HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND • Up until early 20th century = Capitalism UPPER CLASS PEASANTS / LOWER CLASS

3. KARL MARX AND COMMUNISM • Middle 1800’s KM stated in his book The Communist Manifesto that by creating a socialist state through revolution, people could be helped. • Equal share of the pie • Influential – overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II in 1917 was followed by a period of civil war = Russian Revolution • Ended in 1922, absolute communist control

4. Communism??? • More revolutionary and politically active than socialism. • Common ownership of the means of production – government owns everything. • Equality and no class divisions. • Opposed to capitalism. • Enforced in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1922 – 1991.

5. Leaders of the Revolution • Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin • Believed in Marx’s ideology and planned to overthrow the Tsar. • After the Russian Revolution in 1917 a new regime of equality was introduced.

6. These historical events in Russia are important as they have a direct link with Animal Farm

7. About the Author • Eric Arthur Blair, aka George Orwell, was born in 1903 and became one of the most acclaimed novelists in 20th century Britain. • Writing showed disapproval of imperialism. • In 1938 he became a member of the Independent Labour Party, taking a strong anti-Stalinist approach to the nationalist uprising in Spain. • Infantry man in Spanish civil war and had great admiration for classless society he encountered in parts of Spain.

8. ….. • In 1944 he published Animal Farm, an allegory met with much critical acclaim. • Five years later he published 1984. • He died from tuberculosis in 1946 at the age of 43.

9. SUMMARY OF THE PLOT

10. THEMES • Criticism of the Russian Revolution and communism • Main theme of the novel is the way in which a socialist state can become corrupted. • Russia after the revolution is his main concern. • All themes form part of this important theme and everything that takes place in the novel must be seen in the light of events that occurred immediately before and in the years following 1917. • Novel is a vehicle to satirise the way in which the communists under Stalin exploited the Russian people, eventually the Russian government became corrupt and treated its people as badly as the Tsar.

11. ….. • The pigs established themselves as the ruling class in much the same way as Stalin built up an elite class from the 1930s onwards.

12. Power and corruption • Lust for power. • Once the pigs gain power, their initial good intentions become corrupted by the desire of power. • If a system of checks and balances is not in place, the desire for self-gain will take over – in the novel Snowball opposes Napoleon in this desire for absolute power. In Russia anyone who opposed Stalin was killed. • When the other animals cannot stop the milk being taken the pigs take their first corrupt step. • Napoleon organises a campaign to gain complete power by using propaganda. He rubs out history and presents his own version. He lies, cheats, manipulates and slaughters in order to keep total control.

13. ….. • In Animal Farm power is concentrated in the hands of a few. • Ironically the novel comes full circle – one set of oppressors (Jones) is replaced by a worse set (the pigs, especially Napoleon).

14. Gullibility • The animals also contribute to their own downfall because they are gullible. • In the beginning they do not question what Old Major has to say, they are caught up in the prospect of a wonderful new life. • The pigs take advantage of the deep desire to have a better life. The animals choose to ignore the fact that their lives are no better than in Jones’s day. • Boxer’s unthinking devoted loyalty makes him a dupe, he sticks blindly to his two slogans: “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right”.

15. Propaganda • Persuasive power of propaganda. • Distorts the truth. • Squeler is Napoleon’s vehicle through which he directs his propaganda, he is a very clever and persuasive speaker. • Techniques: rumour, disinformation, lies, half-truths, identifying the enemy and smear campaigns. • Examples of these techniques… • Causes them to doubt the accuracy of their memories.

16. SYMBOLISM/IMAGERY • MAJOR’S SKULL • It is dug up and stands permanently beside the flagpole. • It reminds the animals who inspired to rebel. • It keeps the animals’ minds focused on the principles of animalism.

18. THE SHEEP • Majority of the Russian people. • Follow blindly and do not think for themselves. • The pigs use the sheep as a mass instrument to silence any criticism.

19. MINIMUS • Is a terrible poet. • Used by Napoleon to write in praise of him. • His song replaces ‘Beasts of England’. • His art serves the interests of the pigs, just as art under Stalin served the interests of communism.

20. THE FLAG • Depicts a horn and a hoof. • Symbolises the new regime of animalism and is equivelant to the Soviet hammer-and-sickle flag. • THE GUN • Fired on special occasions, reminds the animals of their sacrifice for the cause.

21. THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS • Were written when the animals gained their independence. • They symbolise Marx’s manifesto. • They have the same importance as the Ten Commandments in the Bible. • The changing of the commandments by the pigs symbolises the breakdown of the basic principles of animalism. • In the same way as they prevented the basic principles socialism, the communist regime in Russia became corrupt.