George Orwell and Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller and George Orwell’s writings are perceptive of Biblical views concerning social flaws and political corruption. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is based on the McCarthy trials, which caused the errors of the society to be revealed. These trials were a difficult time in America. Many innocent people were persecuted because they did not conform to the harshness of society. In Animal Farm, George Orwell figuratively uses symbolism to display the dominating politics in Russia at that time. Animal Farm is filled with examples of political corruption. One example is when the animals over throw the owner of the farm so they can set up their own government. They wish to set up a communist government. Napoleon and Snowball, the competing leaders of Animal Farm, both fight for the controlling position, but Snowball proves to be less powerful and falls under the rule of Napoleon. Within this government are many flaws. A communist government is one that has only one absolute ruler. A problem naturally occurs in society when one person is allowed too much power. In Animal Farm, Napoleon makes himself the sole ruler. Orwell displays Napoleon so well that the reader understands his character on a literal level (M . . .
Miller’s play is a proponent for moral flexibility. Nelson says that Arthur Miller chose the Puritan time period to base his novel in to show the strained theocracy existing in Salem at the time of the witch trials (Bloom 43). For example, instead of being able to decide what religion to live by that person will be forced into a certain kind of religion. He also says, The Crucible is not used as a political allegory, but rather a study in the political malfunction of the past (Bloom 42). The issues of charity and justice dominate not only the play, but also rule in John and Elizabeth Proctor’s tragic relationship (Bloom 135). Orwell presents Animal Farm as a kind of comedy and is willing to laugh at man’s depravity. At the beginning of the book, Major gives a speech expository of orthodox Marxism. The conflict between the allies and the beginning of the Cold War is displayed when Napoleon and Pilkington become wary of each other (Meyers 142). Although the town of Salem tries to force a certain self-image on John Proctor, he instead chooses death (Greenhaven 78). The Crucible is the story of an innocent man who is driven to the point of death because of the guilt placed on him by society. Benjamin Nelson says, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible was inspired by the politics of the 1950s (Bloom 41). Orwell refers to communism as animalism. Bigsby says that Miller looked for the solution to tyranny in taking responsibility for one’s individual actions in order to restore the significance of every person over the society (Bloom 48).
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