Examples Of Allegory In Animal Farm By George Orwell

The desire for power has been a major issue in history since time immemorial. Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory that explores the concept of Communism and the Russian Revolution through the perspective of animals living on a farm. In the novella, farm animals are overworked and treated cruelly by their owner, Mr. Jones. A rebellion occurs in which the animals take over the farm and create their own society based on Animalism, a government similar to Communism. However, they soon realize it may not be the perfect society after all when leaders compete for control over the farm. The novella demonstrates the allegory of the Russian Revolution, the use of propaganda, and discusses how the desire for power can lead to tragedies and hardship.

The Russian Revolution consisted of a number of rebellions against Nicholas II, the Czar of Russia at that time. In the 1900s, Russia’s economy was not very successful. Protesters tried convincing the Czar to create better working conditions, as well as allowing them to elect an assembly. However, the Czar did not agree with this, ultimately killing the protesters (Barnes). Finally, a revolution in 1905 convinced the Czar to reform society, but many did not trust him. According to Salem Press, “The distrust that many workers held for him and his government, however, led to the establishment of secret revolutionary societies. It was during this time that several new types of leaders emerged” (Hall-Thur). Marxists, a group of people influenced by Karl Marx, wanted to start a revolution to get rid of the Czar, therefore they created the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (Barnes). Revolutionary leaders such as Vladimir Lenin, who led the Bolsheviks, and Leon Trotsky led protests against the Czar. The Revolution of 1917 led him to give up his throne and allowed Lenin and Trotsky to take control over the Revolution ("Russian Revolution"). The Bolsheviks, whom became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, were a major factor in the success of the Revolution because they took over Moscow and other cities (Barnes). Lenin died in 1924, leading to a man named

The novella discusses the allegory of the Russian Revolution and its propaganda, all while informing readers that the desire for absolute power can lead to tragedies and hardship. The important events, historical figures, and the use of propaganda are clearly resembled in the novel. Although the characters are animals and the events are not exactly the same as the Revolution, readers will still be able to identify the similarities and understand how the Revolution affected the Russian people. Overall, Orwell most likely wanted to show that the Russian Revolution was a very depressing time in history because innocent lives were taken and millions of people suffered as an aftermath. Equality, in addition to power, has also been a major issue in history, and Orwell would want the people of today to understand how to avoid making the same mistakes as some did in the past. In order for a society to be successful, strong, and progressive, humans must be able to work alongside each other without allowing their hunger for power to come in between one