Explaining the themes and ideas of ‘Animal Farm’:

(Grade 6 LAMDA- Krishna Gajendra)

Bold= theme Political Allegory Example
Italics= idea
Theme 1- (Overall theme of the Book):
The book Animal Farm is a political allegory based around the Russian Revolution, put into context
by using a farm as the Soviet Union, and having each animal play a part to put together the events of
the Russian Revolution. However, the overall theme of communism is displayed throughout the
book, connoted by animalism. Orwell shows this via the struggles that the animals face in the name
of equality, which turn out be in vain as their ‘comrade’ Napoleon manipulates them into doing what
he says.

Theme 2- (Introduction to the Book):

In the first few chapters of this book, we can see that the farm was owned and controlled by the
farmer Jones, who mistreated all of the animals. After Old Major, the oldest of the pigs, tells
everyone that they can lead a better life, without humans. Sadly, he dies two days later, and the pigs
Snowball, Napoleon and Squealer take it upon themselves to continue his legacy. They create the
concept of animalism, eventually kicking the farmer Jones out of the farm, and renaming it ‘Animal
Farm’. This was the equivalent of the riots at Winter Castle in the times of the Soviet Union.

Theme 3- (Middle Chapters of the Book):

In the middle chapters of the book, the farm starts to prosper, with Snowball teaching the animals to
read, and Napoleon starts educating a group of puppies on the concept of animalism. However
Snowball and Napoleon get into many squabbles and end up disagreeing on very important matters
of the farm. However, when Jones tried to claim back the farm, the animals were ready, and a battle
took place: the Battle of the Cowshed. The animals gained victory. After this the animals voted on
Snowball’s idea to make a Windmill that will provide electricity to the farm, making life easier.
However Napoleon strongly opposes this and after Snowball’s convincing speech, he gets his dogs to
chase Snowball off the farm, and Napoleon assumes his place as leader of the farm. This violates one
of the 7 Commandments. These squabbles represent the banishment of Leon Trotsky by Stalin.

Theme 4- (Concluding Chapter of the Book):

In the concluding chapters of the book, there is a theme of superiority that the pigs assume over all
the other animals, taking all the big decisions of the farm. This means that all of the animals are
severely maltreated and malnourished after making unnecessary trade with the other farms. After all
their toil for the windmill, it is destroyed, which is blamed on Snowball. Animals start getting called
out and killed for minor wrong-doings. The animals start working harder on less food, and Boxer
gets ill. He is taken to a glue-boiler instead of a hospital and Napoleon gets more money for Whisky.
In the end, Napoleon unites himself with the humans and they were all tricked into being in a
situation worse than when Jones run the farm. The final page describes Napoleon at a dining table,
making deals with another farmer. He reverts animal farm back to its original name Manor Farm. In
the end he broke all of the commandments, describing the mess that Stalin made in the Soviet Union.