What is Animal Farm?

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The following video provides a short introduction to the novel Animal Farm, including a plot summary, as well as a history of the book's purpose, and critical reception over the years.

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In August of 1945, the George Orwell novel, Animal Farm, was first published. What was Animal Farm about? How successful was it?

Originally titled Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, the novel tells the story of a group of animals that revolt and overthrow the man who runs their farm. The leaders of this revolution are two young pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, who have competing ideas about how the farm should be managed.

At first, things seem wonderful. Snowball teaches the animals how to read and write, and Napoleon trains them in the principles of “Animalism.” They adopt the Seven Commandments of Animalism which include: Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy; Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend; No animal shall wear clothes; No animal shall sleep in a bed; No animal shall drink alcohol; No animal shall kill any other animal; All animals are equal.

However, as the story progresses, Napoleon and Snowball begin to challenge each other for leadership over the farm. This ends with Snowball being chased away and Napoleon taking control. The original commandments are altered to simpler mantras such as “four legs good, two legs bad!” and “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

Napoleon begins consorting with other local farmers and even walking upright on two legs. Eventually, the animals of the farm realize that they can no longer distinguish a difference between the old leaders and the new.

Orwell wrote the story as an allegory, which mirrored the rise of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union. Each character in the story closely resembles the major figures in Russian history during that era. Old Major, an older pig that started the movement, represents Vladimir Lenin (who led the communist revolution in Russia). Napoleon is Joseph Stalin, who assumed control of Russia after Lenin’s death. Snowball is Leon Trotsky, who challenged Stalin for leadership over the Soviet Union but was eventually chased out of the country by Stalin.

Upon its release, Animal Farm was not very well-received by critics. Some believed the novel was a disappointment and viewed it as clumsy, or even puzzling. Yet, others felt that the book was “delightfully humorous.”

Despite initial criticisms, Animal Farm has gone on to critical acclaim in the modern world. It was chosen as one of the Best 20th Century Novels by Modern Library, and Time magazine selected it as one of the 100 best English-language novels. Over the years, it has been presented in many different formats, from stage plays to radio dramas and even two feature-length films. It has also become required reading in many high school courses throughout the world.