A Representation of Class Stratification in "Animal Farm"

Retelling many events from the history of the Russian Revolution, the story of Animal Farm written by George Orwell started its first chapter presenting Old Major’s view of the key to the power-eliminate man. As the story continues to revolve around the revolt against Manor Farm’s owner, Mr. Jones, a new regime marked its start. Pigs who were generally recognized as being the cleverest of the animals began to rise in power as leaders. Pre-eminent among the pigs were two young boars named Snowball and Napoleon. Both of them had elaborated to the rest of the animals Old Major’s teachings into a complete ideology which they called Animalism and was later on reduced to the Seven Commandments. One of the main tenets of the Seven Commandments is that all animals are equal. With the implementation of socialism, all reproduction done by the animals are regulated by the “leaders”. But Napoleon, hiding behind an innocent mask, becomes power-hungry and assumes totalitarian control. The mere outcome of Napoleon’s thirst for power points out a theme of the story: the socialism tendency toward class stratification when in the control of abusive hands.

The second chapter of George Orwell’s Animal Farm narrates how physical labor was assigned to the animals excluding the pigs who were playing a role in the intellectual part. But this natural division quickly transforms itself as a new set of class divisions. The pigs begin to refer to themselves as “mind workers” to distinguish themselves from other animals who are physical laborers. These “mind workers” use their superior intelligence to manipulate reproduction to their own benefit. When the milk went missing in the story – which was obviously consumed by Napoleon – and apples were given for the satisfaction of the pigs, it was easy for these “mind workers” to cover up their shortcomings through establishing themselves as absolute rulers of the “lower class” laborers. Squealer, the propagandist, influenced other animals to allow the pigs in having these kinds of comfort in exchange of leading Animal Farm and preventing Mr. Jones from coming back. Overtime, this sense of division continued taking place, The “mind workers” went on dominating the oppressed working class knowing that the latter is not capable of thinking deeply to question the mind workers”. For the reason that the pigs implanted in the minds of the animals to dedicate work so hard and naively forget about educating themselves. This is the main cause why the laborers continued working like slaves without even knowing. This is how Animal Farm implied the pigs trying to establish totalitarian rule in the face of socialism.

The thirst for power can lead to class stratification. As shown by the pigs in the story, to show the power you have is to be superior from others. In today’s society, even in the ones that allegedly stand for total equality, humans have the tendency to reestablish and maintain class structures. The rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer. For the reason that even though a country is not under socialism, a corrupt government will control even ordinary people’s wealth. These ordinary people are not even in a ratio where all is educated. This paves the way to stratification since these ordinary people are not capable of rising in position. But the only permanent thing in the world is change. This sense of stratification can change. It will change with the right people stepping up to power. Everyone should perceive the unethical events happening around and take part against it, because that is the best thing about George Orwell’s Animal Farm. He wants his readers to see the threat to democracy and freedom established by class stratification.

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