Napoleon's Exile Of Various Farm Animals example essay topic

Pig in the Middle (of the Russian Revolution) The content of the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell is satirical to the Russian Revolution. The narrative is developed by means of an establishment of events that correlate directly to changes that occurred in Russia [mainly] in the early 1900's. The events and characters in the book are comparative to important figures and affairs in the Russian Revolution. Although Orwell wrote the book to clearly reflect that distinct era, this novel can also be viewed as an allegory on any revolution Through this generalized approach to the presentation of the novel, Orwell creates a more identifiable way in which to explore the happenstance of the Russian Revolution, while simultaneously creating a completely individual train of events.

The novel takes place on a farm called "Manor Farm". In the initial stages of the book, the power over the farm is directly in the hands of a certain "Mr. Jones" who in recent times has taken up alcohol consumption. Mr. Jones is parallel to Tsar Nicholas II as suggested by his antipathy toward his people (the farm animals, in Jones's situation) and his denial of the current bureaucratic state. Before his abdication in 1917 (as is parallel to Jones " escapement from his spiteful farm of animals), the Tsar is known to have partaken in excess alcohol consumption along with his men. It was for this same reason that Jones has lost control of the farm, which initiates the ideal of revolution to the animals. Old Major stirs the other animals by showing his disagreement as per Jones's elfish method of running the farm.

As quoted in the book, "Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving and the rest he keeps for himself".

Jones was the evil in capitalism and the animals reason for revolt. In a broader sense, he is symbolic of motive for change in any situation where that action is believed to be required. Old Major is the elderly boar and philo sophist of the farm animal population. Although only in the novel for a short period of time, his role is very significant. He was the introduced of a new set of values and the a system labeled as "Animalism".

Major corresponded to the important historic figure Karl Marx, who is renowned for his introduction of communistic beliefs to the people through various articles of text famous for their economic and philosophically revolutionary content. As is similar to Old Major, Marx's ideas were mainly blind sided by people during his life and were not truly considered until after his death in 1883, and before any actual "revolution" occurred. After Karl Marx's and Old Major's deaths was when any of their ideals were thoughtfully considered and their ideas were executed. In a general sense, Old Major symbolized the actual suggestion for change in an area where it is about to transpire. Napoleon, the totalitarian pig, was clearly developed to portray the role Joseph Stalin had in the Russian Revolution.

Both Stalin and Napoleon took on extreme leadership roles, where the input of others was shunned and ignored. It was primarily this altar ego outlook and method of dictatorship that linked Napoleon as a symbol of Stalin's rule. Stalin's introduction of the Five Year Plans (which began in 1928) was conceptualized to encourage industrial growth in the country, which is similar to the plans for the windmill that were Napoleon's (that Snowball recognized as his own). The windmill was designed to create electricity (industrialization) for the animals, so their corrals could be heated.

With the corruption of the first Five Year Plans (and thus the destruction of the windmill), a new set of Five Year Plans, as was a new windmill, introduced. It is Napoleon who is responsible for the decline of the Animalism system, due to his harsh upbringing of the form of government. During a fearful period called "the Great Purge", Stalin ostracized any opposition to his rule whatsoever, which is not dissimilar to Napoleon's exile of various farm animals, after they admitted to countering his ideals. On "Animal Farm" (the name was changed from "Manor Farm" after the retreat of Mr. Jones), Napoleon assembled a group of dogs who were responsible for identifying and banishing any deviation from Napoleon's rule. This force was similar to Russia's assembly of a secret police, named the KGB, who were in charge of obliterating any opposition to Stalin's rule. In an extended sense, Napoleon was symbolic of the "corruption" in the inevitability of "absolute power corrupting absolutely".

He was the destruction that presumably incurs when any individual is granted too much power. Squealer, a pig who was responsible for publicizing Napoleon's progress, was labeled as the "manipulator" and the "persuader" by Orwell. He was assigned the role of detailing what exactly was happening within the government to the other animals on the farm. He was symbolic of the newspapers (i.e. The Pravda, 1930's) whom were responsible for publishing what was happening in the Russian government at that time. It was the newspaper's plan to equivocate the truth, and since it was the only source of reference or publication as to what was going on, it was an effective way of manipulating the people to believe the government's deception. This was done so as to make the country believe everything was alright, when conditions were much more grim.

