Animal Farm: Author, Characters, and History

1. Animal Farm: Author, Characters, and History

2. George Orwell • Born Eric Arthur Blair in Motihari, India in 1903, Other works: • Down and Out in London and Paris • Burmese Days • 1984

3. The Life of Orwell (1903-1950) • Eric Blair (pen name is George Orwell) • He thought Eric sounded too snobbish • Totally opposed to the way the government operated and how the poor was always inferior to the rich.

4. Wrote Animal Farm in 1943 • Was convinced that Stalin betrayed the revolution • Saw Stalin as power-hungry assassin with a lack of respect for the truth • Wrote AF to remind people of history and to show how false the notion was that Russia was a socialists state but proved it was actually a communist state

5. Where did Animal Farm come from? George Orwell got the idea for his story when he saw small boy driving a horse and whipping it whenever it tried to turn in another direction.

6. Orwell then began to create his fable about the animals of Manor Farm— He tried to fuse political purpose with artistic purpose in one novel.

7. What is a Novel? A long fictional story, whose length is normally somewhere between 100 and 500 book pages which use all of the elements of storytelling: plot, character, setting, theme and point of view.

8. Novels… • Embrace many conflicts and multiple themes. • Entertain us and tell us something about the world we live in. • Take an enormous amount of time to write. • Are written out of a writer’s belief in a private vision, is a gift of knowledge about what is going on between people here on earth.

9. The Form of Animal Farm • Beast Fable (brief and humorous stories in which animals speak and act like humans) • Allegory- has two different levels a. Each character stands for something or someone else b. Writer uses these characters to convey a moral message.

10. The Form Cont. 3. Satire- form of literature that uses ridicule to make specific people look foolish a. dramatic irony b. situational irony

11. Themes in Animal Farm • Freedom and individual dignity must be guarded carefully. • Language is a very powerful tool; if used incorrectly, it can enslave and confuse us.

12. Themes in Animal Farm Cont. 3. Weakness can be dominated by strength, trickery and fear. 4. Hope and vision must be kept alive, or we might live like the animals of Manor Farm.

13. Historical Theme • Russian Revolution was not about the proletariat (the working class) ruling themselves, but was simply tyranny under a dictator

14. Terms to Know • Allegory • Fable • Satire • ANIMAL FARM is both an allegorical and a satirical novel.

15. What is an Allegory? • The characters, setting, and events make sense on the literal level, but are designed to represent OTHER characters, settings and events. • There is a story within another meaning underneath the surface story. Example: Hans Christian Anderson’s Ugly Duckling tells the story of his life.

16. A narrative that acts as an extended metaphor. Events and people symbolize things not mentioned in the narrative. Allegory

17. Fable • A story usually about animals that have human powers and faults. They usually have the power to talk. The tale is told to teach a moral. The characters teach lessons that can be used in everyday life.

18. Beast Fable • A brief, humorous story, animals speak and act like human beings. • Its purpose is to expose human weakness and teach a moral lesson.

19. What is Satire? • The intentional degrading of a subject or subjects for comic or dramatic effect • Uses laughter as a weapon • It is a allegorical retelling of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Josef Stalin • It is a satire on communism and human nature

20. SATIRE • Combines humor and criticism (ridicule) to suggest change and reform. • Criticism is constructive rather than destructive - design to inspire correction

21. More on Satire • Animal Farm ridicules communism. Orwell’s aim is to destroy the justification for totalitarianism (control under one political group) government. He wants people to see the fate of those who allow themselves to be led into the totalitarian state. He believed that it was the destruction of free will and reasoning.

22. Devices of Satire • Hyperbole - exaggeration or overstatement • Paradox - statement or idea which self-contradiction is true

23. Devices (Contd.) • Irony - author says the opposite of what he/she means • Understatement - an intentional lack of emphasis in expression

24. Propaganda: The use of persuasion to further one’s own cause. 1.Slogans - “catchy phrases” • 2. Loaded words - emotional words like peace and patriot.

