Written as a "fairy story" (Orwell titled the book "Animal Farm: A
Fairy Story"), the subject of Animal Farm is very much aimed at an
adult audience. Orwell paints a vivid picture of a violent political
revolution of farm animals against the farmer who owns all, works the
animal population hard, sends their offspring to slaughter, and feeds
them little. Arguably not critical of revolution itself, Orwell
describes an all-to-familiar corruption that undermines the goal of
the revolution: in which those leading the revolution rally the masses
not so much for the good of the masses, but so that the leaders can
assume the role of master, complete with all of the oppressive conduct
that goes with an authoritarian regime.
The characters in Animal Farm were inspired by the Russian Revolution
and the events that followed - the pig Napoleon is clearly the farm's
Josef Stalin - but Animal Farm was not simply a satire on the Russion
Revolution. Orwell's message was intended to be broader. In his own
words: "I meant the moral to be that revolutions only effect a radical
improvement when the masses are alert and know how to chuck out their
leaders as soon as the latter have done their job. The turning point
of the storey was supposed to be when the pigs kept the milk and
apples for themselves".
Food for thought, no matter what may be the intended goal of ones
revolutionary plans.
http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/animalfarm/animalfarm.htm |
