Animal Farm by George Orwell: book review

The animals of Manor Farm are abused and neglected; eventually it became too much causing the animals to rebel and dispose of their human masters. Taking over the farm, they are proud of what they have achieved and endeavor to collectively work together to create a better farm for all.

Initially it works; after one season there is enough food for all. With this early success the animals agree to the Seven Commandments that explains how every animal is equal and how each animal should treat its fellow animal.

However, every society needs leaders doesn’t it? Well the pigs think so and thus decide that this ‘equal’ society must be led so that this equality will last. However over time they begin to succumb to the excesses of success and as they believe themselves to be superior intellects, the decide that only they can organize and manage the other lower animals. Amending the commandments they begin to hide their excesses and as time goes by the lower animals find themselves in the same position they were in with the humans….

I read this book in school, and as we read it soon became obvious why this is a classic. As you read it seems to be a simple story about Pigs, but as you begin to think about the actually underlying moral issues it becomes a metaphor for many different moral issues, and particularly provides an intellectual discussion about western society’s thoughts about communism.

The book cleverly creates characters that despite being animals have human traits; it comments on how the underlying reasons for communism are good, but how an equal society simply cannot work due to man’s inability to avoid greed and temptation.

The book is written in a very plain style and yet conveys some very complex situations; what I found most interesting as I studied it is that it somehow makes you look at a subject matter objectively and analyze it. The plainness and simplicity of the plot belies its complex nature as it creates  a simple scenario. It shows authorities use of excuses to keep their power and shows how this power can easily be manipulated.

It’s not the most exciting book ever written but it is infused with satire and comedy; it’s the commentary on human nature and the evils we can easily commit that make it so compelling.