As squealer was said to be able to "turn black into white", the animals believed him, and these lies ended up being a main source of corruption in the ultimatum of destruction at the end of the book. In any given revolution, Squealer is symbolic of deception and avoidance of the truth. Snowball was similar to Napoleon in that they shared the ideal of a leadership position. In time, the two pigs see that one must resign from his authoritative position. This change does not come about quickly as "Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in debates.

But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made, the other could be counted to oppose it". After much disagreement wherever possible, Napoleon realizes during the question of the windmill that Snowball must be exiled. At this point, he sends out his dogs (the KGB) to chase him away. With this action, it is noticed that Snowball is indefinitely Leon Trotsky who, like Snowball from the farm, was scared away from Russia to Mexico. It was here that he spoke out against Stalin (his arch-rival).

In fear of overwhelming opposition, Stalin attempted many times to have Trotsky assassinated. All being unsuccessful, Trotsky was finally found with a pick-axe in his head: he had been butchered by the Russian Internal Police (the NKVD- a branch of the KGB). Although Snowball's death is not an event in the book, his riddance was very significant in that all leadership power was in the hands of Napoleon, which is the precedent cause for corruption of Animalism. Snowball's character was allegorical of the "opposition" faced in any revolt-based situation. The horses "Clover" and the cleverly named "Boxer" are depicted as the working class, or the "Proletariat".

In Russia during the revolution, the Proletariat were the middle-class people, trusted to keep production rates high, without depletion of quality. They are promised a better lifestyle with more material goods. As with the over exhaustion and manipulation of the Proletariat, Clover and Boxer worked so hard that one day he collapses. This was indicative of the harsh times the laborers endured in Russia at the time of Revolution. The name "Boxer" is significant because it alludes to the Boxer Revolution, which occurred in China in the very early 1900's. This revolution happened due to an increase in illegal aliens in China, and a consequent increase in labor to make up for this population boom.

Therefore, the characters Clover and Boxer are indicative an increase in labor in conditions where a government is slowly collapsing, as in certain rebellion movements. The other horse "Mollie" was preoccupied with pretty ribbons and sugar so much that she did not play a major role in the actual revolution of the farm. After being viewed as a traitor for conversing with the other farm and being approached on te matter, she quietly leaves Animal Farm. She represents not only the materialistic nature of people, but also a roadblock for the serious revolutionists in the story. She was consuming what they worked hard to get, with no contribution of labor on her part. All in all, she was symbolic of inconvenience to attain a goal, that being attributed to her materialism, which is a factor in any revolution, as it retards development in the governmental system.

Moses the raven had a very little part in the book, and was not well-received by the other animals due to that. He was symbolic of religion in the revolution, and how during that period, the church was basically put aside. All focus was on aspects such as leadership and industrialization, and this type of theology was held until post- revolution days, where less concrete values could be regained. Moses was not very particular to the Russian Revolution directly, but a character that would easily fit into any situation, regardless if its nature is revolutionary or not. The "collective" group of pigs in the novel are representative of the provisional government labeled the "Duma".

They surround Napoleon as "guardians" almost, which is indicative of the role the Duma played during the revolution. Dissimilar to any other group of animals, the pigs are allowed luxury, almost like royalty would. The Duma were afforded these privileges as they, too, were considered mere royalty. In a broad sense, the pigs are symbolic of the support behind the main source of power, and give satisfaction that the corrupt government is not as "corrupt" as it is. With the ultimatum of absolute corruption of Animalism at the end of the novel, as with the parallel fall of the government in Russia, yet another similarity can be grasped between the two situations. The book Animal Farm by George Orwell is a direct satire on the Russian Revolution, and for that matter, any revolution in general.

With the allegorical draw that ties the two situations together, one can further grasp what actually went on in Russia during the early 1900's. Thus with the satire established in the novel, more truth can be brought to either situation. Therefore, an understanding as per why each political figure acted the way they did is found, and more can be told as to why the final drive was toward a mass corrosion of such a highly anticipated goal.