Book Review - Animal Farm

Introduction

George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) is one of the most powerful political allegories of the 20th century. On the surface, it is a simple fable about animals overthrowing their human master to establish an egalitarian society. But beneath its surface lies a sharp critique of how revolutions, born out of noble ideals, can degenerate into oppressive dictatorships. Written in the shadow of Stalinist Russia, Orwell’s novella exposes the mechanisms of propaganda, the corruption of power, and the betrayal of the very people who fought for change.

What makes Animal Farm timeless is not just its historical relevance but its universality. It warns us that when power is concentrated, when education is denied, and when people surrender their critical thinking, inequality and tyranny creep back in—even under the guise of freedom.

The Birth of a Revolution

The novel begins with Old Major’s dream of a world free from human tyranny. His speech represents the spark of revolutionary ideology—similar to Karl Marx’s call for a classless society. He teaches the animals the anthem “Beasts of England,” a song of unity and hope. This moment captures the initial purity of revolutionary ideals: freedom, equality, and justice.

When the animals revolt against Mr. Jones, it is not simply because of ideology but also because of his negligence and cruelty. Hunger, exploitation, and injustice unite the animals. Similarly, in real history, the Russian Revolution was fueled not only by Marxist philosophy but also by starvation, war losses, and Tsarist incompetence.

At this stage, the dream is genuine. The Seven Commandments of Animalism are created, emphasizing equality: “All animals are equal.” The rebellion embodies the hope that the oppressed can create a new and just order.

The Corruption of Ideals

Yet, even in the early days, Orwell plants seeds of corruption. The pigs quickly assume positions of leadership because they are the “most intelligent.” This reflects how elites, even in revolutions, rise above the masses under the guise of competence. Soon, distinctions appear—milk and apples are reserved for pigs, supposedly for their “health.”

This is Orwell’s first lesson in how inequality gains acceptance:

• It begins with small privileges justified as “necessary.”
• Once established, these privileges expand until the rulers live far above the ruled.
• The masses accept inequality because it is rationalized through propaganda.

Squealer, the pig who acts as the propaganda minister, convinces the animals that pigs need extra food to think for the good of all. Here Orwell mirrors how in totalitarian systems, propaganda transforms selfishness into sacrifice and privilege into duty.

The Struggle for Power

The rivalry between Snowball and Napoleon illustrates the internal struggles within revolutions. Snowball, like Trotsky, is visionary and innovative. His plan to build a windmill symbolizes progress and industrialization. Napoleon, however, seeks power above all.

When debate threatens his authority, Napoleon unleashes the dogs—his private enforcers trained from birth. Snowball is chased away, and history is rewritten: Snowball is declared a traitor.

This marks the shift from revolutionary democracy to dictatorship. Here Orwell shows how terror gains acceptance:

• Fear replaces debate.
• Violence is justified as protecting the revolution.
• Citizens accept force because they fear chaos or return to the old system.

Illustration: In Stalin’s Soviet Union, Trotsky was exiled and later assassinated, while propaganda painted him as a traitor. Terror became “necessary” to defend socialism.

The Machinery of Propaganda

Squealer’s role grows as Napoleon consolidates power. Whenever contradictions arise—why pigs sleep in beds, why commandments change—Squealer provides explanations. He manipulates language: “No animal shall sleep in a bed” becomes “with sheets.” Truth is not abolished outright but altered gradually.

This slow erosion of truth mirrors how propaganda works in real life:

• Complex issues are reduced to slogans (“Four legs good, two legs bad”).
• Lies are repeated until believed.
• The past is rewritten to suit the present.

The sheep embody the masses who mindlessly chant slogans, drowning out dissent. Orwell highlights that inequality thrives not only because of corrupt leaders but also because of blind followers who fail to question.

The Reign of Terror

The most chilling chapters depict Napoleon’s use of terror. Animals are accused of plotting with Snowball and publicly executed. These confessions are often false, extracted by fear. The others, horrified, accept the killings as “necessary.”

This illustrates how force gains legitimacy:

• Leaders manufacture enemies to justify violence.
• Public executions instill fear and suppress rebellion.
• Terror becomes routine, and people adapt to living under constant threat.

Orwell parallels Stalin’s Great Purges, where thousands confessed to imaginary crimes and were executed. Terror was not just about eliminating enemies—it was about controlling the minds of the population.

Exploitation of the Working Class

No character embodies tragedy more than Boxer, the loyal cart-horse. His mottos, “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right,” symbolize the blind faith of the working class. He works tirelessly, even when injured, believing his sacrifices will build a better future.But when he collapses, Napoleon sells him to the knacker for money. The betrayal is devastating: the very class that carried the revolution is discarded once it is no longer useful.

Here Orwell illustrates the cruel irony of inequality:

• Revolutions often exploit the labor of the masses but reserve rewards for elites.
• The poor are praised for their loyalty yet abandoned when no longer productive.

Boxer’s fate mirrors the plight of Soviet workers, who sacrificed during industrialization but lived in poverty. It also echoes in modern societies, where workers are often treated as disposable.

The Final Corruption

The climax of the novel arrives when pigs begin walking on two legs, wearing clothes, and dining with humans. The Seven Commandments are replaced by one:“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”This oxymoron captures the absurdity of inequality institutionalized as equality. The final scene—animals watching pigs and humans indistinguishable—shows the revolution has come full circle. The oppressors have merely changed faces.Orwell’s message is clear: revolutions without vigilance and accountability end in betrayal. Power, unchecked, corrupts absolutely.

How Inequality Becomes Normalized

Orwell reveals that inequality does not arrive suddenly—it creeps in:

1. Justification of privilege: Pigs take milk “for health.”
2. Gradual changes in rules: Commandments subtly rewritten.
3. Manipulation of truth: Past altered to suit present needs.
4. Fear of alternatives: Animals accept exploitation because they dread Mr. Jones’s return.
5. Passive acceptance: Characters like Benjamin see the truth but do nothing.

In short, inequality becomes normalized when it is disguised as necessity, when propaganda numbs critical thinking, and when fear silences resistance.

How Terror Gains Acceptance

Force and violence become accepted through:

1. Creation of enemies: Snowball as a scapegoat.
2. Public fear: Executions terrify others into obedience.
3. Propaganda: Squealer convinces animals that Napoleon’s cruelty is protection.
4. Routine of violence: Once normalized, terror becomes part of daily life.

This is Orwell’s grim insight: people can adapt even to fear and injustice if it is packaged as security or necessity.

Orwell’s Universal Warning

Although Animal Farm satirizes Stalinist Russia, Orwell intended it as a universal critique. The mechanisms he describes—propaganda, terror, inequality—are not confined to one country. They appear wherever power is unchecked.

Even today, the book remains alarmingly relevant. Politicians across the world manipulate truth, privilege grows at the expense of workers, and fear is used to silence dissent. Orwell forces readers to ask: Are we like Boxer, blindly loyal until betrayed? Or like Benjamin, aware but too cynical to act?

Conclusion

Animal Farm is more than a fable; it is a mirror held up to human society. Orwell exposes the tragic cycle of revolutions: noble dreams giving way to tyranny, equality dissolving into inequality, and freedom crushed by fear.

The novel teaches us that freedom requires vigilance, truth demands courage, and equality needs active defense. When people surrender critical thought and accept small injustices, they pave the way for larger ones.

In Orwell’s chilling final image, pigs and humans blend together—tyranny wearing different masks. The lesson is timeless: revolutions may promise liberation, but unless power is held accountable, they risk becoming exactly what they sought to destroy.