The theme of Animal Farm is not difficult to understand. Orwell intended to criticize the communist regime he saw sweeping through Russia and spreading to Europe and even the United States. Though he agreed with many Marxist principles, Orwell was unable to accept the communist interpretation of socialism because he saw many similarities between the communist governments and the previous czarist regimes in old Russia. Communism, he thought, was inherently hypocritical. Animal Farm is a book that mirrors the russian revolution in almost ever way using animals to tell the story.
             Orwell uses his farm to symbolize the communist system. Though the original intention of overthrowing Mr. Jones (who represents the Czars), is not inherently evil in itself, Napoleon's adoption of nearly all of Mr. Jones' principles and harsh mistreatment of the animals proves to the reader that indeed communism is not equal but just another form of inequality. The pigs and dogs take most of the power for themselves, thinking that they are the best administrators of government. Eventually the power corrupts them, and they turn on their fellow animals, eliminating competitors through propaganda and bloodshed. This is of course a reference to Stalin, who murdered many of his own people in order to maintain his dictatorship of Russia.
             Chapter 1 In Orwell's first chapter, the reader is introduced to all of his wonderful animals- with two important exceptions: Snowball and Napoleon (two characters who
             will become the focus later). Obviously most of the chapter is intended to spark pity and a
             sense of sympathy for the poor, suffering farm animals, but the old Major's words are very telling. The "wise"(19) old pig addresses the central conflict of the book, and of Orwell's intended meaning-- tyranny. The first dictatorship the animals must overcome is the rule of Mr. Jones and the other humans.
             Chapter 2 Orwell's second...