Initially, Orwell depicts how and class struggle can impact an individual or

groups attitudes and contribute to possible rebellion in society. In “Animal

Farm”, Orwell highlights how these factors can contribute to animalism. Similar
to Nicholas Tsar II neglecting of his people during the Russian Revolution, Mr
Jones in the novel is seen to be inept at handling matters and he was largely
insensitive to the needs of his animals. Jones was often “too drunk to
remember to shut the popholes” where this metaphorically symbolises of how
noble leadership, drunk on their dependence and unaware of the plight of the
people, creates a false sense of security. This does not really protect the public,
but leaves them open to danger. Furthermore, the negative connotations of
“does not”, “too weak” and “cannot run” exemplifies how Jones is
irressponsbile, and the diction of “weak” highlights how he is oblivious and
cannot care to the animal’s needs. Furthermore, the animals want to “remove
man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished
forever”. This foreshadows how the animals want to discard him and it is
symbolic of the start of a corrupt animalistic society. This represents Nicholas
Tsar II who was oblivious to power class issues and despite being King, was too
“weak” to help the people of Russia. Hence, people wanted him overthrown.
As a result, Orwell depicts how class struggle can impact an individual or
groups attitudes and contribute to rebellion in society, eventually leading to
embracement of animalism.
In addition, Orwell illustrates how the animal’s ownership of the Manor Farm
forms the ideology of Animalism: which becomes a powerful dictatorship
involving manipulation and corruption. The animal’s desirable wish for a utopia
is evident in the raven Moses, who represents the Russian Orthodox Church.
Religion in the Russian Revolution was often used to reinforce apathy,
ignorance and oppression. Similar to Karl Marx’s view of religion as being the
opium of the people, Moses claimed to know the “existence of a mysterious
country called Sugarcandy Mountain” a make-believe place where the animals
could go someday. This religious allusion to heaven and the animals displaying
to have “believed in Sugercandy Mountain” reveals their wish for a paradise
which ironically will never be found. Furthermore, the hierarchical system
during the Russian revolution forms the basis of Orwell positioning the pigs to
rule the other animals on the farm. The pigs create the “seven
commandments” which is “an unalterable law by which all the animals on
Animal farm must live for ever after”. The biblical allusion to the Ten
Commandments ironically foreshadows how the class of the pigs gradually
controls power, betrays the revolution and restores a society based on
exploitation of the working class and of dictatorship. This in turn suggests that
despite the concept of an “unalterable law” appearing to be a noble one and
forming the basis of Animalism, it is symbolic of how these laws are
manipulated to construct a hierarchy similar to the one of the time of the
Russian revolution. The resultant effect is a dictatorship, which is an ideal that
appears later in the novel. As a result, Orwell depicts how the animals embrace
animalism which forms the basis of a powerful dictatorship, one based on
manipulation and corruption.

BY NICHOLAS BILLIRIS