If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or email alerts. Thanks for visiting!
Beasts of England - the socialist anthem singing the praises of animal freedom and promise of a better life without being encumbered by humans is depictive of an unattainable utopia that we usually dream about. By cleverly disguising pigs as manipulative zealots, Orwell almost makes you cringe at the naiveté of the common man, played by other animals. The importance of propaganda is underscored by deft manipulation by Squealer the pig who always manages to twist the beliefs and conveniently makes ad hoc modifications to the Seven Commandments ensconced on the barn wall after the Rebellion. If you have studied your history carefully, you will understand that the propaganda ministry in any totalitarian regime is of utmost importance in squashing any possible mutiny bloodlessly.
The Seven Commandments in Animal Farm ultimately boils down to the classic “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” Orwell subtly suggests that inherently all societies will experience a power struggle, some more obvious than others and ultimately arrive at an equilibrium that pits one class of people against the other, more likely unfairly. The earlier we accept this fact, the better our life is and helps keep our expectations at a realistic level. We, always strive to be in the dominating class which effectively makes our life better sometimes at the expense of others. But better them than you, right? It may seem harsh but life’s realities are harsher. Things may not be as black and white as Orwell suggests since our society is much more complex than a life on a farm but ultimately it does depend how high up you are on the food chain. You can do your part by not doing any harm but don’t expect that you will not be manipulated or betrayed because you did not.
The tale is devoid of any emotional sentiments except during the treatment of poor Boxer the hardworking horse. If capitalism suffers from the harsh realities of selfish interests, communism or socialism is no different in its lack for emotional attachment in favor of a greater good. If you haven’t read this classic yet, go out and read it today. It’s a quick read at 140 odd pages. It will definitely give you a better understanding of our society.
I might be a bit late in posting this review-esque post on Animal Farm but unfortunately I wasn’t born when it came out.
by Patrix | on Sunday, September 26th, 2004 at 11:05 pm | 
Books . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
September 27th, 2004 at 12:33 am reply
I have not read the book, or even heard of it before now, but the lessons are all very true. Also the phrase “more equal” is common place now, and it is good to know where it originated from! I will try to locate this book and read it - it is anyday a better read than the junk I am reading right now. The junk is called Chariots of the Gods. Obligation okay! :)
September 27th, 2004 at 1:27 am reply
Kiran - No probs..Chariots of the Gods sounds like Sheldon kinda stuff, am I right? Your common place remarks reminds me of an incident, a friend who had saw an adaptation of Julius Ceasar on stage later remarked, “yeah the play was good but had lot of common place cliched dialogues” :)
September 27th, 2004 at 5:15 am reply
Read it quite some time back.. but without that digs at Soviet Union frame of mind..
BTW do you get paid for these google ads? Some chap mentioned it on his blog..
September 27th, 2004 at 12:31 pm reply
Been meaning to read it for a while.
Should go out of my way to get a copy i guess!
September 27th, 2004 at 12:45 pm reply
Oh I love that book…my all time fav political satire! I agree, the way Orwell portrayed the pigs to be the power and the change the commandments undergo at every phase of the “developement” of the farm.
September 27th, 2004 at 1:27 pm reply
Twilight Fairy - Actually I do. Lemme explain how in a post sometime tomm.
Som - I wondered how I kept away from it for so long. But it definitely is a great read…hilarious and insightful.
Queer - Yup. The ad-hoc modifications do remind me of our present laws..undecipherable yet restrictive :) no wonder lawyers are so hated.
September 27th, 2004 at 7:56 pm reply
hey patrix
Chariot of the Gods is a “supernatural” TRUE STORY :). I mean it analyszes whether aliens came to earth or not by “deciphering” the hidden signs of the Incas (I think) something similar to the “Signs” story. I remember the author also I think Erik Van Gurken or smbody.
I remember being “inspired” after reading the book when I was in sixth :)
I do “LOVE” animal farm. But I think 1984 is more like my kind of book. Too eerie and too real.
September 27th, 2004 at 9:00 pm reply
Divya - LOL! I must have been mislead by the corny title. 1984 is next on my list though.
September 27th, 2004 at 10:23 pm reply
hmmmm.. Was planning to read 1984 too… shd I wait for a review or shd I read it without a probable bias :-|
September 27th, 2004 at 10:44 pm reply
Twilight Fairy - Maybe you could read it and post a review instead.
September 27th, 2004 at 11:00 pm reply
Hi there!
Heard a lot about Animal Farm. Will read it asap. Glad it’s only 140 pages.
“You can do your part by not doing any harm…betrayed because you did not.” So true. Made me realise that the only enduring reason why one ought to stay true to his highest ideals is coz he ‘wants to’. Not because the world would appreciate it.
September 28th, 2004 at 12:35 am reply
Passerby - But such a virtue is extemely rare and virtually impossible to come across in real life. It is just an utopian concept.
September 28th, 2004 at 1:06 am reply
True. But in a way, utopian concepts can be the most commonsensical ones to follow in a world full of chaos and confusion.
September 28th, 2004 at 3:06 pm reply
Passerby - Yup, true but all I am saying is that they are the ones most difficult to implement and sustain.