Animal Farm

George Orwell
• Didactic text
• A critique of the history and rhetoric of the Russian Revolution. 
• Retelling the story of the emergence and development of Soviet
communism in the form of an animal fable, Animal Farm allegorizes
the rise to power of the dictator Joseph Stalin. 
• the overthrow of the human oppressor Mr. Jones by a democratic
coalition of animals quickly gives way to the consolidation of power
among the pigs.
 Main Characters
• Napoleon Mollie
• Snowball Clover
• Old Major Moses
• Squealer
• Boxer
• Mr. Jones
• Benjamin
• Mr. Whymper
Themes
• Class
• Equality and inequality
• Power, control and corruption
• The animals' unhappiness represents class struggle, this leads to the
Rebellion which offers some equality. Then the pigs' actions allow
inequality back on the farm.
• The theme of power and control is explored throughout the novel and
is highlighted by the characters' relationships on the farm.
• The themes are political and explore what happened within Russian
society in 1917 onwards. 
• It is important to remember that even though the novel is based on
events that took place in 1917, the themes are still relevant today.
1. Class in Animal Farm

• Before the Revolution of 1917, Tsar Nicholas II ruled Russia. The ruling
classes had money and power, whilst most of the population were
poor, exploited peasant workers or from the working class. These
people lived in terrible conditions and what they farmed was taken
from them leaving them to face starvation and poverty.
• The Revolution that came in 1917 sought to overthrow the Tsar and
change the balance of society to give power back to the working
class. The plot of Animal Farm closely parallels these events.
• In Animal Farm, Orwell uses the animals to highlight the hardships of
the working classes. He uses Mr Jones as a symbol for the Emperor -
to highlight how lazy and neglectful the Tsar was. The animals each
represent a different section of society at the time - they are
a metaphor for what happened to the people.
• The animals, like the working class of Russia, had short, difficult lives,
working to produce things that the ruling class would take for
themselves. The Rebellion on the farm seeks to change this, but the
revolutionary pigs soon adopt the ways of the ruling class that they
sought to abolish.
How is the theme of class shown in the
novel?
• In Animal Farm, Orwell explores class through:
• the hardships of the animals during Mr. Jones’ rule
• the exploitation of the animals by Mr. Jones
• the exploitation of the animals by the pigs after they take control
2. Equality and inequality in Animal Farm

• Orwell uses the animals and their actions to make the reader think
about equality and inequality. Before 1917, the majority of Russian
people suffered from great inequality - they had far less money and
food than the ruling classes.
• One of the Commandments is 'All animals are equal'. However, this
equality is short-lived and the pigs begin to bend the rules until
inequality returns to the farm.
How is the theme of equality and inequality shown in the novel?

• In Animal Farm, Orwell explores equality and inequality through:

• the inequality between the animals and mankind
• the equality that the animals seek to establish after the rebellion
• the inequality that begins again after the pigs take control
3. Power and control in Animal Farm
• Orwell explores political power - Mr Jones owns the farm and the
animals and uses his men and whips to keep them under control and
maintain his power.
• Orwell shows that the animals have the power to challenge Mr Jones'
control and take over the farm - using power in a positive way. He
then explores how the pigs use rhetoric and propaganda to establish
themselves in power and take control of the farm. 
• the working animals, especially Boxer the horse, have great physical
power but they don’t use it to break free from the control of the pigs.
• Orwell explores the idea of power leading to corruption. Many of the
characters in the novel are eventually corrupted by the power they
have, particularly the pigs, as they manipulate their position of
leadership to exploit other animals.
How is the theme of power and control
shown in the novel?
• In Animal Farm, Orwell explores power and control through:
• Mr. Jones exploiting his power and treating the animals badly
• the rebellion and how the animals use their power to take over the
farm
• the pigs and how they cleverly control the other animals
• https://youtu.be/XXkicQRl6vg