Animal Farm: 7 Commandments

A detailed Summary of Animal Farm: 7 Commandments

What is the significance of the 7 commandments? Do you think George Orwell has a message for his readers?

Animal Farm, by the controversial author George Orwell, was written in the 1940's after the 2nd World War, 3 decades after the Russian revolution of 1917. It was first published in 1948 after being rejected several times.

This critically acclaimed book begins during the reign of the incompetent drunkard Farmer Jones, who manages his farm badly and neglects the animals. The wise boar, Old Major, gives the animals a speech about rebellion and fighting for the good of all animals ("4-legs good. 2-legs bad."), then promptly dies. The animals, led by the pigs, carry out Old Major's wish: they rebel and begin to run the farm. As time progresses, however, the pigs take more and more control. The pigs slowly but surely break all of the 7 commandments laid out by Old Major to give guidelines for the rebellion that all the animals could understand and refer to. Soon the pigs impose a reign of terror and slavery similar to that of Mr. Jones. In fact, by the end of the book they walk on their hind legs - like humans, like Mr. Jones.

The book appeals to a wide audience, as it can be read on many levels. It can be read at face val

I think that George Orwell definitely wrote the book to show a general moral that people in power betray their principles, and also a message with a more specific historical significance. The book, to anyone with any historical knowledge, is a clear allegory of the Russian revolution of 1917. The characters, in their actions and personalities, are very similar, in fact almost identical to the main figures in the Russian revolution. For example, Old Major represents Lenin who followed the beliefs of Karl Marx, and like Old Major inspired his people with his ideas of rebellion, but died before he saw his vision completed. Similarly Snowball represents Trotsky, Napoleon - Stalin, the dogs represent the 'Ogpu' (secret police), and Boxer's sayings represent that of the honest workers of the Soviet Union. Animal Farm is a warning - to stop history from repeating itself. I suppose he wrote the book so that the reader would have hindsight, and would be aware of the fact that in any community leaders will always take over.

Noble naivety is not enough when you are up against Napoleon!

The revolution, and the dreams of a society where all animals could live equally and happily were the thoughts of Old Major - "Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers". When he feels his time has come he summons all the animals and tries to pass on the knowledge and wisdom he has acquired in his long life. He

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Approximate Word count = 948
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English