Animal Farm Joseph Stalin vs.

Animal Farm Joseph Stalin vs. Napoleon the Pig

Do Pigs Speak Russian?

George Orwell is considered to be one of the greatest Satirists of the twentieth century, and his Animal Farm is exemplary of his talent. This novel about personified farm animals that take over the farm on which they live because they do not like the living, dying, and working conditions has become one of the best loved social commentary pieces of fiction, embraced by war historians, animal rights activists, and literary critics alike. "The complex Satire of Animal Farm is built upon an awareness of the power that language wields." (Hunter, 31) Orwell was himself a historian as well as an author, and Animal Farm is more than a fantasy story, it is an interpretation of historical events. Animal Farm can be interpreted easily as a retelling of the Russian Revolution, with one of the lead characters in the book, the pig Napoleon, being a stand-in for Stalin.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Russia was one of the great powers of Europe, but it was a great power that was universally regarded as backward." (Fitzpatrick, 1) in response to this backwardness, the Russian Revolution was born. The Russian Revolution climaxed in 1917 when the government was overthrown. The Tzar system had been replaced, but the people were not content, and therefore started this political movement. This is when the Soviet Union was formed (which later collapsed in 1991, long after Orwell's book was written.) the first part of the Russian Revolution was the February Revolution, and the second part was the October Revolution. The February Revolution was when Nicholas II, the aristocrat and last true Tzar of Russia, was removed from power. The point of removing the Tzar was to instead create a liberal republic for the people. The October Revolution was when power was seized by the people, from the Bolshevik party, which was run by Vladimir Lenin. The most significant events of the revolution took place in Moscow and St. Petersburg, however the revolution also affected peasant and citizens throughout the country.

Orwell's Animal Farm takes place on Mr. Jones' Manor Farm. Old Major is the farm elder pig, who inspires the animals with his dreams of freedom from slavery by the farmer. His philosophy is dubbed Animalism, and after Old Major's death, the animals start to plan their revolution. Two pigs come to power, Snowball and Napoleon. The first events of the Revolution are set into motion when the farmer forgets to feed the animals, and all humans are chased off of the farm. The animals decree Secen Commandments by which they shall live. For some time the animals live in harmony, harvesting the crops and following Napoleon's supervision. Unfortunately, Napoleon turns out to be corrupt, and he starts stealing milk and apples and other things for himself and his pig buddies. Squealer is put into power to keep the animals convinced that the pigs are superior, inspiring them with speeches such as, "Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure.

On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves.

But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?" (Orwell) When the farmer attempts to reclaim his farm, they hold the Battle of the Cowshed and he is defeated. Napoleon refuses Snowball's plan to build a windmill and thereby make life more comfortable for all animals, on the grounds that it will take too much time to build the windmill, but his motivation may not be that innocent. When Snowball tries to get the animals to vote on the windmill, Napoleon has Snowball chased off of the farm (and perhaps killed) by a pack of vicious dogs. Napoleon then claims the windmill idea as his own, and blames poor Snowball for all of the farm's problems. Napoleon eventually breaks one of the principles of Animalism by trading with neighboring farms, and Napoleon overall becomes a ruthless dictator, moving into the farmer's house. All of the Seven Commandments are broken by the pigs, and eventually they cannot be distinguished from the humans at all.

There are many parallels between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution. Orwell was making the comment that the revolution actually put an even more oppressive and deadly government into place than the one that was overthrown. Manner Farm can be seen as representing Russia, and the three pigs also represent the major historical figures of the Russian Revolution. The farmer, Mr. Jones, is obviously Tzar Nicholas II that was overthrown at the start of the revolution. Slaughter and hunger, like the animals experienced under the farmer, were common in Russia for the people. Old Major is a representation of Lenin, who lead the Bolshevik party, which took control when the Tzar was first overthrown. Lenin and Old Major both idealized a communal nation. Neither was in power for long. Old Major hated people with a passion, as Lenin hated the Tzar. Old Major transformed Manor farm into Animal Farm, as Lenin transformed Russia into the U.S.S.R. Snowball is a representation of Trotsky, who led Lenin's Red Army like the pig leads the army of animals on the farm.