Animal Farm
by George Orwell
English I
L.Lewis/SKHS
George Orwell
• Originally named Eric Blair, he adopted
the name Orwell because it sounded more
English
• He spent his early years in India and liked
to make up stories. For school, his
parents sent him to a boarding school in
England.
George Orwell
• Instead of going to college, Orwell took a job in
Burma and wrote about the oppression of the
British
• Years later he returned to England writing
newspaper columns, essays, and radio
broadcast
• During WWII he supported England but was
skeptical of government and their willingness to
forsake ideas for the sake of power. A theme he
uses in Animal Farm. The novel is a direct
allegory of the Russian Revolution
Pre-Russian Revolution
• In America and Europe, a capitalist system
was thriving. A capitalist system is a free
enterprise system demonstrating under the
philosophy that if you work hard, you can
get ahead.
• In 1847, Karl Marx a German philosopher
drew up a plan to help a group of
international workers. Marx came up with a
plan called The Manifesto of the Communist
Party.
Pre-Russian Revolution
• Marx envisioned a workers revolt where
workers would work according to their
ability and their need. The final stage of
his plan was a communist system or
economic quality.
• Communist System- a theory based on
holding all property in common and
ownership belongs to the community.
Pre-Russian Revolution
• At this time, in America and Europe were
passing labor laws and make places safer
and more tolerable. The worldwide
revolution Marx had hoped for would never
come to pass.
• There were still many people who followed
Marx, they were called socialist, who
wanted to bring change to society.
Pre-Russian Revolution
• The socialist were split into two groups.
The milder group wanted to bring change
slowly by passing laws. The other group
(later called the communist) followed
Marx’s idea for a major revolt.
• They (the socialist and communist) formed
a party called the Bolshevik party.
Timeline
• 1864-Marx organizes the First Communist
Internationale in London. It directs a
modest growth in Communism.
• 1881-Revolutionary dissent in Russia, a
growing dissatisfaction with the political
system and general conditions.
• 1883-Karl Marx dies
Timeline
• 1917- The February Revolution, growing
out or violent street protest against the war
and poverty it contributed to, finally topples
Czar Nicholas.
– Nicholas ran Russia like a king, workers were
underpaid and worked on land of wealthy
landowners.
– The Bolshevik party successfully overthrew
the Czar.
Timeline
• 1917- At the October Revolution the
Bolshevik troops advance on the
Provisional Government Headquarters at
the Winter Place. A bloodless coup brings
the Soviets to power, and marks the start
of the Communist Era.
Timeline
• 1918- Civil War begins in Russia. White
forces intent on moving the Soviets from
power, battle “Red” forces of communist
Russia under the leadership of Leon
Trotsky. Trotsky’s skillful execution of the
three-year war effort result in the
maintenance of communist authority.
Timeline
• 1922- The USSR is formally established
• 1924-1927- Stalin outmaneuvers Leon
Trotsky and assumes full command of the
USSR. He immediately begins the
process of isolating Trotsky within the
party; eventually (1927) Trotsky is run out
of town and exiled to Alma-Alta.
Timeline
• 1928- Stalin announces the first Five Year
Plan an ambitious attempt to make Russia
a modern industrial state. Stalin exhorts
his “comrades” throughout the Soviet
Union to work harder than they ever have
so that Russia could be a beacon of hope
everywhere.
Timeline
• 1933-Stalin proposes a second Five Year Plan
which again emphasizes the rapid growth of
Soviet Industry. By the end of the second Five
Year Plan, Soviet Russia was a formidable world
power.
• 1934-The beginnings of “Great Purges” and
“show trials” under Stalin. These public
accusations and forced confessions were
followed by quick trials and executions.
Between two and seven million are suspected of
opposition to Stalin and are executed.
Timeline
• 1939- The German-Soviet Non Aggression
Pact, a secret agreement between Joseph
Stalin and Adolph Hitler was signed.
This pack guaranteed that neither country
would oppose or attack the other.
Timeline
• 1941-Adolph Hitler begins “Operation Barbosa”
the full frontal assault of the Soviet Union, in
defiance of the 1939 Treaty. Hitler quickly
moves into Russia, straining its supply lines and
trapping his troops deep within Russia. Winter,
followed by sapped German troop strength, and
they began to retreat under Russian counterassault
• 1943-Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D.
Roosevelt met to discuss the ways to forge a
lasting peace after the war.
Vladimir Lenin
• Student of Marxism
• Leader of Bolshevik
party
• Creator of the Secret
Police
• Civil Wars
• Assassination attempts
Leon Trotsky
• A leader in the Bolshevik
party
• Formed the Red Army
• Denounced the work of
fellow Bolshevik Joseph
Stalin
• Became the scapegoat for
many of Russia’s problems
• Exiled to Mexico where is
he was assassinated
Joseph Stalin
• Before coming into power, he wrote for the
Pravda, a party newspaper.
• Secretary of the Central Committee (a
place where he could control
appointments, set agendas and transfer
party officials and increase power)
• When Lenin died, Stalin used power to
become a dictator in 1929.
Joseph Stalin continued
• He planned to industrialize his nation
• He wanted to use collectivization to increase
production and to end private farming.
• He transferred control of the farms to the
government, causing people to starve and
revolt.
• In 1935, he began the Great Purge in which no
one was able to escape the terror of his rule.
• By 1938 he gained absolute power.
Joseph Stalin
• In 1939 he went into an
agreement with Germany for
their safety during the war. In
1941, Germany invaded Russia.
• In 1943, Stalin met with
Roosevelt and Churchill to work
together until Germany was
defeated.
• In 1945, the leaders met again
to discuss occupying Germany
• In 1953, Stalin died.
Russian Revolution
• Marx’s system turned into a system more
terrifying than the czars. There was no
freedom, it was a totalitarianism.
Things you need to know
• An allegory- a story with a double
meaning. Although Animal Farm is a story
about animals. It is a message speaks
about human nature and what power can
do to someone.
• Satire- the writer attacks a serious issue
by presenting it in a ridiculous manner.
Orwell uses satire to expose the myth of
Soviet Socialism.
Types of Government
A simple explanation…using cows
• Capitalist- You have two cows, you sell
one and buy a bull. (if you work hard, you
can get ahead)
• Communist- You have two cows. Your
neighbors help you take care of them. You
all share the milk.
– Russian Communism- You have two cows. You have to take
care of them, but the government takes all the milk.
Types of Governments continued
• Socialist-
You have two cows. The government
takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone
else's cows. You have to take care of all the cows. The
government gives you as much milk as you need
• Totalitarianism- You have two cows. The
government takes them and denies they ever existed.
Milk is banned.
Other Terms
• Republic- state of power rest in citizens
entitled to a vote and is exercised by
representatives chosen directly or
indirectly.
• Proletariat-workers who do not possess
capitol or property and must work to
survive
• Autocracy-one person who has absolute
power.
Cast of Characters
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The Pigs
Old Major
Snowball
Squealer
Minimus
Pinkeye
Piglets
Rebel Pigs
The Humans
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Mr. Jones
Mr. Frederick
Mr. Pilkington
Mr. Whymper
Other Animals
Horses:
• Boxer
• Clover
• Mollie
Donkey:
Benjamin
Characters
• Raven: Moses
Goat: Muriel
Characters
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Dogs: Jessie and Bluebell
The Hens
The Dogs
The Sheep
The Cat