Question #8 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

Entry of your choice.


Out of the three dystopian books that I read, I thought Animal Farm was, by far, the best one. It was easier to understand see Communism, which works in theory, becoming unrealistic when put to practice. It was also easier to understand the concept of a utopian society steadily turning into a dystopian one. This was because the animals were parallel to the human characteristics they possessed: the pigs were the leaders of Animal Farm with Napoleon being the dictator, the horse was the obedient followers of the pig, and the goat was the stubborn one.

Another aspect I liked about the book was the fact that the animals could talk to people. This, obviously cannot happen in reality, but I enjoy books that challenge the reader's imagination, which is why I particularly enjoy fantasy books. While Animal Farm is not a fantasy book, it was certainly the most imaginative and creative out of Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Animal Farm.


Also, while reading this novel, I had the most emotional reactions to it. For example, while I was reading Fahrenheit 451, I was absolutely bored and couldn't wait to be done with it. Animal Farm, however, kept me riveted until the last scene in the book, and up until that moment my mind was racing with thoughts and ideas about how ignorant the other animals were in not noticing how the pigs set themselves above others, or as they put it, "...more equal than other animals."

Question #7 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?

The major theme of this novel is that power can corrupt people, or in this novel's case, animals. Napoleon, who was the leader of Animal Farm, slowly became power hungry. In the beginning of the novel, he said that all animals are to be treated equally and enforced the Seven Commandments to make sure that all the animals were treated the same and didn't follow the ways of power obsessed humans. However, as the plot progressed in the novel, Napoleon started to become power obsessed himself. In the beginning, he said that he was doing everything for the welfare of all the animals, and this might have been his true intentions. However, as he started to gain more power over the animals, he wanted even more. His final move to get all the power he could was setting pigs above all other animals with the decree, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

This theme is very important to teenagers living in 2007 because it teaches us that power corrupts people. In today's society, politicians are very high on the list for not being trusted. This is because so many politicians have become what they are for the sake of gaining more power. When they started their campaign it was, "I want to make this world a better place." Once they got into it their platform was, "I need more power." Because of this attitude that many politicians have, teenagers today should take heed, for there will come a day when the teenagers of today will be able to vote tomorrow, and who they vote for will affect their lives, so we must learn to pick someone who will not be corrupted by the power they will be given.

Question #6 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

Are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? What are they, and how do they relate? Does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?

There are current situations in the world that relate to this novel. There were also situations in the past that relate to the novel. North Korea is a modern example of what happened in Animal Farm, with Kim Jong-Il being parallel to the character of Napoleon. The Soviet Union is an example from the past of the events that occurred on Animal Farm. Ironically enough, George Orwell wrote this novel to criticize the Soviet Union. Many of the characters represented real people. Napoleon was a representation of Joseph Stalin, both of whom were power hungry and killed those who opposed them. Boxer represents the dedicated, but fooled, followers of the Communists. Animalism, which was the government the animals had established, represents Communism, in which the ideal was to make all the animals equal.

The situation with the Soviet Union sheds some light on how people could fix this problem in North Korea. Joseph Stalin came into power because he said that he believed in the teachings of Karl Marx, which was that no should be poor nor rich. However, as everyone knows, he did not do a very good job of putting these teachings to practice. After Stalin established Communism in the Soviet Union, he became a tyrant, forcing himself above others, and never fixing the problems of the poor, the hungry, and the oppressed. After many years, the people of the U.S.S.R. realized that they were being treated like dogs, and started to rebel and grumble against the government.

Some people might say that a group of people rebelling against the government won't help the people, but if everyone does it together, it is possible that the dictator may fall. Because Russia is no longer a Communist government, there is still hope that, one day, North Korea will be a free country as well.

Question #5 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

Are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? Or disturbing? Or memorable? Describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.

One setting that I found very beautiful was in the beginning of the novel, when all the animals were united together under the green flag. It was one of the rare moments in the novel when all the animals were truly happy together. This scene was a brief moment of true hopes and dreams for a better future. In my opinion, I think it is a beautiful thing when people of different gender, age, races, religions, and ideas are all united together for the same purpose. This is why I found the scene of the animals gathered together with their flag, which represented their hopes and dreams, very beautiful and touching.

One scene that I found very disturbing was when the dogs brutally executed many of the animals for opposing Napoleon's ideas. Everyone has different ideas, it is just the way things work in life. The fact that Napoleon didn't accept anyone else's opinions except his own was very selfish and cruel. Out of all the scenes, except possibly for the scene where the pigs came out of the barn standing on two legs, I thought this was the most menacing, because in this scene, Napoleon truly revealed himself as a dictator, and not a kind leader.

Question #4 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. Why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.

"Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again but already it was impossible to say which was which." (Pg. 85)

This passage is very meaningful to this novel, because it shows the complete transition of the pigs becoming humans. In the beginning, the pigs, with Napoleon at the head, were the ones who instated the saying, "Four legs good, two legs bad," meaning that anything on two legs, the humans, are bad, and anything on four legs, the animals, are good. However, the pigs' attitudes started to change over the course of the novel. They started to become more like humans, and the largest hint that they were about to becoming exactly like people was when the pigs changed the saying to "Four legs good, two legs better."

I think this passage not only showed the pigs final transition into becoming just like humans, but also their final transformation into becoming hypocrites. The pigs were the ones who said that they were living a harsh life under the humans, and also said that, under Napoleon's rule, they will have a better life. However, in the end, all the pigs became just like humans, forcing the animals to do hard labor and making their lives even more miserable than when Jones had been in charge of the farm. This part of the novel angered me the most, because I absolutely loathe anyone who says that doing a particular thing is bad, and then they go and do it themselves.

Question #3 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

What is the mood of this novel? Do you find this novel saddens you in any way? Why?

The mood of this novel is very suspenseful and increasingly ominous. At the start of the book, the animals are very hopeful as they dream about a better future on their farm. The animals achieve this and are very happy. However, after this part of the book, the suspense starts to build. The first thing that triggers the reader's suspicion is when Napoleon sets himself above all others. Also, as he starts to decree laws that set him and the other pigs higher than the rest of the animals, the suspense starts to build even more. The mood also turns very menacing when Napoleon orders the dogs to kill anyone who opposes his ideas or laws. In my opinion, the most suspenseful part was when the pigs came out of the barn on two legs while carrying whips. This part was also very disturbing, because it gave a hint that the other animals were going to be beaten.

This novel does sadden me, but it also angers me, as well. It was very dejecting to me that the other animals did not notice they were being forced to do unequal amounts of work compared to the pigs. The saddest part of all, however, was how Boxer acted. Because he did not know he was being oppressed, he put all of his heart and soul into working for a leader who happened to betray him when he was dying. This part of the novel not only saddened me, it enraged me. To think that Napoleon would betray Boxer, who had supported him the most out of all the other animals, was absolutely appalling. That most unbelievable part, however, is that fact that everything that happened on Animal Farm happened in reality. While some people read this book, they might say, "How could those animals be so stupid?" We humans, however, are no different. We believe in other humans, believing they will give us a better life, even though there is proof all around us that this will never be so. Because of this message that the book gave, I found myself disgusted with how the human race allowed these events like these to happen again. It proved that the world had not learned from its past.

Question #2 - Animal Farm (Extra Credit)

What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?


In my opinion, the climax of the novel happened when Napoleon brutally betrayed Boxer. Boxer had always been faithful to Napoleon, doing everything he was forced to do and always looking for extra ways to help out on the farm. When Boxer became sick, Napoleon decided that Boxer was of no more use, and sold Boxer to a glue making company. What made the betrayal even more brutal was the fact that Napoleon used the money he received from the glue factory to buy beer for the pigs. Also, he lied to the animals about what really happened to Boxer. Benjamin was trying to convince all the animals that Boxer had been made into glue, but Napoleon told them that Boxer had died in peace. This was the saddest part, that none of the animals, except for Benjamin, knew what had really happened to Boxer.

The events in this novel made me feel very angry. I believe that everyone is created equally, and no one has the right to set themselves above others. Because the pigs were doing this, I absolutely loathed them. Also, I felt very contemplative towards the idea of Communism. I had always thought that Communism was nothing but bad, but as I read this book, I realized that Communism is a very good theory, but it can only be a very good theory. I thought over the pros and cons of a Communist government, and realized that Communism will only lead to a country's self-destruction, because one power hungry leader is all it takes for a nation to die.