Skip to main content

ANIMAL FARM - George Orwell (1945)


“Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes. 

This fabled fable has already been subject to countless reviews. But it can't hurt to write another one, can it? This allegorical novella was first published in 1945, and describes a group of animals which take over a farm in the name of Animalism. However, things soon take a turn for the worse. Napoleon, one of the pigs, assumes a dictatorship over the other animals. The entire story is an allegory of the Russian Revolution, and Napoleon himself plays the part of Joseph Stalin.

Obviously, there's a lot to say about the historical context of this book. Orwell was very clear in his intentions, and openly explained that Animal Farm was a commentary about Soviet Russia. He left no room for doubt on this matter. In fact, he initially found it difficult to publish the book, because some people feared that it would damage the diplomatic relations between Russia and England. Practically every character, and every incident, can be traced to a real world equivalent. Napoleon is Stalin, Snowball is Trotsky, Squealer is Molotov. Mr Jones is Tsar Nicholas II, and Mr Frederick is Hitler. Even Moses the raven, who tells of the mystical Sugarcandy Mountain, is an allegory for the Russian Orthodox Church. Creatively, it's an interesting strategy. Orwell did not have to invent his own plot, or create his own characters, but just had to follow the genuine history of Russia. This means that, although his skill is evident in his creation of such a clever political allegory, the rest of the story must have been relatively simple to write!

But what if we ignored the fact that 'Animal Farm' was an extended metaphor? If we stripped away the historical context, and pretended to be utterly ignorant of Russian historical events and personalities, would this still be a valuable read? In many ways, I actually think that it would be. Orwell's skill as a writer is far greater than his ability to create a clever analogous plot line. This is an uplifting story of revolution, enacted by lovable animals, which quickly turns sour. The villainous pigs are easy to despise, and masterfully characterised. The events which unfold are frustrating yet entertaining, with just the right amount of hope, despite a constant sense of mounting dread. It's the perfect length for a novella, and the third person narrator brings a brilliantly sardonic voice to the entire situation. Some of the language is beautifully constructed, but sticks to simple and readable prose. A child could (and should) read this classic without any trouble whatsoever. To transmit such powerful messages through simple language is a mark of Orwell's skill as a writer.

Ultimately, this is just a brilliantly written story about humanity, and evil, and innocence. It's about betrayal, and greed, and truth. The fable is not just an allegory for Russia, but is also an allegory for all of mankind. These animals hold a mirror up to our own lives as human beings, and offer a lesson and warning to us all, which transcends the threat of state communism or dictatorship. Orwell, as a socialist, wasn't just attacking Stalinism. He's also teaching us to treat each other better. This means that, even without the political context, 'Animal Farm' is still an important and excellent book. In years to come, even if we forget about the Russian Revolution, this novella should still have a place on our bookshelves. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

WORLD WAR Z - Max Brooks (2006)

“It goes by many names: 'The Crisis,' 'The Dark Years,' 'The Walking Plague,' as well as newer and more 'hip' titles such as 'World War Z' and 'Z War One.'”   The zombie genre is amazing. 'Shaun of the Dead' is hilarious, 'The Walking Dead' is one of the best shows on TV, and 'The Last of Us' is the closest you can get to a movie within a video game. However, all of these examples leave a lot of  unanswered   questions about the worlds which they try to create. That’s not their fault! But by following a single group or a single person in a single area of the world, we're inevitably left with a restricted perspective of the overall conflict. We never find out how the rest of the world is coping with the outbreak. 'Pandemic' and 'global' are words which we take for granted, but we never get to see the true scale of the disease.  However, in 'World War Z', there is no such pro...

INVISIBLE PLANETS - Ken Liu (2016)

“This anthology collects a selection of short speculative fiction from China that I've translated over the years into one volume . ”   Chinese literature is rich and powerful, but it's always been tricky to access. English translations are rare, and they're hard to get hold of. That's why  Ken Liu should be celebrated.  For English-speakers, t his anthology offers one of the first ever windows into Chinese science fiction. It enriches the speculative landscape of the English-speaking world, by introducing thirteen Chinese visions of the future.  Interestingly, all of these stories touch upon familiar issues. Censorship, overpopulation, space exploration, aliens, robotics, virtual reality... it soon becomes clear that Chinese- and English-speaking writers both see similar futures for our species. These shared visions offer a powerful message: they undermine the idea of 'Otherness', of 'East and West', or 'Them and Us'. Ultimately, we...

COVE - Cynan Jones (2016)

“You hear, on the slight breeze, the tunt tunt, tunt tunt  before you see the boat . ”   'Cove' is about a man, on a kayak, who is struck by lightning. Throughout the book, Jones doesn't waste a single word. It's a masterclass in language, and demonstrates the beauty of efficient prose. Many writers are addicted to complication. Some people think that a complex sentence is the pinnacle of language, and fasten clauses together into fleshy masses of polysyllabic words. As readers, we're encouraged to marvel at ornamental prose. 'Simple' is seen as a pejorative term. However, 'Cove' offers an alternative. Jones has a distinctive voice. He always uses sparse and desolate language, and never uses five words when a single one will do. To begin with, this style feels shallow, as though something is missing. But that feeling goes away. The further you get into the book, the more enthralled you feel by its mounting depths. As though wading into t...