Themes, Tone, and Language in Animal Farm
George Orwell's Animal Farm is one of the greatest satirical novelsof our time. A classroom favorite, Animal Farm provides a unique learningopportunity for students of literature and politics alike. "Animal Farm...is a rare example of a great work in which the timeless literary qualitiesare fused perfectly with the time-bound persuasive qualities." (Rodden, 2-3) There are many elements in Orwell's book that allow for thisuniversality and depth. George Orwell's novel Animal Farm is a great pieceof satirical and literary work due to the author's universal themes,digestible tone, and crafty use of language. The basic plot of Animal Farm closely parallels that of the RussianRevolution. The animals on Manor Farm in Hertfordshire, England (the placeof Orwell's birth) are dissatisfied with the negligent treatment they arereceiving from Farmer Jones. The animals decide to fight back, taking overthe farm through battle, and renaming it Animal Farm. The pigs Snowballand Napoleon both want to rule the animals, but Napoleon succeeds indriving Snowball from the farm and setting him up as the perfect scapegoatfor every unpleasant event that will follow. Napoleon declares himself
(Rodden) Orwell's ability to present this controversial satire in the highlyreadable, fairy-tale format while maintaining deep symbolism and theseriousness of the tragedy is why Animal Farm is considered to be a modernclassic. Hemaintains a historical feel that is factual and nonjudgmental as thenarrator. However, the book is overarchingly satirical, more often thannot utilizing a humorous tone. " (Guardian) Thispropaganda is used by both the humans and the pigs. Humans, who represent evil, are in charge of thefarm at the beginning of the novel, and they are again in charge at theend. He tells the animals about Sugarcandy Mountain where all animalsgo after death, delivering a religious message to the people just as hisnamesake did in the Bible. Forexample, in the first chapter of the book, Orwell pains a very positiveview of the animals through their descriptions. "The pigs browbeat theothers with ideology, then twist that ideology to suit their own purposes:their language games were evident. These themes of course relate to theperversion of Marxist Socialism, but more universally refer to theoppression and frustration of the common good man. In the end, Napoleon and the other pigs are treating the animals aspoorly as the farmer ever did, and they begin to resemble human beings inevery way; things are exactly the same as they were in the beginning. This is also an example of a second theme in Animal Farm, which isthat power corrupts. For example, in the power strugglebetween the two pigs, it is Napoleon who wins, although Snowball was farmore kind and understanding of the other animals.
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Acceptance Essays
