The Darkness of Society in "Animal Farm"

After reading Animal Farm I realized how anyone could influence other people into doing what they believe has to be done in order to achieve a greater goal, no matter what the cost. George Orwell represented the darkness of society by creating a farm in which all of the animals are wanting freedom from their captivity. In this way, he made the book to be entertaining but also have a very serious meaning behind it. At first, their goal was morale, but as it became more common to follow it morphed into what they had been trying to retaliate against. As the setting is being formed we learn about Manor Farm which is run by Mr. Jones. The entertainment part of the book is introduced when we learn that his animals have the ability to speak.

A prize-winning boar named Old Major gathers the animals to tell them about his dream that he had where animals lived in happiness and harmony free from humans. He tells them that in order to achieve that goal they would need to work hard in order to reach that paradise. He then teaches them a song called “Beasts of England” which is about the dream that he had and hopes to create a rebellion with it. Just 3 days after his speech he dies but his dream was carried on by Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer making his philosophy called Animalism. After they defeat Mr. Jones by running him out of his own farm they rename the farm Animal Farm and strive from that day forward to achieve Old Major’s dream by creating what they believe a community should actually be run. This is when it starts to tie in as it is related to a communist government. At first, it prospers with Snowball helping to teach them how to read, and Napoleon educating animals on Animalism. As Mr. Jones comes back to take his farm back he fails once again and runs again. Soon after Napoleon and Snowball start to consider the future of the farm. They begin to struggle with power with the animals and everything starts to get out of control. Later after a meeting about a project, Snowball gets attacked by nine dogs and is chased off the farm. Napoleon takes advantage of the situation and makes himself leader and says that from that point on there would be no meetings about projects and that pigs only would make the decisions for every animal.

One day he changes his mind about the project which was an electricity-generated mill that he had once objected to and it was destroyed after a storm. He then starts to blame Snowball that he is back for revenge on the animals. He completely wipes out all animals that were devoted to Snowball and would receive “instant death”. “No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?” These 2 quotes are big ties to the that this is about a communist government and Napoleon would be the dictator that has taken over full control over everyone and brainwashed them. The pigs used to fight for a noble cause but were then subjected to the very thing that they were once captive because of. This book illustrates how it can be fictional but it still relates to our modern society.

I would have liked it if George Orwell had continued and shown what would happen in the future. Would they stay the same and become more human? Or would they realize that the only true way to live in harmony is by working together and not having anyone be above another? Just like in the real world we will never achieve things like world peace if we don’t find a common ground to work together. Something as simple as that is all it takes in order to accomplish goals that we never thought were possible.

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