Symbolism of Russian Revolution in "Animal Farm"

It was the early 20th century. Russia’s economy was booming. Jobs were being created, people began to relocate to cities with more factories in hope that they will be able to prosper in this new age. As they prospered, they hoped to “form political parties and band together to demand change for the horrible working conditions that they had to go through. Tsar (Emperor) Nicholas II was in power, but not for long. By Early March, Nicholas II had surrendered the throne, delegating the future of Russia to a “provisional government”, one that would soon spark what is to be known as the Russian Revolution. This was the beginning of George Orwell, an author who wanted to write about the Russian Revolution as an allegory. Thus, Animal Farm was born. Animal Farm is about a group of animals that rebel and overthrow their human rulers, comparable to the rise of Stalin, overthrowing Tsar Nicholas II. Orwell, in Animal Farm, parodies the Russian Revolution, setting the main characters in Animal Farm to resemble key central figures in the Russian Revolution, having the dogs parody the Russian police, portraying key events in the Russian Revolution as if they were events that happened on a farm, and creating the theory ‘Animalism’ which is parallel to Communism.

The Russian Revolution paved the way for Joseph Stalin to rise as a leader, after overthrowing Tsar Nicholas II. Stalin, one that was cruel in real life, and his animal counterpart Napoleon also employed cruel tactics for control. Being power hungry, they both executed/killed many human beings, and animals, respectively. Stalin had many aspects of himself and his rule that translated to many actions that were cruel and dehumanizing, Napoleon being Stalin’s animal counterpart also possessed these aspects. In Animal Farm, Napoleon took down those who were his enemies, killing Snowball at one point. In the real world, Stalin killed Trotsky. Furthermore, Russia had secret police that would spy on and control the citizens. These secret police forces were often run by Tsar Nicholas II in order to monitor citizens and their feelings. His secret police force warned him in advance that if he did not appease the population, they would soon rebel. Despite these warnings, Nicholas did nothing to appease the population, thus being the catalyst for the Russian Revolution. A few months after 1917, he soon lost his throne and his police force as they eventually switched sides. Orwell uses the dogs in Animal Farm as a way of portraying these police forces.

Key events of the Russian Revolution were also portrayed in Animal Farm. For example, in chapter 2 the farm is renamed Animal Farm, whereas Russia is renamed the Russia Soviet Republic. A bit later, Mr. Jones tries to take the farm back but fails. In real life, fans and supporters that were loyal to Tsar Nicholas II tried to fight the uprising army but lost. Stalin, now the commander-in-chief begins to drive out Trotsky from the country, much like Napoleon drove out Snowball. Stalin begins then employed tactics such as killing those who were his enemies and/or uprising against him. Napoleon then sells wood to a nearby farm, Stalin makes a pact with Hitler that they would not fight against each other. However, the agreement goes nowhere as Hitler starts to attack the borders of the Soviet Union.

All in all, the story by George Orwell of Animal Farm shows the Russian Revolution through means that were much simplistic in order for it to be easily understood. Orwell uses Napoleon, and Snowball, two pigs to portray the real-life persons of Joseph Stalin and Trotsky, as a way to show the Russian Revolution.

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