Overview of the book.
I find this book very interesting and fun to read. It illustrated the history and the reality of Russia and how Stalin corrupted because of his wrong decisions made. I personally recommend this book because not only is it fun to read and illustrate the reality of Stalinism and its inevitable corruption very well, but also there are many moral lessons that you can learn from simply reading this book. The author, George Orwell, had illustrated the human characters as animal characters, lowering our positions from those with power to those who obey ones that have power yet still describe the very human beings’ instinctive tendency of seeking for the freedom. Every character had surely illustrated well enough about human descriptions as well as representing the important character roles in Russian Revolution, for instance, having pride, being jealous of something better than what you have, not able to control yourself when you have the overwhelming power, so on so forth. Pigs had demonstrated jealousy, leadership, and overuse of the power inappropriately. Whereas the horses shown obedience, strength, faith and belief. This book contains characters and situations that not only happened in the Russian Revolution, although they were told in a way that they happened in animals’ lives on the Animal Farm, but also happens in our lives – everyone being equal, for example, however it is hard to accept. Anyway, I loved this novel ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell because it is an awesome book that is exciting, also you can learn a number of things like history of Russian Revolution and some moral lessons that you may find throughout the book.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Question 7
Are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? Or disturbing? Or memorable? Describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.
One of the important parts that consist the novel body is setting. Setting is extremely important because it helps you to understand the actions that the characters take better. In this story ‘Animal Farm,’ setting is set to be the Manor Farm or the Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Personally, I find the scene where Clover looks down, which was the hillside, most not only beautiful but also memorable. It was after the executions of the animals that kept in touch with Snowball and had been carrying out his orders; Clover became confused and scared because she thought all the animals were comrades. Therefore, she looks at the scene of the Animal Farm. The author had described beautifully that I can draw a picture in my mind. He had illustrated everything that Clover saw, rays of sunshine that shone upon the grass, the hayfield, the spinney, the drinking pool, the ploughed fields where the young wheat was thick and green, and the red roofs of the farm buildings with the smoke curling from the chimneys. It was a scene of the Animal Farm in spring. This very scene seemed most beautiful and memorable because it is such a contrast between the beauty and the evil. The contrary is that after the unfortunate and deeply saddening event of execution of the animals who obeyed the supposed traitor and a betrayer of the Animal Farm community, Snowball, and the beautiful spring scene of the Animal Farm shone wonderfully by the sunshine. It was very memorable because these two settings are totally different thus the confusion in Clover was illustrated very well.
One of the important parts that consist the novel body is setting. Setting is extremely important because it helps you to understand the actions that the characters take better. In this story ‘Animal Farm,’ setting is set to be the Manor Farm or the Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Personally, I find the scene where Clover looks down, which was the hillside, most not only beautiful but also memorable. It was after the executions of the animals that kept in touch with Snowball and had been carrying out his orders; Clover became confused and scared because she thought all the animals were comrades. Therefore, she looks at the scene of the Animal Farm. The author had described beautifully that I can draw a picture in my mind. He had illustrated everything that Clover saw, rays of sunshine that shone upon the grass, the hayfield, the spinney, the drinking pool, the ploughed fields where the young wheat was thick and green, and the red roofs of the farm buildings with the smoke curling from the chimneys. It was a scene of the Animal Farm in spring. This very scene seemed most beautiful and memorable because it is such a contrast between the beauty and the evil. The contrary is that after the unfortunate and deeply saddening event of execution of the animals who obeyed the supposed traitor and a betrayer of the Animal Farm community, Snowball, and the beautiful spring scene of the Animal Farm shone wonderfully by the sunshine. It was very memorable because these two settings are totally different thus the confusion in Clover was illustrated very well.
Question 6
Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. Why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.
The passage I chose to be the most significant to me is from the speech that Old Major makes. It reads: “Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength; and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: this is the plain truth.”
I find this passage very meaningful and valuable, also significant because this passage seems as if it is not about the lives of the animals but us, human beings. The reason being is that we spend some time of our lives wandering without knowing what true definition of happiness is. We work in order to stay healthy yet we do not know why we should do so. Some might have certain goals; however it is very hard to set the goals for your life. Therefore, to come to a conclusion, this passage gives me a chance to think about my life and gives me inspirations of what I need to do and I want to do.
