Political Allegory

Animal Farm

Russian Revolution

Mr. Jones

  • irresponsible to his animals (lets them starve)

  • sometimes cruel - beats them with whip

  • sometimes kind - mixes milk in animal mash

Czar Nicholas II

  • a poor leader at best, compared to western kings

  • cruel - sometimes brutal with opponents

  • Sometimes kind - hired students as spies to make money

Old Major

  • taught Animalism

  • workers do work, rich keep money, animals revolt

  • dies before revolution

Karl Marx

  • invented Communism

  • "workers of the world unite", take over government

  • dies before 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 government

Snowball

  • young, smart, good speaker, idealistic

  • really wants to make life better for all

  • one of leaders of revolution

  • chased away into exile by Napoleon's dogs

Leon Trotsky

  • other leader of "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 as clever as Snowball

  • cruel, brutal, selfish, devious, corrupt

  • his ambition is for power, killed opponents

  • used dogs, Moses, and Squealer to control animals

Joseph Stalin

  • not a good speaker, not educated like Trotsky

  • same as Napoleon, didn't follow Marx's ideas

  • cared for power, killed all that opposed him

  • used KGB, allowed church, and propagandized

Squealer

  • big mouth, talks a lot

  • convinces animals to believe and follow Napoleon

  • Changes and manipulates the commandments

Propaganda Department of Lenin's Government

  • worked for Stalin to support his image

  • used any lie to convince the people to follow Stalin

  • benefited from the fact that education was controlled

The Dogs

  • a private army that used fear to force animals to work

  • killed or intimidated any opponent of Napoleon

  • another part of Napoleon's strategy to control animals

KGB - Secret Police

  • not really police, but forced support for Stalin

  • used force, often killed entire families for disobedience

  • totally loyal, part of Lenin's power, even over army

Moses the Raven

  • tells animals about Sugar- candy Mountain - Heaven

  • animals can go there if they work hard

  • Snowball and Major were against him because they thought Heaven was a lie to make animals work.

  • Napoleon let him stay because he taught animals to work and not complain.

Religion

  • Marx said "Opiate of the people" is a lie

  • used to make people not complain and do their work

  • was tolerated because people would work

  • Stalin knew religion would stop violent revolutions.

Mollie

  • was vain - loved her beauty and self

  • didn't think about Animal Farm

  • went with anyone who gave her what she wanted

Vain, Selfish People in Russia and World

  • some people didn't care about revolution

  • only thought about themselves

  • went to other countries that offered more for them

Boxer

  • strong, hard working horse, believes in Animal Farm

  • "Napoleon is always right. I must work harder."

  • gives his all, is betrayed by Napoleon, who sells him

Dedicated, But Tricked Communist Supporters

  • people believed Stalin because he was "Communist"

  • many stayed loyal after it was obvious Stalin a tyrant

  • betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them

Benjamin

  • old, wise donkey who is suspicious of revolution

  • thinks "nothing ever changes", is right

  • his suspicions are true about Boxer and sign changes

 

Skeptical People in Russia and Outside Russia

  • weren't sure revolution would change anything

  • realized that a crazy leader can call himself communist

  • knew that communism wouldn't work with power

  • hungry leaders

Other Parallels:

Animal Farm

Russian History

Frederick

the barn (and outside writings)

"Four legs good, two legs bad"

the windmill

the windmill's collapse

the farmhouse

ribbons and sugar

alcohol

milk

Adolf Hitler

collective memory of Russia

propagandizing

Russian industrialization

fall of the Russian government

the Kremlin

luxuries of life

corrupt Russian government

care and love mothers give to children; now in the hands of totalitarian government