The Peripeteia

In my opinion, Animal Farm is somewhat based on the reality. Maybe the story reflects how it was in Soviet during the war. For example, Stalin could be the character Napoleon in the book. I don’t know the details, but he was competing with someone else about the power of Soviet. And he used force to get it, as like in the novel:

By the time he had finished speaking there was no doubt as to which

way the vote would go. But just at this moment Napoleon stood up

and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched

whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before.

At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous

dogs wearing brass-stubbed collars came bounding into the barn. They

dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time

to escape their snapping jaws.

(Animal Farm, 1945. George Orwell, p. 35)

The novel could reflect the how it was in Soviet during the war, from an inner perspective, not from the outside. This could be a reason why the book talks briefly about the things behind the boundaries of Animal Farm. Maybe the people of Soviet didn’t know much about the other countries beyond Soviet.

The message of the book might be about power. Those who have power are all the same. In the very end, the other animals, except the pigs, couldn’t see any difference between humans and pigs. As in the following quote:

Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No questions,

now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked

from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again: but already

it was impossible to say which was which.

(George Orwell, p. 95)

The sudden change is when the pigs get to have all the apples and the milk for themselves. From this point they start to gain certain privileges. They only organize and are not doing any kind of work, they got to live in the house, wearing clothes and finally, standing on two legs instead of four. They became more and more humans, till the other animals couldn’t see any difference. This could be how the population of Soviet saw their leaders, that there was no difference from the previous leader to the present leader, as soon they reached the top of the career. They were all the same in the end.

In my opinion this book is a great story. I liked it, because it was a short story straight to the point. With not many word about the environment which allows me to use my imagination. The most important thing is the characters, which forms the story, not the story which forms the characters. It’s interesting how the pigs slowly take over the farm, with their intelligence. The book did not end like they all had hoped it would. The song is called “Beasts of England” and it represents the ideal society for the animals.

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,

Beasts of every land and clime,

Hearken to my joyful tidings

Of the golden future time.

Soon or late the day is coming,

Tyrant Man shall be o’erthrown,

And the fruitful fields of England

Shall be trod by beasts alone.

Rings Shall vanish from our noses,

And the harness from our back,

Bit and spur shall rust forever,

Cruel whips no more shall crack.

Riches more than mind can picture,

Wheat and barley, oat and hay,

Clover, beans and mangel-wurzels

Shall be ours upon that day

Bright will shine the fields of England,

Purer shall its water be,

Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes

On the day that sets us free.

For that day we all must labour,

Though we die before it break;

Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,

All must toil for freedom’s sake

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,

Beasts of every land and clime,

Hearken to my joyful tidings

Of the golden future time.

(George Orwell, p. 7)

I indeed felt sorry, in the end of the book, for the animals who couldn’t reach this dream. They all had the chance to achieve this song. However, Napoleon had other thoughts for Animal Farm. This is also one reason I think why the characters forms the story. Even though Animal Farm didn’t end as I had hoped, it is definitely a book worth to read.