The passage I chose to be the most significant to me is from the speech that Old Major makes. It reads: “Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength; and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: this is the plain truth.”
I find this passage very meaningful and valuable, also significant because this passage seems as if it is not about the lives of the animals but us, human beings. The reason being is that we spend some time of our lives wandering without knowing what true definition of happiness is. We work in order to stay healthy yet we do not know why we should do so. Some might have certain goals; however it is very hard to set the goals for your life. Therefore, to come to a conclusion, this passage gives me a chance to think about my life and gives me inspirations of what I need to do and I want to do.
Question 5
What is the mood of this novel? Do you find this novel saddens you in any way? Why?
The authors always express their feelings through literature when writing, especially in writing novels or poems. Thus, there would be some kind of mood exist in the story in the novel ‘Animal Farm.’ The mood of the novel changes gradually and drastically yet not enormously. When the Old Major, a prize winning boar, was still alive, it can be learned that every animals depended on each other and were happy, except from fatigue and injuries from the hard work on the farm and whips of Mr. Jones. However, after the speeches made by Old Major about the Rebellion that he predicts and had taught the animals a song he remembered from his childhood called ‘Beasts of England,’ all the animals became anxious and somewhat excited about the fact that they would be free and everyone would be satisfied. The mood that the author had illustrated so far is full of excitement whereas some are anxious. As they thought what they had always desired the most, which was freedom, would become real they were excited. However, after the Rebellion, some works were required but the animals were still happy. In the contrary to that mood full of happiness, excitement, and anxiousness, later on in the story, when the Napoleon executed the animals that were in touch with Snowball, who was believed to be a traitor, the mood changed from happiness, excitement to full of fear, complete anxiousness, and sad.
To me, I did not find the mood of the novel very saddening, however, as the story went on, the change in the mood really did saddened me because I felt sympathy for those who were not guilty and simply desired true freedom. Yet they were punished and scared.
The authors always express their feelings through literature when writing, especially in writing novels or poems. Thus, there would be some kind of mood exist in the story in the novel ‘Animal Farm.’ The mood of the novel changes gradually and drastically yet not enormously. When the Old Major, a prize winning boar, was still alive, it can be learned that every animals depended on each other and were happy, except from fatigue and injuries from the hard work on the farm and whips of Mr. Jones. However, after the speeches made by Old Major about the Rebellion that he predicts and had taught the animals a song he remembered from his childhood called ‘Beasts of England,’ all the animals became anxious and somewhat excited about the fact that they would be free and everyone would be satisfied. The mood that the author had illustrated so far is full of excitement whereas some are anxious. As they thought what they had always desired the most, which was freedom, would become real they were excited. However, after the Rebellion, some works were required but the animals were still happy. In the contrary to that mood full of happiness, excitement, and anxiousness, later on in the story, when the Napoleon executed the animals that were in touch with Snowball, who was believed to be a traitor, the mood changed from happiness, excitement to full of fear, complete anxiousness, and sad.
To me, I did not find the mood of the novel very saddening, however, as the story went on, the change in the mood really did saddened me because I felt sympathy for those who were not guilty and simply desired true freedom. Yet they were punished and scared.
Question 4
What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?
Every story has a pattern of beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and then resolution. For that reason being, the novel ‘Animal Farm’ also has those different parts in the story.
The climax of the story is when Snowball was expelled from the Animal Farm, because he was wrongly accused, and became a traitor supposedly receiving a death sentence when captured alive. From the point Snowball had been expelled from the Animal Farm, Napoleon, the other leader pig representing the Animal Farm, becomes in charge and gained power by using his trained fierce dogs. Ironically, his refusals to all of the plans that Snowball had came up with had changed to approvals and begins to proceed those plans, for example, the windmill construction was strongly opposed by Napoleon yet he decides to build it after Snowball had been expelled. During the construction of the windmills, the pigs became lazy and had conferred many privileges upon themselves. Unfortunately, the beginning of the corruption of the Animal Farm and Animalism, which is a principle of all the animals being equal to one another, is the climax since from that point everything that everyone in the Animal Farm had worked for, devoted for, and even risked their lives for had begun to corrupt.
