Russian Revolution Allegory PPT 1
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Transcript Russian Revolution Allegory PPT 1
Animal Farm
by George Orwell
A Comparison of Characters to
the Russian Revolution
Animal Farm as Allegory
As we know, George Orwell’s novel
Animal Farm is an allegory.
– A work that can be read on two levels.
On one level, we can simply enjoy the
stories of animals on the farm.
On a deeper level, we can examine
the symbolism behind these
characters.
Mr. Jones
Irresponsible to his
animals
Sometimes cruel:
beats them with a
whip
Sometimes kind:
mixes milk in
animals mash
Czar Nicholas II
A poor leader a
best, compared
with Western kings
Sometimes cruel:
brutal with
opponents
Sometimes kind:
hired students as
spies to make
money
Old Major
Taught Animalism
Workers do the
work, the rich keep
the money, animals
revolt
Dies before the
revolution
Karl Marx
Invented
Communism
“Workers of the
world unite!”
Dies before the
Russian Revolution
Animalism
No owners
No rich, but no poor
Workers get a
better life; all
animals equal
Everyone owns the
farm
Communism
Same
All people equal
Government owns
everything
People own the
government
Snowball
Young, smart, good
speaker, idealistic
Really wants to
make life better for
all
One of the leaders
of the revolution
Chased away into
exile by Napoleon’s
dogs
Leon Trotsky
Other leader of the
“October
Revolution”
Pure Communist;
followed Marx
Wanted to improve
life for all in Russia
Chased away by
Lenin’s KGB
(Lenin’s secret
police)
Napoleon
Not a good
speaker; not clever
like Snowball
Cruel, brutal,
selfish, devious,
corrupt
His ambition is for
power; willing to kill
opponents
Uses dogs, Moses,
and Squealer to
control animals
Joseph Stalin
Not a good
speaker; not
educated like
Trotsky
Did not follow
Marx’s ideas purely
Killed all those that
opposed him
Used KGB and
propaganda to
control his people
Squealer
Big mouth
Talks a lot
Convinces animals
to believe and
follow Napoleon
Changes and
manipulates the
commandments
Stalin’s Propagandists
Worked for Stalin to
support his image
Used lies to convince
people to follow
Stalin
Benefited from the
fact that education
was controlled.
Focus for Reading
As you continue to read the novel, try
to identify other places where Orwell
uses allegorical symbolism.
By doing some independent research
on the Russian Revolution – or by
paying attention in history class – you
should be able to pick up on many
more references to history in the novel.