Plots in Animal Farm
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How And Why the Plots in
Animal Farm
Reflect/Correspond to Currents Events
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How And Why the Plots in
Animal Farm
Reflect/Correspond to Currents Events
Animal Farm by George Orwell is a political satire depicting the oppression of a
totalitarian society under the leadership of a dictatorship. The book is a highly intriguing,
complicated, and informative novel because, throughout the novel, Orwell portrays
individuals in positions of power as well as ordinary people during the Russian Revolution
via the use of animals. Prior to the revolution, the farm is governed by a fascist political
structure. Animals do all of the labor yet get nothing in return. In this case, Mr. Jones keeps
the whole profit for himself. As a result, he is regarded as a leader of the totalitarian school of
thought. A number of connections may be seen between the animals and real-life political
personalities, particularly the pig's Napoleon and Snowball. A parallel to the fight for
dominance between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky may be seen in Snowball and Napoleon,
a competition between two politically less powerful figures who are banished by the
aggressive and brutal owner of authority. Apart from that, the narrative portrays the evolution
of Soviet communism. In this context, pigs represent the government, other animals represent
the populace, and dogs represent the enforcers of order. This article will attempt to draw links
between current political events, beginning at the micro-level and progressing to the macro
level, which is the whole globe.
George Orwell uses animals on a farm to represent key socioeconomic groupings and
renowned political leaders that had a role in the events leading up to the Russian Revolution.
Animal Farm is a necessary and intrinsically important narrative that stands on its own two
feet and is completely self-sufficient. As a result, it should come as no surprise that the first
full-fledged publication in Russian for a broad range of readers was published only in the
second half of the 1980s when the totalitarian Stalinist regime had left only crumbling
monuments in the middle of cities and fantastic history books as evidence of its presence
(
Baharuddin
& Mardiani, 2021). The issues presented by the British writer George Orwell are
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still pertinent today, representing the painful moments that may occur in every society as well
as the underlying laws of human nature that govern us all.
At first, pigs have formed seven commandments for all the animals that are entirely
equal to each other. Then the pigs went about breaking all of the commandments in order to
make them more acceptable for their purposes. All of the commandments eventually merged
into a single concept that said, "all creatures are equal, but some animals are more equal than
others" (
Baharuddin
& Mardiani, 2021). Furthermore, Orwell demonstrates that power is
usually concentrated in areas where money is readily available. The best illustration of this is
when the pigs began to organize commerce with the rest of the human race. Politics as power
is shown in a critical light, as is the fact that no one is immune to human greed.
Despite the fact that George Orwell was a vocal opponent of the authority that arose
in the aftermath of the 1917 revolution in the Soviet Union, in the book Farm of Animals, he
touches on global topics that are relevant today. According to
Sari (2016), it is impossible to
develop a viable Socialist movement from the ground up. As a result, society should refrain
from blinding itself with rude remarks and from erecting absurd ideological boundaries that
must be preserved. Animals must learn to let go of their connection to a specific condition, to
a distinct example of a separate revolution, in order to progress. If Napoleon has maintained
his sarcastic comparison with the great conquering explorer wherever he goes, then other
animals have adjusted their behavior. At the same time, nicknames in work say nothing and
have no effect on the reader's view of the tale, so select from the complete range of
interpretations the one that is most comfortable for you or that you already have in your own
library of literary works.
Major's speech is the most important part of the novel, and it occurs at the opening of
the book. With his speech, Orwell demonstrates his grasp of political rhetoric and how it can
be used to influence, mold, or canalize the populace in whatever way the speaker desires, as
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shown in 1984. Furthermore,
Baharuddin
& Mardiani (2021)
explains that major's values, on
the other hand, would betray him later in the story. For example, he advises that animals
should never murder another animal, but when Napoleon comes to power, he begins to carry
out a large number of executions in order to force the masses to do as he pleases.
At Mr. Jones's animal farm, which he controls with a hard hand, a series of exciting
and revolutionary occurrences take place. Smart boar, the group's charismatic Leader,
inflames the imaginations of his followers with a flamboyant vision of freedom, worldwide
equality, and an end to the constraints of hard labor.
Searcy et al. (2018) assert that every
animal living under the dictatorial rule of two legs is suffering from a deep sense of loss. The
prophet of the revolution unexpectedly passes away, but the cause of the coming revolt is still
alive, and the animals of the Farmyard manage to force Mr. Jones out of the Farmyard after a
long and tough fight. As a result of such a big triumph, the residents of the animal farm begin
to make plans for a more selfless future while the revolutionaries embark on the task of
organizing a new way of life. Only one of the uprising's leaders, the boar Napoleon swiftly
establishes himself as a bit more equal than the rest of his followers, such as the rest of his
retinue. With the ejection of another leader of the Oblomov revolution, society will be able to
live even better lives, it is hoped.
