Animal Farm By George Orwell

This is a quick read but a classic with a good story with important values to tell. Definitely recommended to read.

It’s funny it’s easy to read, and it is as relevant today as when it was first published.

As with most readers, my intro to George Orwell came by way of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The novel remains a dystopian masterpiece by which all others are measured. It birthed an entire genre and coined the “Orwellian” adjective, used to describe ideas that are uniquely corrosive to society. Its influence can be seen in countless titles, everything from The Handmaid’s Tale to The Hunger Games.

Nineteen Eighty-Four is a haunting tale of totalitarian overreach. It’s very hard to read, but not because of challenging prose. Rather, it carries an uncomfortable realness and familiarity. The ongoing ails of society are trapped within its pages. The lessons are disturbing, necessary, and leave you with a looming sense of dread that is impossible to shake.

Thus, a general rule for reading more Orwell is “Did you like Nineteen Eighty-Four?”

In answering the question for myself, the term “like” might be a tad anemic. Orwell painted with words and few can match his prose, so “appreciate” sounds better since it’s damn near impossible to “enjoy” Nineteen Eighty-Four. But yes, once the mind-melting horror had faded from my conscience, I was ready to explore the next Orwellian nightmare.

For most, that takes the form of Animal Farm.

This is a short novella written as a satirical fable, the premise of which is deceptively simple. The animals of a poorly run farm decide to rebel. They drive out the human owner and take over operations, with the goal of creating an animal utopia. Sounds cute, right? But then you learn that Orwell mirrored the story on the events that sparked the Russian Revolution and rise of Stalin. It goes about as well as you’d think.

From an educational standpoint, Animal Farm does something truly remarkable. It teaches us about the perils of dictatorships in a short parable about rebellious livestock. We learn, in no uncertain terms, just how easy it is to manipulate good intent. In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy, “That escalated quickly.” Orwell knew how to twist a stomach, and this frightening novella is another shining example.

So, did I “like” Animal Farm? Not particularly. But that’s only because it was a brilliant, heedful, and harrowing read that stabbed my brain.

Thanks to finishing ANIMAL FARM, I have now read all of Orwell’s fiction. Of course, 1984 is my favorite, and by far the most profound. But I really like KEEP THE ASPIDISTRA FLYING (which was the most moving) and A CLERGYMAN’S DAUGHTER, both of which show the influence of Somerset Maugham. COMING UP FOR AIR I found a piece of bittersweet nostalgia. BURMESE DAYS was just bitter. So where does ANIMAL FARM fit in? It was Orwell’s last work of fiction and I would call it a heavy-handed allegory. This does not mean that I was not entertained by it. But I was always aware that he was preaching. In this case, he was preaching to the choir. I agree with him all down the line. Of course I see the parallels to our current society; that’s pretty transparent.

I also think this book has been more influential on modern literature than is generally acknowledged. There are many striking parallels to William Golding’s LORD OF THE FLIES. I don’t think it’s coincidental that Golding’s “Piggy” is a close cousin to Orwell’s “Snowball.”

This perhaps is an exaggeration, but it seems to me that by the 21st Century, (as a companion piece to 1984) this book had become one of the key texts of a Western education. It is constantly referenced. It’s a must-read. It’s also very brief

I read this in 10 th grade and am certainly glad to have had a fantastic teacher that guided us in lively classroom discussions. Not once did I ever know the political leanings of my teacher, we were able to speak freely. This book and 1984 made a huge impact on many of my generation.
I liked the introduction to this book at first, but then soon realized she clearly had her own political leanings, pointing out similarities from the book to current events only as she thought necessary.
Interesting, because just as many people felt the same way about our society becoming stifling and manipulative, but in a more quiet way. Many were told to just agree, even if science debunked make-believe theories or being too superficial and not finding evidence to back up claims. Being told how to think or not to let your thoughts be known is an issue on both sides of the aisle.
I think Orwelll’s work should speak for itself. An objective introduction is fine, but I don’t want to hear one person’s interpretation of it. Let us decide for ourselves.

Somehow, I missed out on studying this at school and never bothered to read it until now. This is an amazing examination of how a totalitarian regime begins, and it’s still happening! The greedy and power-hungry are still exploiting the poorly educated working classes for their own gain. I know that Orwell was writing about the rise of the Soviet Union in his time, but it applies to dictatorships the world over and looks like it is happening even in the USA.
Essential reading for anyone who wants to have their eyes open to the ruthless operate in this world.