Animal farm - George Orwell

“All animals are equal , but some are more equal than others”

Some books win your heart simply by the simplicity of its language and the depth of the ideas they convey. For me , animal farm is one such book.

This book talks about animals living on a farm ( hence the name :P) and manges to allegorically convey the story of the Russian revolution and the reasons for its decay in an simplistic manner.Like the Russian revolution in 1918, the story starts off with the farm animals revolting against their greedy farmer, Mr Jones, and chasing him off the farm. Then, they establish a new estate based on the principle of equality for all animals. However, as history has often shown, things start going downhill, when the “brains of the revolution”, the pigs, start allocating more food for themselves. What starts off with more food, ends with the pigs living in houses and becoming increasingly autocratic. The other animals driven by their fear of the “humans” keep shut.

Why don't they raise their voice against the pigs? Why do they continue to work hard, despite living miserable lives? What makes them suffer the purges and “show trials” in silence? The reader feels amazed at their stupidity. Stupid animals,he thinks, anyone could have seen the truth. But then again , millions of us failed to too.

A revolution which starts off with the slogan “Four legs good, Two legs bad” ends up with the slogan “Four legs good, Two legs better”.

Reasons to Read it :

•  A masterpiece of allegory, read it, if only to be amazed and the imagination and creativity of its author.
• Its a short book and teaches its readers a lot about how politicians manipulate the public. Learn from it and avoid falling into the same trap.

Memorable Quotes :

“Man serves the interests of no creature except himself.”

“This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.”

“There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word-- Man”

“Between pigs and human beings there was not and there need not be any clash of interest whatsoever.”

The contradiction in the last two quotes, pretty much sums up the novel. The novel shows how easily we are fooled by foxy politicians. Any doubts we have, are brushed away as childish worries. The general public is asked to not think but to follow and this my dear friends, is the reason why genocides and bomb blasts continue to occur around us. Do read the book, and comment if you like it.