Allegorical Implications of Animal Farm

1. Allegorical Implications ofAnimal Farm Quiz Review

2. Old Major • Lenin and Karl Marx • Favored socialist ideals based on the betterment of the country through class equality • Words of inspiration incited revolution which eventually unseats Czar Nicholas II (Mr. Jones) • Strives to expand and improve Russia during his life leaving no clear successor to leadership forcing Trotsky (Snowball) and Napoleon (Stalin) to jockey for power.

3. Animalism • Socialism and later Communism • Orwell uses the idea of Animalism to put forth the ideals behind the Russian Revolution in its initial stages that, in later years, was dominated by the Communist and Totalitarian rule of Stalin. • Note that The Rebellion and The Battle of Cowshed are direct parallels to the Bolshevik Revolution and the Bolshevik triumph during the Russian Civil War.

4. Napoleon: • Joseph Stalin • Conflicts with Trotsky over philosophies of elderly, education and technology, just as Napoleon constantly disagrees with Snowballs attempts at committee leadership. • Favored preparation for Jones’ invasion; whereas Stalin focused on bolstering the armed forces • At first, denied the use of technology as beneficial, but later conceded its usefulness in developing Russia as a modern technological state.

5. Napoleon’s Dogs (puppies) • Stalin’s Secret Police • Napoleon uses the puppies he “educated” to chase Snowball from the farm when he disagrees with his philosophy regarding the windmill. • Stalin employed enforcers who eliminated any opposition to his totalitarian rule during his reign. These organized executions are often known as The Great Purge.

6. Snowball • Leon Trotsky • Favored the spread of Marxism/Socialism and mini-revolutions to avoid all-out conflict (the “snowball effect”); Snowball accomplishes this using the birds to spread rumors of the anima revolution • Created committees and organizations to improve conditions of the country, as does Snowball. • Favored the implementation of electricity to the underdeveloped countryside, despite being opposed by Stalin initially. • Exiled (like Snowball) for his opposition of ideas and eventually assassinated in 1940.

7. Squealer • Propaganda • Most of the uneducated working class was easily lulled by the promises and dreams of the new regime of leadership in Russia following the Czar, not completely understanding the imbalance of power held by Stalin initially. • Squealer uses various methods of deception (as did the Stalin at the time) to make the pigs rule appear as beneficial to all who continued to work on the farm

8. Boxer and Clover • Proletariat – working class • The two cart horses are the strongest and best workers available on the farm, similar to the large imbalance of population who made up Russia’s workforce at the time after the revolution. • The horses are also some of the stupidest animals on the farm who blindly follow the decrees of those in power unquestionably exemplified by Boxer’s motto of “I will work harder!”

9. Mollie • Bourgeoisie • Mollie’s behavior throughout the novel, including her desertion of Animal Farm for another in Chapter 5 are meant to symbolize the upper classes of Russians who did not favor the revolution and many of whom left the country following its political upheaval. • Her penchant for ribbons and sugar (symbols of slavery to the other animals) exemplifies her contentment with the oppressive rule of the Czar

10. Moses • Russian Orthodox Church • Preaches of Sugar Candy Mountain, a ficticious paradise where animals travel after death meant to represent Heaven in the Christian faith • Moses distracts the animals from their work, much like the philosophical musings of religion which often indicate the suffering and sacrifice will result in a reward in the afterlife. • The beer-soaked bread Moses receives from Mr. Jones is comparable to the Czar’s bribes to the church to quell potential uprisings at the hands of the Bolsheviks.

11. The Farmers • Mr. Jones – Czar Nicholas II • Mr. Frederick – Adolf Hitler • Mr. Pilkington – England and the United States