Animal Farm Background notes (1903-1950) Real Name: Eric Blair British Political Novelist Born: To English parents in India After his father retired, Eric and his family moved back to England. He was sent to boarding school at the age of eight to prepare for Eton, an exclusive prep school. Because he had a scholarship, he was teased and humiliated frequently. At eighteen, he passed the Empire’s Civil Service Exam and became a police officer in Burma. Returned in Europe Pause & Reflect #1 • Looking back over your first section of notes, what information about George Orwell do you find the most interesting? Why? Socialist: someone who believes that the government should own businesses so that everyone will be equal Most fables have two levels of meaning. On the surface, the fable is about animals. But on a second level, the animals stand for types of people or ideas. The way the animals interact and the way the plot unfolds says something about the nature of people or the value of ideas. Any type of fiction that has multiple levels of meaning in this way is called an allegory. A composition making fun of something, usually political. Animal Farm makes fun of political society after the Bolshevik Revolution. Pause & Reflect #2 • 2. List some examples of fables, allegories or satires you are already familiar with in contemporary literature. Russian society in the early twentieth century had two social classes: a tiny minority (bourgeoisie) controlled the country’s wealth. The working class was called the proletariat. Communism arose in Russia when the nation’s workers & peasants rebelled against and overwhelmed the wealthy and powerful class of capitalists & aristocrats.( in 1917) Pause & Reflect #3 • 3. Why might George Orwell put down his criticism of the Russian Revolution and rise of Soviet Communism in literary form? Specifically, why would he choose to write it as a fable? Why might it be more effective? Pause & Reflect #4 • 4. Which of these themes do you think is the most relevant to contemporary society today? Why? Farmer Jones A drunk and a poor farmer, his cruelty towards the farm animals inspires their rebellion. (Czar Nicholas II) Old Major An elderly show pig whose instruction to the animals about "animalism" becomes the philosophical basis for the creation of Animal Farm. (Karl Marx/Lenin) Snowball A clever pig with a head for ideas, he becomes one of the main leaders of Animal Farm and the author of its central commandments. (Leon Trotsky) Napoleon A pig with a gift for techniques of control, he establishes most of the farm’s rules and eventually becomes its sole leader. (Joseph Stalin) Squealer A pig with the ability to make any idea sound reasonable, he is Napoleon's side-kick and is in charge of communicating to the animals. (Propaganda Dept) Boxer A strong and hard-working carthorse, he shows tremendous faith in the rebellion and its leaders. (Dedicated, but tricked communist supporters) Benjamin old, wise donkey who is suspicious of revolution; thinks “nothing ever changes” (skeptical people in and out of Russia) Mollie vain-loved her beauty and self; went with anyone who gave her what she wanted (vain, selfish people in Russia) Dogs private army that used fear to force animals to work; killed or intimidated any opponent of Napoleon (KGB – secret police) Sheep blind loyalty to Animal Farm (proletariat) Moses a Raven that tells the animals about Sugar Candy Mountain – Heavenanimals can go there if they work hard (religion) Pause & Reflect #5 • 5. What are some common associations you have with certain animals? For example, dogs are known to be “man’s best friend” and quite loyal. List one character/animal and discuss its association. What might Orwell be saying with his character choice?