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Animal Farm as a History

“…But some are more equal than others…” Ever since Animal Farm by George Orwell was first published in 1945, a small, subconscious voice has uttered this phrase to urge the rethinking of equality. This closing thought and the events of Animal Farm closely parallel the history of the Russian Revolution and Communist Russia’s first steps. An allegory can evoke a unique and enlightening view of a famous historical event. Through symbolism in this allegory, communism is analyzed from another perspective.
Old Major, an aged boar symbolic of Marx and Lenin, shares with the farm animals his dream of a golden future. The Animalist revolution of which he spoke soon occurred. After Mr. Jones, the owner of the farm, gets drunk and neglects to feed the animals for three days, the animals break into the food stores and chase Jones off the farm. The animals’ revolution against Mr. Jones clearly represents the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the book, Mr. Jones represents Czar Nicolas II,...

Posted by: Alexander Bartfield

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