25. Propaganda (Contd.) • 3. Powerful images - images created through references to beauty, happiness, fear and terror 4. Appeal to fears - suggestions that something terrible will happen if one doesn’t follow certain instructions

26. Propaganda (Contd.) • 5. Appeal to basic desires and needs - fulfills the desire for survival (food, clothing, shelter) but also the need for love, belonging and human dignity. 6. Band Wagon - everyone else is doing it, so you should too.

27. Other Symbols • “Beasts of England” – represents the “Communist Internationale,” a real song penned by supporters of communism in the early 1900’s. • Windmill – stands for Russian industry. (Soviet leaders focused on making Russia industrially modern after the Revolution of 1917.)

28. Characters In Animal Farm

29. The Pigs: Communist Party Loyalists

30. Squealer • Short, fat, twinkle-eyed and nimble pig • “brilliant talker” • Very persuasive • He is the propaganda apparatus that spreads the “big lie” and makes people believe it

31. Old Major • The wise old pig whose stirring speech to the animals helps set the Rebellion in motion • Role in novel compares to Karl Marx, whose ideas set the Communist Revolution in motion

32. Napoleon • A “large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar”, not much of a talker • reputation for getting his own way • Has more power than ideas • His name…think of the other Napoleon (Bonaparte) who took over the French Revolution and turned it into a personal empire. • Compare to Stalin and other dictators

33. Snowball • Energetic, brilliant leader • Successfully organizes the defense of the Farm (like Trotsky with the Red Army) • Eloquent speaker with original ideas • Struggles for leadership with Napoleon after Major’s death

34. Minimus • A pig who composes songs and poems honoring Napoleon

35. The Horses: Uneducated Labor Class

36. Boxer • Believes in the Rebellion and in its leader • Two favorite sayings “Napoleon is always right” and “I will work harder.” • Huge size and strength and untiring labor saves the Farm again and again • Finally collapses from age and being overworked

37. Clover • Is a hard working mare • Is not very intelligent • Is loving and maternal towards other animals • Is the only animal whose thoughts are revealed

38. Mollie • Is a vain white mare • Enjoys pretty ribbons, sugar, and human attention • Is the only animal who leaves the farm willingly • May symbolize the White Russians (opposed the Red Army during the Civil War)

39. Other Animals

40. The Dogs • Vicious killers who protect the pigs and do their bidding • Represent Stalin’s secret police

41. The Sheep • Bleat whatever slogan they are taught by the pigs • Represent unthinking masses

42. Muriel • The goat that reads better than Clover • Often reads things (such as the Commandments) aloud to her

43. Benjamin • Donkey • Worst-tempered and oldest animal on the farm • A loner who keeps his opinions to himself • Skeptical of change • Never laughs • A hard worker who never shirks his duties but never volunteers • Is devoted to Boxer

44. The Pigeons • Spread the word of the Rebellion beyond the farm, much like the Communists spread the doctrine of the revolution beyond theboundaries of the Soviet Union

45. Moses • A raven • Was Mr. Jones’ pet • Flees with Jones but is later welcomed back by the pigs • Is given beer by the pigs event though he does not work • Soothes the animals with his story of Sugarcandy Mountain • Represents the Russian Orthodox Church and religious institutions in general)

46. The Humans: Capitalists who exploit the Weak

47. Farmer Jones • The drunk • Represents the Czar Nicholas II • Stands for any government that declines through its own corruption and mismanagement

48. Mr. Pilkington • Owns the neighborhood Foxwood Farm • Spends too much time fishing and hunting to run his farm • Represents England and Allies

49. Mr. Frederick • Owns the neighborhood Pinchfield Farm • Cheats Napoleon and leads the disastrous attack on the farm • Represents Germany

50. Mr. Whymper • Is a lawyer who serves as an intermediary between Napoleon and the outside world • Is sly and self serving