Animal Farm: the Cycle of Revolution

Animal Farm, a novel written by George Orwell, presents us with many ideas and themes that not only reflect, but exemplify the society we live in: a bitter sweet world, full of treachery and fraud. The novel was initially written to serve as British propaganda, to counteract the socialist and communist ideas that had gained popularity throughout the 20th Century, especially in Soviet Russia, which in that time was an enemy of the British Empire. But Animal Farm displays more than what our eyes might first glance at. It not only displays how power is able to corrupt and consume one, only leaving a trace of humanity within him, but also how the meaning of an idea can change throughout time. Through my interpretation I can affirm that in Animal Farm, George Orwell develops the idea that a noble and modest scheme, such as a revolution, falls into a vicious cycle, bringing unforeseen consequences and straying away from the once benevolent thought that had crossed the animals mind.

Orwell does this by portraying and specifically depicting the animals altering attitude towards their once sought desire. The animals in power begin to abuse the capabilities they were granted, and the revolution that had been initiated by the animals in order to obtain absolute equality, now seems to provide shelter for those who exploit its existence. Orwell carefully uses the character Napoleon in order to illustrate how one is able to take advantage of a cause, turning it into a beneficial act, that only serves the one who manipulates. Throughout the novel Orwell is able, through precise and astute writing, to display various underlying themes, leaving them up for interpretation to the reader. In this essay I will demonstrate how an idea ,created for the greater good, leads to irreversible corruption and agony.

The novel firstly makes us familiar with the owner of the farm the animals inhabit, mr. Jones, who rules the farm with an iron fist, most of the animals are malnourished and mistreated. In response to the abuse the animals are suffering, Old Major, a white boar, sets up a meeting with the animals, where within his speech, he incentivizes the animals to initiate a rebellion against men. From this moment on the revolution beginns, and so does a vicious cycle that is waiting to consume all hope and desires of the animals. A few nights after the speech, old major passed away. Following his last command and orders the animals commenced establishing the rebellion, fighting not only for equality, but also for a brighter future that was sure to benefit all of the animals. Napoleon, Snowball and Squeaker, three astute pigs, were put in charge to lead the rebellion, since they outrivaled all the other animals. Together the three pigs elaborated Old Majors teachings, creating a system called Animalism, an ideology, whose sole purpose was to serve and benefit the animals, though this ambition was to endure vicissitude throughout the following years.

At the heart of Animalism rested a simple frase: Four legs good, two legs bad., a frase whose meaning would also acquire a different sense in the coming years. Napoleon and Snowball the two now, self proclaimed, democratic leaders of Animal Farm, were in constant disagreement, which put a strain upon the revolution. These arguments developed into altercations, which threatened the sovereignty of Animal Farm. To put an end to these confrontations, Napoleon, using a battalion of sanguinary hounds, banished Snowball from Animal Farm. This event, which broke one of the essential rules of Animalism, lead to a serious of incidents, that would mark the beginning of the deterioration of Animal Farm.

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