When the collapse occurs, the hero from yesterday is instantly transformed into the
source of all evil, earning him a special medal from the Farmyard. It is assumed that every
upheaval is the direct product of his schemes, and the residents of the Farmyard are paranoid
to the point of being obsessive about traitors.
Searcy et al. (2018) argue that the qualities of
one of the founding foundations of the erstwhile fateful freedom are being diminished and
reinterpreted as time passes. It is represented in Animal Farm in the reformation of public
knowledge, which changes from year to year in order to fit the new order, a rewriting of
history that reached its zenith of information in the twentieth century.
5
Napoleon, via his herald Squealer, calls for an uprising against human domination and
reminds the animals of how terrible and burdensome life was under the repressive Mr. Jones
in the past, among other things. In addition, with the invaluable efforts of the pigs, even
though the latter received a higher diet of apples and milk to sustain their mental adventures
for the common good, the wounds were miraculously cured in record time. According to
Kaintura & Kandari
(2019), Napoleon announced his new policy, which stated that Animal
Farm would cooperate with human beings from the moment it was announced. Although the
number of regular employees is steadily reducing, the retirement that awaits them is well-
deserved and deserving of respect and recognition. The workhorse Fighter serves as an
illustrative illustration of unselfish dedication to the greater good in this setting. Despite his
declining health and the ever-changing nature of labor rules, he reminds himself on a regular
basis that he will work harder and refrain from complaining. After all, everything is done for
the common good of the community.
Kaintura & Kandari
(2019) explains that for some
reason, the subject of private property for retirees is no longer brought up in conversation.
The death of the team's most conscientious member, who is accompanied to the flies as a
mark of respect for the leadership, is particularly tragic.
Without getting into too much detail, Orwell's book in today's world relates candidly
with Russia, China, 'independent' Africa, multiparty Africa, the Arab Spring, capitalism, and
socialism, among other things. Those who believe that their human rights are being violated
or that they are being treated unfairly in the workplace are more likely to stage a revolution if
they are given the opportunity and a charismatic leader. They stage a revolution in order to
"recover" their rights, in order to ensure that they have freedom of expression, participation,
and so on. The Russian Revolution of 1917 is the most illustrative example of this (
Thakur,
2020).
Additionally,
Thakur (2020
) explains that the world has seen "revolutions" in North
Africa, which the West likes to refer to as the "Arab Spring."
6
From the 1950s until the 1980s, there were liberation battles taking place in Africa as
well (
Kaintura & Kandari
, 2019).
Kaintura & Kandari
(2019) explains that the goal was to
put an end to colonial control in order to regain dignity, sovereignty, independence, and
freedom for the people. However, over time and with the achievement of "own"
independence, we saw that the majority of African leaders became tyrants, refused to
relinquish power, and established a system that might be described as colonialist in terms of
working conditions and social class segregation. Leaders, like the pigs in the animal farm,
instilled a sense of superiority in their followers. And, like the pigs under the leadership of
Animal Farm, they wreaked havoc on the African system, making it much worse than it was
before. In the majority of African countries, those in positions of authority established a
powerful military and police force depicted in the book as dogs to monitor the order and,
more broadly, to control the populace (
Sari, 2016).
Furthermore, one of the most significant
factors that contributed to Animal Farm's descent towards dictatorship was a lack of
knowledge. With the exception of his opinion that Napoleon is always correct, Boxer, who
could not read or write even rudimentarily and who represented the working class of the farm
and worked harder than anybody else, had no political views. Napoleon's manipulation of the
other animals was also aided by propaganda to a significant extent. In nations that Edward
Said referred to as "third wave democracies," there are several instances of this kind of
circumstance.
In Animal Farm, the Leader is shown as a supremely malevolent figure whose
commands should be followed to the letter at all costs while returning to the animal farm. As
it turned out, Napoleon was largely responsible for the sufferings of the revolution, which he
carried on his shoulders. The items are presently stigmatized by public opinion and serve the
new ruling class, which is a society of equals that seems to be missing at the moment.
Napoleon takes precautions by surrounding himself with a pack of dogs, some of which are
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guardians of the original order of the Farmyard, who rapidly put down any protest and terrify
those who are still alive and well. It becomes the norm to execute political opponents, which
no longer runs against the biblical mandate that no animal should take the life of another
(
Kaintura & Kandari
, 2019). As in every totalitarian system, getting rid of traitors and pests is
essential to establishing a fresh, promising future. Even the greatest opponents, individuals
may offer advantages to the table rather than hindering collaboration, and it makes no
difference if one of them is an adversary today and a friend tomorrow, or vice versa. And the
ancient donkey Benjamin, who stands calmly by and observes all of the changes, symbolizes
the court of the time, although one that is uninformed and modest.
