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George Orwell: Animal Farm

If you read this when you were young, I would recommened a re-read, especially if you have a little knowledge about the subject Orwell was really writing about, the early history of Communist Russia. It will open your eyes to the fact that this is about something more than a simple story.

Phil
 
I read this in school too. I was impressed with the simpleness of the story & how it delivers it's moral message.

Might have to re-read this :)
 
I like this books a lot, but it always makes me so sad and frustrated. I feel like crying when they sell Boxer to the knacker. How could they?! They had no good reason!!! He was a good, maybe too good a worker.
 
I haven't read the book, but if you finished reading the book take some time to look at the movie, I watched it at school wasn't bad.
 
Beatrycze said:
Well, it can be said that Napoleon is Robespierre, Snowball- Danton and dogs- the sankiulots or the jacobins. I think that we could also look for Major. What is more, in the book Major died to soon to be Lenin, rather Marx. And what about counterparts for the donkey, the horse (my favourite) and other animals. I think they represent some symbols, not real people.
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The counterpart for Benjamin, was the people who thought the revolution was no good, Boxer, I forgot his, or its, name, but was supposed to be the 'ideal worker', you know, all the propaganda, I've seen pictures of him, Mollie, the aristocrats, or people who were content with the czar, and the sheep, the lower, uneducated people or something.
 
While I was reading the book, the country I had in mind the whole time was China. I didn't know any background of the book before hand, only that it was a 'brilliant parody of politics' at the time. Anything with politics seems to make me take notice nowadays, for some strange reason.

Anyway, I thought it was China the whole time - the 'Comrade this' and 'Comrade that' made it even more so for me.

And I suppose it did explain at a simple level how someone would follow a dictator.

Comments?

ds
 
The issue I had with this book, is that I heard of the porn film of the same name first. Thus whilst reading it I had a hard time thinking of anything else apart from, well, porn. I kept expecting rude sex. With animals. Possibly with humans and animals.

Curse my childhood.

However I have since come to love Orwell, and fortunately can appreciate his other works without expecting the story to suddely degenerate into some revolting sexual scene.
 
Freya said:
The issue I had with this book, is that I heard of the porn film of the same name first. Thus whilst reading it I had a hard time thinking of anything else apart from, well, porn. I kept expecting rude sex. With animals. Possibly with humans and animals.
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Damn. How I've missed you. :)

Welcome back.


Fluffy bunny, welcome back too! Read any graphic novels lately?

Thanks for the link - I've read it before and I'll read it again. It was a little too steep for the casual politics enthusiast (read: me), and still is, plus those fellows there are bandying terms too advanced for my fragile little mind. I'll arm myself with my politics textbook...

ds
 
I read this book a long time ago. What struck me, and what I remember until now, was how the animals in power - or whoever was in charge of the board (wasn't there a board where the wrote all the rules???) rewrote their history in order to sway/influence/manipulate the other animals.
 
Yeah, the rule I remember most was "All animals are equal" got the addition of something like "but some are more equal than others."

I always felt really hopeful right at first, before Napoleon drove Snowball off or killed him or whatever.

Man, it's so subversive, but I wanted, nah still want, to the read the book that Snowball would have made!

Does that make me a pinko lol?
 
I read Animal Farm a few years ago, and really enjoyed it. Although it's based on a certain period in history, it can be associated with almost any part of everybody's life! There are very few cases that the format of a new regime does not require a 'leader' of some sort, regardless of all 'good' intentions, and Animal Farm portrays this brilliantly.

I am yet to read 1984, but will do soon, in fact, this thread has spurred me on a bit!

Morten, I have also read 'Shooting an elephant' by Orwell. As it's only short, I actually read it a few times, and each time noticed a few more things. Not only is it highly symobolic, it is also beautifully written, more so than Animal Farm. Can anybody else recommend another Orwell essay? I have only read this one, and thought that it was brilliant.
 
Animal Farm

How many people liked the book by George Orwell: Animal Farm??
I give it a 7 out of 10. It's good but it could be longer....
 
I thought it was great, maybe 8 or 9 out of ten. It was short, but I think a much drawn out story would have ruined it a little, so the length didn't bother me. How can anyone who has read this ever forget the story, the charcters of Napoleon, Snowball and Major, and the message?
 
I thought I'd post this review of some essays of Orwell's FYI. This is from the Amazon website.
From Library Journal
Though his life was brief (1903-1950), Orwell was extremely prolific. In addition to penning two of the last century's greatest novels, he wrote reams of essays, journalistic pieces, and letters. Covering a 30-year period, this extensive four-volume set, originally published in 1968, collects the best of his nonfiction. Each volume is divided by year and intermixes his correspondence with news stories and discourses on numerous subjects. There is far more to Orwell than Animal Farm and 1984, and this beautiful collection reveals what a true intellect he was. Though probably more for academics, the books are priced reasonably enough for public library consideration.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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In case some want to follow up on Orwell.
 
It's on my re-read list. I read it years ago, and I think I was too young to understand the deeper meaning of it. :rolleyes: The only thing I remember is the ending.
 
Slacker said:
Yeah, the rule I remember most was "All animals are equal" got the addition of something like "but some are more equal than others."

I always felt really hopeful right at first, before Napoleon drove Snowball off or killed him or whatever.

Man, it's so subversive, but I wanted, nah still want, to the read the book that Snowball would have made!

Does that make me a pinko lol?
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No, not a pinko. The Snowball as Trotsky thing was very clever-though Orwell left out the part about the ice pick in Mexico City for Mr. Trotsky.:eek: ;)
 
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