Animal FarmAnimal Farm

Historical Parallels to the Historical Parallels to the Russian RevolutionRussian Revolution

►Mr. JonesMr. Jones

The ineffective The ineffective leader of Manor leader of Manor Farm prior to the Farm prior to the animal rebellionanimal rebellion

Cruel and oppressive Cruel and oppressive in his treatment of in his treatment of the animalsthe animals

► Czar Nicholas IICzar Nicholas II

The ineffective The ineffective leader of Russia prior leader of Russia prior to the 1917 to the 1917 Bolshevik RevolutionBolshevik Revolution

Cruel and oppressive Cruel and oppressive with his own people with his own people and especially with and especially with political opponentspolitical opponents

►Old MajorOld Major

Originator of the Originator of the ideas of Animalismideas of Animalism

Dies prior to animal Dies prior to animal rebellionrebellion

► Karl MarxKarl Marx

Originator of the Originator of the ideas of Communismideas of Communism

Dies prior to the Dies prior to the 1917 Revolution1917 Revolution

► AnimalismAnimalism

All animals are equal to All animals are equal to one anotherone another

Animals own everything Animals own everything and govern themselvesand govern themselves

““Four legs good, two legs Four legs good, two legs bad!”bad!”

► CommunismCommunism

All people are equal to All people are equal to one anotherone another

Government owns Government owns everything; “the people” everything; “the people” are the governmentare the government

““Workers of the world Workers of the world unite!” unite!”

► SnowballSnowball

Escaped from Animal Escaped from Animal Farm after losing a Farm after losing a power struggle with power struggle with NapoleonNapoleon

Went into exile on Went into exile on neighboring farmneighboring farm

Wanted to improve life Wanted to improve life for all animals (reading, for all animals (reading, windmill, etc.)windmill, etc.)

► Leon TrotskyLeon Trotsky

Escaped from Russia Escaped from Russia after losing a power after losing a power struggle with Stalinstruggle with Stalin

Went into exile in Went into exile in Mexico; found and Mexico; found and murdered by KGB agentsmurdered by KGB agents

Wanted to improve life Wanted to improve life for all Russiansfor all Russians

► NapoleonNapoleon Emerges as the leading Emerges as the leading

power on Animal Farmpower on Animal Farm Greedy and power Greedy and power

hungry (milk and apples, hungry (milk and apples, not working, etc.)not working, etc.)

Responsible for the Responsible for the deaths of many animals, deaths of many animals, including Boxerincluding Boxer

The book’s most obvious The book’s most obvious symbol of tyranny and symbol of tyranny and warning against the warning against the abuses of powerabuses of power

► Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin Emerges as the leading Emerges as the leading

power in Russiapower in Russia Greedy and power Greedy and power

hungryhungry Responsible for the Responsible for the

deaths of millions of his deaths of millions of his fellow citizensfellow citizens

A symbol of tyranny and A symbol of tyranny and a warning against abuses a warning against abuses of powerof power

► SquealerSquealer Controlled both Controlled both

access to information access to information and the information and the information itselfitself

Provided the public Provided the public face for Napoleon’s face for Napoleon’s governmentgovernment

Carefully shaped Carefully shaped Napoleon’s imageNapoleon’s image

Benefited from the Benefited from the controlled education controlled education systemsystem

► Propaganda Propaganda DepartmentDepartment Controlled both access Controlled both access

to information and the to information and the information itselfinformation itself

Provided the public Provided the public face of the face of the governmentgovernment

Carefully shaped Carefully shaped Stalin’s imageStalin’s image

Benefited from the Benefited from the controlled education controlled education system system

► The DogsThe Dogs Enforced obedience to Enforced obedience to

NapoleonNapoleon Deeply feared for their Deeply feared for their

ability to carry out the ability to carry out the most terrible of orders most terrible of orders

Forced support of Forced support of Napoleon Napoleon

Attacked and killed Attacked and killed animals (confession animals (confession scene)scene)

Very loyal to NapoleonVery loyal to Napoleon

► KGB – Secret PoliceKGB – Secret Police The Enforcer of the The Enforcer of the

Communist PartyCommunist Party Deeply feared for Deeply feared for

their ability to carry their ability to carry out the most terrible out the most terrible of ordersof orders

Forced support of Forced support of StalinStalin

Often killed entire Often killed entire families for families for disobediencedisobedience

Very loyal to StalinVery loyal to Stalin

►MosesMoses Talks of Sugar Candy Talks of Sugar Candy

Mountain as the Mountain as the animals’ heaven animals’ heaven which helps divert which helps divert attention away from attention away from their present misery their present misery because a better because a better future awaitsfuture awaits

Napoleon eventually Napoleon eventually supports the return supports the return of Moses to keep the of Moses to keep the animals working animals working

► Religion Religion According to Marx, According to Marx,

religion spread lies religion spread lies in order to make in order to make people do their work people do their work without complaintwithout complaint

Stalin tolerated Stalin tolerated religion in order to religion in order to help prevent violent help prevent violent revolutions and keep revolutions and keep the masses workingthe masses working

► Boxer (and the other Boxer (and the other “dumb” animals)“dumb” animals) Always supported Always supported

Napoleon on faith Napoleon on faith alonealone

Loyal to Napoleon Loyal to Napoleon despite obvious despite obvious evidence that he was evidence that he was a tyranta tyrant

Betrayed by Betrayed by Napoleon who sold Napoleon who sold him to the knacker to him to the knacker to be killedbe killed

► The Proletariat (the The Proletariat (the laboring or working laboring or working class)class) People who believed People who believed

Stalin because he Stalin because he was “Communist” was “Communist” and “one of us”and “one of us”

Many stayed loyal Many stayed loyal after it was obvious after it was obvious Stalin was a tyrantStalin was a tyrant

Betrayed by Stalin Betrayed by Stalin who ignored or killed who ignored or killed themthem

► BenjaminBenjamin

Doubted that the Doubted that the revolution would revolution would change anythingchange anything

Knew that Animalism Knew that Animalism wouldn’t work with wouldn’t work with power hungry pigspower hungry pigs

► Skeptical people Skeptical people inside and outside of inside and outside of RussiaRussia

Doubted that the Doubted that the revolution would revolution would change anythingchange anything

Knew that Communism Knew that Communism wouldn’t work with wouldn’t work with power hungry leaderspower hungry leaders