when it was announced that the pigs were to get up an hour later than the rest of the animals in the mornings.
When the hens were ordered to surrender their eggs, this called an enormous outcry. This was the first time since the expulsion of Mr Jones, that there was anything "resembling a rebellion." This was when the hens flew up to the rafters, and dropped their eggs onto the floor below smashing the. Napoleons power is indicated furthermore here, when he orders that no hen should receive so much as a grain of corn, and any animal found to give food to a hen, would be punished by death. He was said to have acted "swiftly and ruthlessly." Nine hens died as a consequence of Napoleons actions, but Mr Whymper was told that they had died of coccidiosis.
It was now announced by Napoleon that Snowball had been in league with Mr Jones right from the very start. He claimed that even at The Battle Of Cowshed, Snowball was on Jones' side. The fact that Snowball had been shot during this battle was claimed to be a hoax at this point. It was said that the wounds on Snowballs back had been caused by shot from Mr Jones' gun, although it is later claimed that Napoleon inflicted these wounds with his teeth.
The show trails were also a very big indication of Napoleons power upon the animals. During the show trails, several animals are executed for confessions to being on league with Snowball. We are not told however, if these confessions are the truth, or if the animals are forced to say this. One of the main reasons for the show trails is to give the message to the animals, that if they were found to be in contact with Snowball, or even if they do something that happens to upset Napoleon, they would receive the same treatment. The death penalty. The times of Mr Jones are recalled at this point - "the air was heavy with the smell of blood."
The fact that the animals give titles to Napoleon such as 'Father of all animal,' 'Terror of mankind' and 'Protector of the sheep fold,' indicate clear leadership on Napoleons' behalf, and also makes Napoleon appear superior to the other animals.
After the Battle Of The Windmill, Squealer claimed that they had won the battle "thanks to the leadership of comrade Napoleon." This is seen as disinformation, because the animals have not indeed won anything at the battle. They have simply won what was already theirs.
A few days after the battle, the pigs found a case of whiskey in the farmhouse cellar. The next day, it was announced that comrade Napoleon was dying. In fact, all the pigs seemed to be very ill, but by evening they all felt very much better, and Napoleon had 'recovered.' When the animals recalled the fifth commandment - 'No animal shall drink alcohol,' there were another two words at the end, which all the animals seemed to have forgotten - 'No animal shall drink alcohol to excess." It seemed now, as if the commandment had been changed. If we look at the book in the earlier stages, when the commandments were first established, you can see that the commandment has indeed been altered. This shows, that the addition of just a few words can completely change the meaning of something. Whereas before the animals could not drink alcohol, they can now drink it, but not "to excess." Napoleon orders though, that any animal found to drink alcohol would be punished by death. This allows the whiskey to be reserved for the pigs.
The are told by Moses, the raven, who had returned the farm after several years, stories of a land called 'Sugar-Candy Mountain.' They are told that when the animals retire, they will go to this land, where there are everlasting fields of clover, and where sugar cane grew on the hedges. Although the pigs claimed these stories to be lies, they allowed Moses to remain on the farm. They did this, because Moses made the animals think that if they worked hard now, they would get their reward later. This can be compared to the situation of the Russian Revolution, where the people were told by the priests that god did exist, but were told by the government, that he didn't. Napoleon knows that if the animals think they have something to look forward to later, they will work hard now.
Nothing much changed on the farm for a few years now, except some animals dying, and some new animals being brought onto the farm. Now there are only very brief memories of the rebellion. Some of the animals cannot remember anything at all. The animals "racked their dim memories" to try to determine whether life before the expulsion of Mr Jones had been better of worse. All the animals had to go on though, was "Squealers list of figures," which seemed to suggest that life was getting "better and better."
Squealer soon began to take the sheep away to learn a new song. This went on for about a week. Then one night, the animals became aware of rather a lot of noise coming from the farmhouse. When they went to investigate, they saw the pigs, lead by Squealer, walking from the farmhouse, and around the yard on two legs. Finally Napoleon emerged, carrying a whip. This is significant to the story because it shows the pigs becoming more and more dictatorial. We can also see now, that the pigs are not hiding the fact that they are in control. The fact that Napoleon carried the whip shows leadership and that he is dominant upon the other animals. The days of Mr Jones are recalled, when he used to carry the whip. Then the sheep burst into their new song, which had been taught by Squealer, of "four legs good, two legs better." This is a much-changed version of the previously sung song, which was "four legs good, two legs bad."
The wall upon which the seven commandments had been wrote had again changed. Instead of having the seven commandments, there was only one commandment, wrote in white paint on the wall. It read "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." This is a contradiction because you cannot have one thing more equal than another thing. The real meaning is that the pigs are more important than the rest of the animals.
When the animals look into the farmhouse, they glance from pig to man, from man to pig, then from pig to man again, but "it was impossible to say which was which." The pigs had become almost human, both in behavioural terms and in appearance.
So why did George Orwell write 'Animal Farm?' One of the main reasons is to pass a message to the reader. Do not trust your leaders. What may seem good can be corrupt. He saying that if you give a person power, that person will always want more and more power - Power corrupts. When the pigs were seen as animals, they could be trusted, but looked at as humans, they cannot. Human nature is such that we cannot be trusted. Animal farm can be seen as a question of 'what kind of a future society do we want?' this is what George Orwell was trying to express when he wrote animal farm.
John Keymer