Animal Farm and The
Russian Revolution
The history and inspiration for George Orwell’s novel
George Orwell wrote Animal Farm between
November 1943 and February 1944.
He wrote a preface to this novel that was never
published. In the preface, he explained his
purpose in writing Animal Farm.
 He was angry that people in Europe admired Soviet
Russia.
 He wanted to write a critical novel about Joseph Stalin.
Russian Society
Russia was in an appalling
state of poverty while the
Tsar lived in luxury. There
was tremendous
dissatisfaction.
The Key Players
Czar Nicholas II
 Czar Nicholas II was Russia’s last
czar. He was part of the Romanov
dynasty that ruled Russia for over
300 years!
 Russian czars lived in a magnificent
palace called the Kremlin.
 He was a poor leader, but believed
he had been appointed by God and
held complete political power.
 In 1905, he had unarmed protestors
murdered in the streets.
 In March 1917, there were food riots
and army mutinies in Petrograd (a
Russian city).
 Czar Nicholas couldn’t cope with the
difficult situation, so he abdicated the
throne.
Enter Karl
Marx
 Marx believed the workers
(proletarians) were the true producers
of wealth. But the capitalists
(bourgeoisie) owned the means of
production – land and industry.
Therefore, the capitalists made huge
profits while the workers earned just
enough to survive. Not fair!
 Marx called for “workers of the world”
to unite against their capitalist
oppressors.
 Marx believed that private ownership
should be abolished in favor of a
“Communal” way of life where
everyone shares in the prosperity.
Communism
All people equal
Government owns
everything, People
own government
The Russian Revolution
The Russian Empire collapsed with the
abdication of Emperor Nicholas II, and the old
regime was replaced by a provisional
government during the first revolution of
February 1917.
In the second revolution that October, the
Provisional Government was removed and
replaced with a Bolshevik (Communist)
government.
Vladimir Lenin
Served as Head of
Government from 19171924.
Lenin adopted Marx’s
ideas. He believed that the
bourgeoisie (middle class)
exploited the workers and
must therefore be
overthrown.
 While in power, he changed
Russia’s name to the USSR
(Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics)
Power Vacuum
When Lenin died, there was
a power struggle between
Trotsky and Stalin.
 Believed in “pure” communism as
Marx had described it.
 He wanted to improve life for
everyone in Russia.
 Stalin defeated Trotsky at the
Communist Party Congress in 1927
and gained control of the secret
police.
 Trotsky was chased away by the
KGB (secret police) and fled to
Mexico City, where a Soviet agent
killed him with an axe in 1940.
Leon Trotsky
Joseph Stalin
 While most Russian leaders belonged
to the middle-class, Joseph Stalin was
born into the peasant class.
 Didn’t follow Marx’s ideas of
Communism exactly.
 Craved power and was willing do kill
for it.
 Used KGB and propaganda to keep
control.
Moscow Purge Trials
By 1936, Stalin began to use what would
become known as the Moscow Purge Trials to
control workers.
 In 1936, sixteen prominent and loyal Communists
publicly confessed to unbelievable crimes – spying,
terrorism, and plotting with Leon Trotsky.
 There was no evidence of their guilt other than the
confessions.
 All sixteen were immediately executed.
 About 70% of the Party leadership became victims
of the Great Purge.
 These trials served as an example of what would
happen to people if they opposed Stalin.
Under Joseph Stalin, the country fell under
totalitarianism – a form of government with
strong central rule that tries to control individual
freedoms.
 Stalin instituted the “Five Years Plan” to increase
economic growth, but ordered farms to give most of
their produce to the government.
 Peasants who opposed Stalin were sent to labor
camps, deported, or executed.
George Orwell wrote Animal Farm between
November 1943 and February 1944.
He wrote a preface to this novel that was never
published. In the preface, he explained his
purpose in writing Animal Farm.
 He was angry that people in Europe admired Soviet
Russia.
 He wanted to write a critical novel about Joseph Stalin.
The Styles of Animal Farm
• George Orwell wrote Animal Farm using 4
literary styles and techniques.
• Fairy Story/Tale
• Fable
• Satire
• Allegory
Literary Form
 George Orwell decided to write Animal
Farm in the form of a fairy story, or
fairy tale.
 A fairy tale is usually written for children
about magical or fantastic events that are
not true.
 Orwell originally subtitled Animal Farm “a
fairy story” in order to stress that it was
fantastic, but unfortunately, it was not untrue.
 The literary form of the animal fable
has been used for centuries.
 Animal fables are short stories that
teach a moral lesson. They include
animals that often talk and act like
humans. (Ex: Aesop’s fables)
Animal fables soon developed
into more complex forms of
literature called allegories.
 An allegory is a story that includes characters,
setting, etc. that have both literal and figurative
meanings.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an
allegory. Therefore, the novel has
both a literal and figurative meaning.
 On the surface, Animal Farm tells the
story of farm animals who are tired of
obeying the orders of a cruel master.
This is the story’s literal meaning.
 A pig is a pig.
 It is important to understand that Animal
Farm also has a figurative meaning.
This novel also tells the story of Soviet
Russia during the Russian Revolution.
 A pig is a political leader.
Satire
Animal Farm is also written as a satire.
 A satire is a form of literature that criticizes a
subject by making it seem ridiculous, amusing,
or contemptible.
 Purpose of satire:
 To make a moral judgment
 To correct wrongs
 To criticize injustices
 Animal Farm makes the Soviet Union seem both
laughable and despicable.
What to do while we read…
We will be focusing on 2 main areas while
reading Animal Farm- Story Structure and
Characterization
 Story Structure- Plot, Setting, Conflict
 Characterization- analyzation of main characters
As we read take notes on story structure in
your notebook.
 Use established 2 column process
Take notes on characterization on worksheets
 Code the text, record evidence, explain significance