Previously, cattle in the Farmyard had no purpose or had any daily significance other
than to put in long hours of hard labor for the benefit of others; today, they work for
themselves. Without a certain not right now, the employees will not see him, but in the future
generations.
Baharuddin
& Mardiani (2021)
argues that an educated community may
experience a revolution that results in the removal of the central authority and the
establishment of a new governance model, both of which are very unprofitable occurrences
for the government. In the spirit of Scotism, imagine a lovely future world where animals are
allowed to their own ways and labor for the purpose of their own well-being (
Baharuddin
&
Mardiani, 2021). As part of the revolution's inception, the new movement promises more
moderate employment, more perks, and a plentiful supply of nutrients. The leaders of the
campaign and society, as they assert, should be well-fed and live in luxury since they have the
largest responsibility for maintaining control. Following the creation of the dictatorship, all
benefits but the most fundamental are deemed excesses, and the spirit of Scotism, as it turns
out today, consists of hard effort and rejection of superfluous commodities while remaining
humble in one's appearance. Naturally, this humility is reserved for regular creatures on the
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Farmyard, which is equal in commandments, and not for those who are comparable to their
fellow animals in appearance.
The animals perish in their place of employment with the hope of a bright future that
is quickly becoming something transitory. Interestingly, the Leader delivered his prognosis to
the people, and he did not even survive to see a violent revolution, instead of maintaining a
special symbol for the time being. Snowball, according to
Thakur (2020), has all of the
characteristics of a transformative leader. Revolutionary principles and Scottish nationalism
were declared at the outset of the war for independence and the destruction of previous rulers,
and they are currently being modified to fit the new administration. The mill in the novel has
become a symbol of just that: Scottish nationalism, the promise of a bright future that will
never be realized, and that are under siege from foreign foes. Even if the mill is constructed,
as was eventually accomplished, it will not be used for the benefit of the individuals who
built it, contrary to what was first stated in the petition. The process of building it and the
possibility of its completion signal new objectives for educating and empowering the people
in charge of what is occurring.
Humans, in general, maybe regard institutions outside of the farm, with the United
Nations being the preferred example. Assuming that the pigs represent the United States, I
can state that the hegemon-US changes the globe by making the most money possible via the
use of institutions. The achievement of peace is possible in this sense, but only on a relative
level, as structural realists maintain. According to
Baharuddin
& Mardiani (2021)
, Animal
Farm chickens and lambs can also be regarded to be the least developing nations when it
comes to being exploited for their natural resources. Because structural realism holds that
institutions themselves generate conflict,
Baharuddin
& Mardiani (2021)
assert that the
balance of the farm has shifted since the beginning of commerce. Because commerce began
9
with the rules of people under the leadership of Napoleon the pig, trade-in our world began
with the rules of institutions under the leadership of the pig.
Searcy et al. (2018) consider pigs to be the core nations; the rest of the world might be
considered peripheral or semi-periphery. The animals in the farm's perimeter and semi-
periphery want to go to the core, and they want to do so under the influence of the center. The
pigs, at their core, demand that others strive hard to be like them in order to mold them for
their own benefit and/or profit. Education is at the heart of each of those theoretical
explanations, which are rather distinct. The lack of knowledge among other animals makes it
easier to control them rather than to discover the truth.
In conclusion, Animal Farm may be seen as a parody of the Russian Revolution and
the years that followed, as well as the communist regime that reigned in Russia. The book has
a significant amount of hyperbole and exaggeration, which is typical of works that are
structured in a way that resembles parables. Orwell's book 1984 provides a detailed account
of the personalities and events that took place during the Russian Revolution. Animal Farm
not only represents its own period via the usage of animals, but it also serves as a general
lesson in how politics works and how power can be used for both beneficial and harmful
purposes. The overall message of Animal Farm is that one should avoid gaining complete
control and using it for anything other than participation. Also, any system cannot function
well or be healthy for the purpose of the general public if just one theoretical perspective is
used.
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References
Baharuddin, A. F., & Mardiani, M. (2021). The Power of Transformational Leadership In
Rebuilding The Society Reflected On Orwell's Animal Farm.
English and Literature
Journal
,
8
(2), 66-78.
Kaintura, D. S., & Kandari, P. S.
(2019).
Modern relevance of communisttotalitarian theme in
nineteen eighty-four and animal farm.
JODHPUR STUDIES IN ENGLISH
, 76.
Sari, V. A. (2016).
The Reflection of the Russian Revolution in George Orwell's Animal
Farm
(Doctoral dissertation, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya).
Searcy, L., Allred, J. B., French, S. D., & Goering, C. Z. (2018). Reinterpreting Revolutions:
An "Encoding/Decoding" Analysis of Animal Farm. In
Critical Approaches to
Teaching the High School Novel
(pp. 145-160). Routledge.
Thakur, S. (2020). Understanding the Fundamental Nature of Power through Myths in
George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Language in India
,
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(1).