Book Review - Animal Farm a book by George Orwell

Book Review – Animal Farm a Novella by George Orwell.

Have you ever wondered what our world would look like if animals took over the planet? What if animals started dominating human beings, just like we do over them?  George Orwell’s Animal Farm is one such story which answers all of these questions and more. 

Animal Farm is a political satire and a fable which takes place in a world where animals are way smarter than they are today. The novella was first published in 1945 and it is a story of a group of farm animals who rise up against their human farmer in an effort to establish an animal-friendly society. 

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The main action of the story stands for the Russian Revolution of 1917. George Orwell introduced the term “Animalism”, which was actually used to define Communism.

The setting of the story is the Manor Farm which is allegorical of Russia and the character of the farmer, Mr Jones, stands for the Russian Czar. 

Animal Farm is a story about rebellion and oppression and identifies the cruelty of world leaders and their totalitarianism.

The story begins when all the animals get together to discuss the evils that are inflicted upon them by their human keepers, and together they decide to rebel against the tyranny of mankind. 

When Mr Jones is driven away from the Manor Farm, the farm is renamed into Animal Farm and the commandment on the barn is changed to “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” 

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George Orwell through this story has illustrated the efforts of individuals who toiled ceaselessly in the promise of a better future and this exact circle of exploitation.

The story is symbolic of the time when the communist state was created in 1922 after the fall of the Russian Tsarist regime, through the struggle of the proletariat class of Russia.

A state of utopia was created when the animals rebelled against humans, but slowly the rules began to change when the pigs started gaining power, which made the other animals wonder what kind of society they were aiming for initially and whether their newfound independence is as liberating as they would have imagined. 

George Orwell begins the story as a tale for children but holds much deeper political meanings. 

George Orwell has made several efforts to highlight the problems of the human race and mankind, in the form of a fable, which is an age-old form of writing where animals are used as primary characters to depict the reality of human beings. 

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Animal Farm is often regarded as a novel, which is a warning from history, that human beings make the same mistakes and misjudgements, therefore repeating past errors. 

Animal Farm, a story about political allegory is at first glance seen as a children’s novel, but the reading of the book does require an understanding of the history of the Russian Revolution. Therefore the age rating of this book is 14 and above.

Even though the story holds deep layers of meanings which can only be understood by digging into the deep well, it is possible for children to enjoy this book without understanding the political message, since the story is written in an enlightening form, where basic human desires of jealously, greed and cruelty are discussed.

The story does provide a moral which is important for younger readers. 

George Orwell’s writing style is what makes this book accessible to any age group. The writing is clear, simple and concrete, and free of any jargon. 

However, if the book is being read by a beginner, or for academic purposes, then it would be advisable to gain knowledge of political terms and historical references, related to the book. 

History enthusiasts will find this book to be very factual and well-written. 

The author has succeeded in gracefully using allegory to talk about a very important issue. It is a book which will keep you engaged till the very end and this short and impactful read will not take a lot of time to read. 

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Animal Farm revolutionised the thought process of many people when it was initially published and it is still regarded as a moving and a bitter tale of history and human beings and how “The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.”

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