Title: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Publication Year: 1945
Plot: A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality. Thus the stage is set for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned—a razor-edged fairy tale for grown-ups that records the evolution from revolution against tyranny to a totalitarianism just as terrible.
Miscellaneous: It is considered to be one of the top 100 English language novels of all time Time magazine, and Modern Library.
The readers said they read Animal Farm in two days; it was short and enjoyable. And we loved talking about it. We didn’t pause for a second.
They immediately related the novel to their own situations in prison. They all have different experiences having traveled to different prisons and facilities. They talked about how different it is when the guards are “in charge” as opposed to when the inmates are “in charge.” They much prefer to guards being in charge. When the officers had no power is when they were most scared. We had a new reader (just for the day), and he related it to some works by Ayn Rand–the kind of “support-the-cause/revolution” type of feeling in her writing.
We also talked about so many different political worlds, both past and present. Everything from WWII to Revolutionary War to the current US administration. In “Animal Farm,” facts and news are distorted, leaders change their own rules and rhetoric. Readjustments are made to the rations. We were all in awe of the way Orwell’s ideas fit so nicely on top of so many different contexts and histories.
We talked about socialism and capitalism, and in this text and perhaps in reality as well, how they both lead to the people at the top getting fat and taking advantage of those below them. Both of these routes lead to corruption. They lead the lower-class to the same place, just with slightly different autonomies.
The role of hope came out in our discussions, which was surprising. One reader talked about how much people can endure if they have hope. They can endure lots of conflict and suffering if they have hope and something to look forward to. This is also the same way with fear. The animals are afraid of Mr. Jones. And in what ways do political figures use fear to manipulate the bodies they govern? All of these ideologies have different ideals and “utopias” they are striving for–it’s just the getting there that’s the problem.
This was one of the more robust conversations we’ve had. We went all over the map, talking about the book and how its ideas correlate to our world and the world of the past. We all marveled at Orwell’s accomplishment with this novel and how true it rings to this day.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on Orwell, his work, and anything else related in the comments!
Until next time,
E.
You can purchase Animal Farm at these places: