Transcript In Intro to Animal Farm

An Intro to Animal Farm
Tidbits of wisdom that will help
you better understand and
appreciate George Orwell’s
satirical fable.
George Orwell
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Born Eric Blair on June 25, 1903
In 1928, he went to Paris to be a writer
Published his first book in 1933, under the
pseudonym George Orwell.
December 1935, he fought in the Spanish Civil
War
Animal Farm published in August 1945
His other best known work, 1984, was published
in June, 1949.
Died January 21, 1950.
The Basics
 Although
it seems innocent enough,
Animal Farm is not the “fairy tale” story
that it seems.
 Written in 1945, the novella hits on some
of the major historical points of the
Russian Revolution of 1917.
 Orwell uses fable, satire and allegory to
tell this cautionary tale.
Satire
 A satire
is a literary work holding up
human vices to ridicule or scorn.
 Often uses wit, sarcasm or irony to expose
or draw attention to vice or folly.
 The main intent of satire is political, social,
or moral and not comic.
 Satire that leans more toward humor is
called parody.
Pop Culture Satirists
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Pop culture tends to lean more toward parody
than actual satire.
 Saturday Night Live is famous for parody.

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They poke fun at celebrities, current events and
politics
Weird Al Yankovich satirizes other artists music.
 Shows like The Simpsons have also been
labeled as satirical.
 Some editorial cartoonists, like Jim Borgman,
have also used satire.
Editorial Cartoons
Why is this an example of satire?
Fable
 A fictitious
narrative or statement
 A story that usually has a moral or lesson
to be learned at the end.
 Many fables feature animals that talk and
act like human beings

Fables often use anthropomorphism which
gives human characteristics, like emotions
(feelings like being happy or sad) and the
ability to talk, to a living thing that is not a
human.
Examples of Fables
 Some
of the most
famous are
Aesop’s Fables
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“The Ant and the
Grasshopper”
“The Wolf in
Sheep’s Clothing”
“The Tortoise and
the Hare”
Allegory

The expression by means of symbolic, fictional
figures and actions of truths or generalizations
about human existence.
 Similar to metaphors: both use one subject to
represent another unrelated subject.
 Unlike metaphors (which are usually one or two
lines), allegories often extend through an entire
story.
 Allegories are usually meant to persuade the
reader in some way.
Allegory Examples

Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” is one of the best
known.
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Stories about superheroes are often allegorical
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Uses a cave and shadows to caution mankind about
believing all they see.
The superhero represents the good in “Everyman,”
and his struggles are symbolic of the villains that
everyone fights.
Even The Wizard of Oz can been viewed as an
allegory for the financial troubles of America in
the 1890’s.
Terms
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Proletariat

The class of industrial wage earners who,
possessing neither capital nor production
means, must earn their living by selling their
labor; the poorest class of working people.
 Autocracy

government in which one person possesses
unlimited power
 Provisional Government

Formed after the Czar’s abdication; was in
place from March 1917 to November 1917
Capitalism

An economic system in which the means of
production and distribution are privately or
corporately owned.
 The business owners (or capitalists) get richer
while the workers do all the hard work.
 The capitalists get more power to serve their
own interests.
 Capitalism creates a huge working-class of
people who soon get angry at the way they are
treated. They organise in unions and demand
changes. This leads to a revolution and
Socialism…
Capitalism…think of it this way
 You
have two
cows, you sell
one and buy a
bull
Socialism
the Socialist revolution all the rulers –
kings, churches, capitalists are eliminated
 The workers take control of the country to
produce things for everyone.
 Because nothing is made for profit, all
people benefit from education and health.
 These ideas spread across the world to
create Communism….
 In
Socialism…think of it this way
 You
have two
cows, you give
one to a
neighbor
Communism
 A system
of government in which the state
plans and controls the economy and a
single, party holds power, claiming to
make progress toward a higher social
order in which all goods are equally
shared by the people.
 All human activity goes towards benefiting
each other – allowing all to live their lives
to the fullest.
Communism…think of it this way
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You have two cows. You give them to the
government. The government gives you some
milk.
Key Players
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Karl Marx
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Invented the idea of Communism
“Workers of the world unite” and take over
government
Died on March 14, 1883, well before the Russian
Revolution took place
Czar Nicholas II (Ruler of Russia)
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Cruel, sometimes brutal with opponents
Sometimes kind; hired students to work as spies to
make money.
Clumsy and ineffective leader.
Nicholas II abdicated on March 2, 1917, as a result of
the February Revolution.
In July 1918, the Bolsheviks executed Nicholas
Key Players
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Vladimir Lenin
 Founder of Bolshevik Party; Devout follower of
Marxism
 Orchestrated the “October Revolution”
 After Lenin died, on January 27, 1924 his embalmed
body was placed in a mausoleum for all to view.
Leon Trotsky
 Co-Leader of the “October Revolution”
 Pure communist; follower of Marx
 Wanted to improve life for all of Russia
 Chased away by Lenin’s KGB (secret police)
Joseph Stalin
 Cared for power; Did not follow Marx’s ideas; killed all
those who opposed him.
 Used KGB, propagandized.
 Was not a good public speaker
Key Players
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Pravda
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KGB (Secret Police)
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Russian newspaper of the 1930’s; used propaganda
Seized by Stalin and his Bolshevik regime
Worked for Stalin to improve his image
Forced support for Stalin; they were like bodyguards
Used force to combat disobedience
Russian People
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Some citizens did not care about revolution; went to other
countries that could offer them more.
Other dedicated supporters believed Stalin just because he was
“Communist;” many stayed loyal even when things got bad.
Skeptical people weren’t sure revolution would change anything;
knew communism wouldn’t work with power.
The Russian Revolution
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The Russian Revolution of 1917 centers around
two primary events
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February Revolution removed Tsar Nicholas II from
power, February revolution happened as a result of
bread shortages which led to worker protests which
led to a mutiny. Spontaneous Revolution!
October Revolution (also called the Bolshevik
Revolution) overturned the interim provisional
government and established the Soviet Union. The
October Revolution was a much more deliberate
event, orchestrated by a small group of people.
Timeline of Events
 1864:
Karl Marx organizes the First
Communist Internationale in London,
England.
 1881: Revolutionary sentiment continues
to build in Russia
 1883: Karl Marx dies (long before the
actual revolution!)
 1917 (February): The February
Revolution finally topples Czar Nicholas II
Timeline (Continued)
1917 (October): Bolshevik troops (at Lenin’s
request) advance on the Provisional
Government; a bloodless coup brings the soviets
to power and marks the start of the communist
era
 1918: Civil War breaks out in Russia; white
forces (intent on removing the soviets from
power) battle the “Red” forces of communist
Russia, under the leadership of Leon Trotsky
(the Red forces are victorious)
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Timeline (continued)
 1922:
The Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR) is established.
 1924-1927: Stalin out maneuvers Trotsky
and assumes full command of the USSR;
he immediately begins isolating Trotsky
within the party
 1927: Trotsky is run out of the Soviet
Union
Timeline (continued)
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1928: Stalin announces his first Five Year Plan
(an attempt to make Russian a modern industrial
state); convinces “comrades” throughout the
Soviet Union to work harder than they ever have
so that the Soviet Union can be beacon of hope
for workers everywhere.
 1933: Stalin proposes the second five year plan,
which again emphasizes the rapid growth of the
Soviet Industry; by the end, they are a formidible
world power
Timeline (Continued)
1934: Beginning of the “Great Purges” and
“show trials” under Stalin; these public
accusations and forced confessions were
followed by quick trials and executions (or
imprisonment); between 2 and 7 million people
are executed
 1939: The German-Soviet Non Aggression Pact
(a secret agreement between Stalin and Hitler)
is signed; guaranteed that neither country would
oppose or attack the other ever.
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Timeline (Conclusion!)
1941: Hitler begins “Operation Barbarossa,” the
full frontal assault on the Soviet Union, in
defiance of the Non-Aggression Treaty of 1939.
Hitler moves quickly into Russia; eventually
Hitler’s troops retreat under a Russian counterassault
 1943: Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D.
Roosevelt meet to discuss the ways to forge a
lasting peace after the war
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Connections to Animal Farm
 It
is said that the characters and events of
Animal Farm mirror those of the Russian
Revolution.
 As you read, pay attention: can you tell
who or what each character or event
represents?
 As with poetry…things aren’t always as
they seem! Look carefully.