Personally, I find these events very sad and futile because the efforts that had been put into this situation and freedom simply became pointless. I also find the actions of Napoleon extremely ironic because he had begun what he opposed and the freedom he had been urging and emphasizing was never achieved as he took away the freedom of all of the animals himself.
Every story has a pattern of beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and then resolution. For that reason being, the novel ‘Animal Farm’ also has those different parts in the story.
The climax of the story is when Snowball was expelled from the Animal Farm, because he was wrongly accused, and became a traitor supposedly receiving a death sentence when captured alive. From the point Snowball had been expelled from the Animal Farm, Napoleon, the other leader pig representing the Animal Farm, becomes in charge and gained power by using his trained fierce dogs. Ironically, his refusals to all of the plans that Snowball had came up with had changed to approvals and begins to proceed those plans, for example, the windmill construction was strongly opposed by Napoleon yet he decides to build it after Snowball had been expelled. During the construction of the windmills, the pigs became lazy and had conferred many privileges upon themselves. Unfortunately, the beginning of the corruption of the Animal Farm and Animalism, which is a principle of all the animals being equal to one another, is the climax since from that point everything that everyone in the Animal Farm had worked for, devoted for, and even risked their lives for had begun to corrupt.
Personally, I find these events very sad and futile because the efforts that had been put into this situation and freedom simply became pointless. I also find the actions of Napoleon extremely ironic because he had begun what he opposed and the freedom he had been urging and emphasizing was never achieved as he took away the freedom of all of the animals himself.
Question 3
Who are the main characters in the novel? Do you like them? Why or why not? What is special about them? What do they reveal about the universal human experience?
There are many unique, interesting characters in the novel, each playing important, specific roles in the Rebellion in the story of Animal Farm. First, the pigs, especially Napoleon and Snowball who were the leaders that demonstrated courage and intelligence in the Rebellion, were smart, somewhat cunning, and acted as leaders. As they were intelligent enough, they were the only animal kind in the farm that could read, write and memorize all the alphabets. However, Snowball happens to be expelled later on in the story, because he was wrongly accused for being a traitor. Second, the two horses who are each called Boxer and Clover. They have enormous strength in them which aids the construction of the windmill greatly. Also, they were well known for their obedience and determination. This can be seen, especially from Boxer, in the site of construction of the windmill or anywhere else. Even when they became old and weak, they devoted themselves to the orders given. But the cunning pigs, the leaders, had sold Boxer to a knacker when he became too weak to work to make profits even from the death of their most obedient follower. Third, like every other stories ‘Animal Farm’ has ultimate enemy of the heroes and that is the human beings, for example, Mr. Jones the farmer and the owner of the Manor Farm. Along with Mr. Jones are Mr. Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood Farm, and Mr. Whymper the solicitor. The relationship between the animals in the Animal Farm, originally Manor Farm, and the human beings develops the storyline.
There are many unique, interesting characters in the novel, each playing important, specific roles in the Rebellion in the story of Animal Farm. First, the pigs, especially Napoleon and Snowball who were the leaders that demonstrated courage and intelligence in the Rebellion, were smart, somewhat cunning, and acted as leaders. As they were intelligent enough, they were the only animal kind in the farm that could read, write and memorize all the alphabets. However, Snowball happens to be expelled later on in the story, because he was wrongly accused for being a traitor. Second, the two horses who are each called Boxer and Clover. They have enormous strength in them which aids the construction of the windmill greatly. Also, they were well known for their obedience and determination. This can be seen, especially from Boxer, in the site of construction of the windmill or anywhere else. Even when they became old and weak, they devoted themselves to the orders given. But the cunning pigs, the leaders, had sold Boxer to a knacker when he became too weak to work to make profits even from the death of their most obedient follower. Third, like every other stories ‘Animal Farm’ has ultimate enemy of the heroes and that is the human beings, for example, Mr. Jones the farmer and the owner of the Manor Farm. Along with Mr. Jones are Mr. Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood Farm, and Mr. Whymper the solicitor. The relationship between the animals in the Animal Farm, originally Manor Farm, and the human beings develops the storyline.
Question 2
Are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? What are they, and how do they relate? Does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or 'fixed'?
