by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Their first leader, a pig, Old Major, was kind and fair who knew animals should be equal. But when Napoleon, also a pig, became the leader, it was very unpleasant. Napoleon wanted more power. The rebellion is betrayed, and the farm ends up in a state worse than it was before, under the dictatorship of Napoleon. He made a rule that allowed the pigs to have better food and that forced all of the other animals to work very hard in dangerous working conditions every day and night while the pigs laid on the bed all day, drinking and living in luxury. Pigs could speak fluently in English unlike the other animals, and that gave them the power to be leaders. Little by little, the rules begin to mysteriously change, and the pigs seem to gain power little by little, making the rest of the animals question what society they were striving for in the first place and whether their new-found freedom is as liberating as they have hoped. The cleaver pigs had already taken advantage of the naïve animals, and by the time the animals realised what the pigs had done, it was too late.

As soon the animals got freedom over the farm, they came up with a set of seven rules that will be the base of the Animal Farm. One of which was “All animals are equal”. This fair and just rule was later modified by the corrupt rulers into “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. With this the original purpose of the Seven Commandments, which were supposed to keep order within Animal Farm by uniting the animals together against the humans and preventing animals from following the humans’ evil doings, is ruined and it demonstrates how even the best of us can be corrupt when power lies in our hands.

Author Orwell said that the book was based on the events of Russia’s Bolshevik revolution and the betrayal of the cause by Joseph Stalin. Published in 1945, this book still stays relevant in today’s world, even after 76 years. It highlights the demons within every human; jealousy, greed, laziness and cruelty. Animal Farm is bitter reminder from history warning us that no good will come to us or anybody unless we set aside our egos and greed to help and support each other selflessly when the whole world is against us.