Animal farm door George Orwell

English speaking ‘Animal Farm’

Before I tell you something about the book ‘Animal farm’ and the characters, I’d like to give you some practical information first.

The author of the book is George Orwell
The title is, as you already heard, Animal Farm. And the publisher is Longman Fiction
The date of publication was in nineteen ninety six And the year of first publication was in nineteen forty five
It is original published in London by Secker and Warburg.

Now that I’ve done that I’d like to explain the title.

The book is about a farm which became controlled by animals. Those animals named the farm Animal farm. So the title is very logical.

After this short explanation I will tell you something about the genre

The book is actually a satire on the communism and especially on the Stalinism. Cause all important human being of the Russian revolution, and so also Stalin, are represent as pigs or other animals. This is an insult for those people and the book is mend to make those people ridiculous. The book is unrealistic because animals can’t talk, write or read and also can’t chase away humans.

Main characters

Old Major is the wise old boar, that’s a mal pig, whose speech to the animals helps set the Rebellion in motion. Though he dies before it actually begins. His role compares with that of Karl Marx or lenin, whose ideas set the Communist Revolution in motion

Napoleon is a "large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way Like Napoleon Bonaparte or Stalin in the Russian Revolution. What counts for him is power, not ideas. Napoleon is a real dictator.

Snowball is a great, energetic leader with a very good tactical view. He can share his opinion by a convincing speech, like he did by choosing who would be the leader of Animal Farm. His idea of the windmill is good, but not necessary, he is thinking about the other animals. He is like Trotsky in a way, because of his tactical view.

Squealer is a small fat pig and a brilliant talker. They even say about him, he could turn black into white. Napoleon uses him to get more power and more luxury. Squealer has to convince the other animals of the opinion of Napoleon. He is the propaganda in the Russian Revolution.

Boxer is a very strong horse. He has got more mussels than two horses together. He saves the farm and helps the farm every time by working harder than anybody. He believes in Napoleon and in the Rebellion, he will work for it. When he collapses he is taken away and sold for glue.

Clover is a horse who takes care of everybody. She is also taking care of Boxer when he collapsed. She is the one who asks herself every time if Napoleon is doing the right thing. She represents a citizen who sees the revolution is doing no good in the time of the Russian Revolution.

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Mollie is a frivolous, luxury-loving mare who does not want to work for herself, she wants to be loved by the farmer and she likes sugar and ribbons. She is somebody from the higher class in society who deserts in the Russian Revolution.

Muriel
Muriel the goat reads very good than anyone and often reads things (such as Commandments) out loud to her

Benjamin, the donkey is a sceptic and a pessimist. Like his friend, he doesn't talk much and patiently does his work, although unlike Boxer no more than is required.

Napoleon’s dogs are Napoleon’s bodyguards and they are only listening to him, which gives Napoleon great power. They represent Stalin’s secret police in the Russian Revolution.

Moses is the raven who does not work. He just tells stories to the other animals of Sugar Candy Mountain, some kind of heaven for the animals. Moses represents the Orthodox Church.

The pigeons are the messengers of Napoleon; they are spreading the word of the rebellion to other farms. Like the communists did in the Russian Revolution.

And the humans

Mr. Jones is the drunken, negligent farmer who does no good. He represents Tsar Nicholaus III, he declines though his own corruption and mismanagement.

Pilkington is a neighbour farmer, but he likes hunting and fishing more than farming. He represents the British and French allies.

Whymper is the only human that is allowed on the farm, he is buying and selling things for Napoleon. He represents a capitalist which has business which the Communism.

Fredrick is a cruel neighbour farmer. He is representing Germany with Hitler. because the pigeons told the animals that Snowball, the enemy, was hiding at Fredrick’s.

My expectation of the book was a nice book where you can learn something about. I’ve already saw a part of the cartoon a few years ago. And so I’ve become curious. But when I read the book, it actually disappointed me a little. It was too unrealistic and it was not clear reconstructed. There where too many names in it so I could not held them out of each other. That was kind a difficult. I was glad that the book hadn’t so many pages. I hope I can read the next time a better book!!