Animal Farm: 7 commandments
What is the significance of the 7 commandments? Do you think George Orwell has a message for his readers?Animal Farm, by the controversial author George Orwell, was written in the 1940's after the 2nd World War, 3 decades after the Russian revolution of 1917. It was first published in 1948 after being rejected several times.This critically acclaimed book begins during the reign of the incompetent drunkard Farmer Jones, who manages his farm badly and neglects the animals. The wise boar, Old Major, gives the animals a speech about rebellion and fighting for the good of all animals ("4-legs good. 2-legs bad."), then promptly dies. The animals, led by the pigs, carry out Old Major's wish: they rebel and begin to run the farm. As time progresses, however, the pigs take more and more control. The pigs slowly but surely break all of the 7 commandments laid out by Old Major to give guidelines for the rebellion that all the animals could understand and refer to. Soon the pigs impose a reign of terror and slavery similar to that of Mr. Jones. In fact, by the end of the book they walk on their hind legs - like humans, like Mr. Jones. The book appeals to a wide audience, as it can be read on many levels. It can be read at face val
Animal Farm is a warning - to stop history from repeating itself. It symbolises the breakdown of a society without rules. On a more general note, Animal Farm talked about communism and its ups and downs, theory and reality, at a time when countries of Eastern Europe were experimenting with communism. He explains to the animals, in less than kind words, that unless they rebel they are going to be killed to feed the enemy - humans. The book, to anyone with any historical knowledge, is a clear allegory of the Russian revolution of 1917. To stop people from causing problems to themselves and others there have to be guidelines. Similarly Snowball represents Trotsky, Napoleon - Stalin, the dogs represent the 'Ogpu' (secret police), and Boxer's sayings represent that of the honest workers of the Soviet Union. The characters, in their actions and personalities, are very similar, in fact almost identical to the main figures in the Russian revolution. Most of the animals loyally believe in the rules, but the superior pigs are so cynical that they alter them to suit themselves. The revolution, and the dreams of a society where all animals could live equally and happily were the thoughts of Old Major - "Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers". The ideals and hopes of the animals are sold down the river when the pigs come into power. The majority of the commandments were about freedom and equality, because of the prior regime of tyranny of Mr. Throughout the middle and towards the end of the book, when the pigs are becoming ever more like humans, the 7 commandments are broken during the struggle to gain power.
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Acceptance Essays
