Introduction
Animal Farm written by George Orwell during World War II is one of the prime examples of an allegorical novel. The images of animals presented in the book personify social vices and attract readers with realism and similarity to history, which are shown openly in the plot. Despite the fact that Animal Farm is a fictional story, its subtext touches on serious problems of history, in particular, the inhumanity of totalitarianism as a political movement. In this regard, the main idea that Orwell seeks to show is how one dictatorship is replaced by the one under a noble pretext, which is a reference and a parody of the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Relationship Between the Novel and History
The plot of this historical and satirical story is the depiction of the Russian Revolution by using the example of animals. Initially, all the characters in the book are equal and believe in the idea of equality as one of the main principles of a free society. However, as the plot progresses, the privileged caste of pigs stands out more and more clearly. One of the final slogans that Orwell calls Commandments reflects the whole situation vividly: “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” (100). As a result, by driving people out of the farm, the pigs assume the role of the government and organize their individual community through a set of public rules. Such a plot may be interpreted as a direct reference to the events of the Russian Revolution of 1917 when the disgruntled working class decided to overthrow the autocratic order in the country and create a new state – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
However, the idea of overthrowing totalitarianism in favor of establishing another form of dictatorship did not become the mechanism that would improve society. Conversely, numerous historic examples confirm that no form of domination by one class over another has ever led to a perfect order. Moreover, the categorical confidence that the pig dictators adhere to when building their society reflects their equally totalitarian views: “four legs good, two legs bad” (Orwell 27). As a result, the transformation of the pigs into humans proves their identical views on the idea of superiority over others, despite their background of submission when they were controlled by humans.
Written during World War II, Animal Farm can also be interpreted as an allusion to Hitler’s regime of total genocide. Believing in the correctness of their superiority, the pigs focused on the idea of getting rid of those whom they considered their enemies: “the only good human being is a dead one” (Orwell 34). This policy has much in common with fascism in which the dominance of one race over another is a fundamental concept and requires absolute submission. Nevertheless, the events of the Russian Revolution are a more likely background that prompted the author to create the novel. Greed and self-interest as eternal vices of human nature have always become the reasons for revolutionary upheavals in history. Self-nominated leaders, such as Major, Napoleon, and Snowball, dictate similar slogans to those of most disaffected citizens during coups: “our lives are miserable, laborious, and short” (Orwell 6). As a result, through allegory and satire, the author gives an example of how similar and equally unsuccessful are attempts at social transformation in the context of totalitarianism. Therefore, Animal Farm is a unique parody of historical mistakes and their sad and identical consequences.
Allegories to Historical Personalities
Animalism, as a parody of communism, has become a key political trend in the novel’s plot. At the same time, despite the uniqueness of this term, Orwell offers explicit allegories to historical figures, in particular, pig leaders. The Major whom the author describes as an uncompromising and ideological leader can be compared with the satirical image of Lenin, the chief of the Russian Revolution. Napoleon, an active pig, is a direct reference to Stalin as a leader who receives unlimited power and actively represses everyone who is unwanted. Finally, Snowball who sincerely believes in the ideas of revolution and the benefits of reforms can be associated with Trotsky, one of Lenin’s associates. All these characters have undisguised human traits that are best revealed during the dictatorship. There is only one possible opinion, and avoiding it is tantamount to betrayal: “all men are enemies. All animals are comrades” (Orwell 9). Therefore, the parodic nature of the characters in the novel helps the author convey the key idea and substantiate his position by displaying real historical figures.
Conclusion
The inadmissibility of dictatorship and its immorality in any possible form is the idea of Orwell’s novel, who uses the context of the Russian Revolution of 1917 as the main subtext. Animal Farm is a satirical and parody work that, nevertheless, contains deep thoughts and overt allegories. Totalitarianism, as a political movement, is a form of domination, and by using the example of pigs, the author demonstrates that history confirms the inhumanity of this trend and its destructive impacts on society.
Work Cited
Orwell, George. Animal Farm. The University of Adelaide, 2014. eBooks@Adelaide. Web.