A current situation relate to the novel does not fail to exist, and it is the history of Russia and Eurasian Republics. Because the novel was written, by George Orwell, to criticize the Russian government and the politicians under the control of Stalin, the novel naturally relate to the current situation of Russia as well as Eurasian Republics. To find the similarities between the novel ‘Animal Farm’ and the current situations of Russia and Eurasian Republics, similar to the story in the novel Russia and the neighboring countries also experienced and were affected by the great rebellious revolution. Also, the characters in the novel share similarities with the real characters or groups of people who were involved in the Russian Revolution, as the characters in the novel are supposed to represent them since the novel is a new version of the Russian Revolution from the perspective of the author.
Throughout the story, the resolution does not seem to be mentioned because the story is full of facts of what happened, it did not mention any personal thoughts or opinions about how the conditions of the current Russia and Eurasian Republics would be improved. The purpose of this author, George Orwell, writing this book was to reveal the facts of the Soviet Union, which was formed after the Russian Revolution, so that more people would not be deceived by the false statements they make or the pieces of information they provide. The more people know the truth, the faster the corruption of the Soviet Union would come.
A current situation relate to the novel does not fail to exist, and it is the history of Russia and Eurasian Republics. Because the novel was written, by George Orwell, to criticize the Russian government and the politicians under the control of Stalin, the novel naturally relate to the current situation of Russia as well as Eurasian Republics. To find the similarities between the novel ‘Animal Farm’ and the current situations of Russia and Eurasian Republics, similar to the story in the novel Russia and the neighboring countries also experienced and were affected by the great rebellious revolution. Also, the characters in the novel share similarities with the real characters or groups of people who were involved in the Russian Revolution, as the characters in the novel are supposed to represent them since the novel is a new version of the Russian Revolution from the perspective of the author.
Throughout the story, the resolution does not seem to be mentioned because the story is full of facts of what happened, it did not mention any personal thoughts or opinions about how the conditions of the current Russia and Eurasian Republics would be improved. The purpose of this author, George Orwell, writing this book was to reveal the facts of the Soviet Union, which was formed after the Russian Revolution, so that more people would not be deceived by the false statements they make or the pieces of information they provide. The more people know the truth, the faster the corruption of the Soviet Union would come.
Question 1
What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?
The main theme of this novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell, is more of a comment towards the Russian Revolution than a moral lesson that common novels have. As the background of this book is Russian Revolution, a theme, or a moral lesson that can be learned throughout the story, in this book is an expectation of the author towards the government and its leaders. By retelling the story of the Russian Revolution with animal characters which represented different roles involved in Revolution, the author, George Orwell criticizes what the government had done wrong and what was required to happen. The pigs as the politicians and Stalin, dogs as military power, the rest of the animals as citizens of Russia, were all illustrated realistically in detail. Because of such reason, a theme can be easily identified, which is a criticism that argues the Revolution was not necessarily successful as it did not improve the quality of lives of the Russian citizens nor did it obtain the satisfying results as they had thought.
Also, as a teenager living in the year 2007, the theme of this book is important. The reason being is that being a teenager means that responsibility of the decisions I make is on me, therefore I need to consider this theme and make reasonable, appropriate decisions. Otherwise, a situation like the Rebellion in the book might happen due to wrong choices I made. Thus, it is not only important to make good decisions but also to be responsible for it.
The main theme of this novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell, is more of a comment towards the Russian Revolution than a moral lesson that common novels have. As the background of this book is Russian Revolution, a theme, or a moral lesson that can be learned throughout the story, in this book is an expectation of the author towards the government and its leaders. By retelling the story of the Russian Revolution with animal characters which represented different roles involved in Revolution, the author, George Orwell criticizes what the government had done wrong and what was required to happen. The pigs as the politicians and Stalin, dogs as military power, the rest of the animals as citizens of Russia, were all illustrated realistically in detail. Because of such reason, a theme can be easily identified, which is a criticism that argues the Revolution was not necessarily successful as it did not improve the quality of lives of the Russian citizens nor did it obtain the satisfying results as they had thought.
Also, as a teenager living in the year 2007, the theme of this book is important. The reason being is that being a teenager means that responsibility of the decisions I make is on me, therefore I need to consider this theme and make reasonable, appropriate decisions. Otherwise, a situation like the Rebellion in the book might happen due to wrong choices I made. Thus, it is not only important to make good decisions but also to be responsible for it.
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