History background of animal farm

Hello guys! How is your spring break? 

I am still reading the Animal Farm, and am currently in chapter 5. So far, animals have successfully overthrown human being. They build up a new system and enact seven commandments.

1.        Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2.        Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3.        No animal shall wear clothes.

4.        No animal shall sleep in a bed.

5.        No animal shall drink alcohol.

6.        No animal shall kill any other animal.

7.        All animals are equal.

When I read these commandments, I think they all look ideal. It’s like the core of any kind of value or pursuit starts from things that those seven commandments. We humans set up rules out of the interest of each member in the group, refuse kinds of stuff that lead to corruption, and call for unity. While the most important part is, that we advocate that every person is the same. Nonetheless, what usually happened is that with the development of the systems or the bigger ambition and aspiration of leaders, ideologies end up being deformed or even collapsed. Characters in animal farms actually imply such a thing.

The prototype of Mr. Jones, the original owner of the animal farm, is actually Nicholas ll, who is the last tsar of Russia, and the rebellion of animals stands for the first overthrow of the system of autocracy. There were 3 main causes for the Russia Revolution: political, social, and economic. Politically, people at that time were dissatisfied with the existing autocratic system, which culminated in the Bloody Sunday massacre. Thousands of unarmed Russian workers were shot by the Tsar’s troops when they were trying to plead for justice. Socially it formed the centuries of oppression towards the lower classes by the regime at that time as well as Nicholas’s failures in World War I. Economically was because of the outdated economy in Russia at that time, when its agriculture was largely relied on independent peasants instead of modern machinery.

Aside from the background of the book having something related to authentic history, other animals are actually the miniatures of real historic people. 

Old Major, the key character who inspired the rebellion, is actually based on Lenin, the leader of the Russian revolution. And then his successors, Napoleon, Snowball, represented Stalin and Trotsky, respectively. Horses actually imply the working classes; they believe the government, and are willing to devote themselves for the government. Ravens are the intellectual classes, they realized what the government tries to achieve, and even the schemes of the government, while they don’t really speak up for that. 

I always enjoy the process of reading the book first, and then finding out the profound meaning and historic background behind the book. It’s amazing to realize that such a slim book conveys so many things that are worthy to further investigate and get to know. Also, it’s also a great opportunity to realize history this way!