Satirical Allegory of Animal Farm Novel Based on Russian Revolution in 1917

Satirical Allegory of Animal Farm Novel Based on Russian Revolution in 1917

            Animal images which are created by George Orwell in Animal Farm Novel are the “source domain” to reflect the “target domain”, human beings. The whole story of the novel represents Russian Revolution in 1917 throughout the characters and events that happened at that time. All the characters are animals in appearance, but humans in nature. (Sun, 2015)

            Satirical allegory is used in this novel to show the real Soviet totalitarianism. Before going further, some terms must be explained to facilitate this topic comprehension. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, firstly, satirical is relating to, or constituting satire. This adjective also means manifesting or given to satire. Secondly, totalitarianism means centralized control by an autocratic authority and the political concept that the citizen should be totally subject to an absolute state authority. Thirdly, allegory denotes a story in which the characters and events are symbols that stand for ideas about human life or for a political or historical situation. So, satirical allegory is parallel story with underlying moral or message which synthesizes both of heavily developed ironies and sarcasms.

            The parallel of Russian Revolution throughout the characters in Animal Farm Novel is constructed directly by George Orwell corresponding with the figures in the real Russian Revolution. Old Major is representative of Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the November 1917 Revolution. Farmer Jones describes Czar Nicholas II well with his dictatorship. Moses, the Raven represents the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and organized religion with the term of Sugar Candy Mountain. Napoleon is a parallel of Joseph Stalin with his new revolutionary order.

Snowball character is Leon Trotsky, the leader of the Red Army, in the real story that defends and spreads the revolution. Squealer does not represent a historical figure of the Russian Revolution, but an official Soviet government newspaper, Pravda. It can be proven by how the way Squealer spreads Napoleon’s propaganda using demonstration of the sheep. Cheka and KGB are the Soviet secret polices that are described well as Napoleon’s dogs whose duty is to carry out executions and enforce the decrees. The cart horse, Mollie, draws Russian middle class (bourgeoisie). Mr. Whymper, the broker, and the pigeon, who support the rebellion at Animal Farm parallels with foreign agents of Comintern, an acronym for the Communist International , that are created to spread the revolution. White Russian Army is represented by four young pigs that reject Napoleon’s idea and finally, they are executed. Both in Orwell’s essay and his letter to Yvonne Davet describe Animal Farm is satirical tale against Stalin which combines either political or artistic purpose into one whole. (Lamont, 2015)

            There are too many researches which explain the major characters, for instance Old Major, Napoleon and Snowball. This essay focuses only for the three characters, Moses and Mollie, who does not have any overly significant role in this story but construct a very meaningful allegory including the philosophy of their names in Russian Revolution. Moses, the raven, has a meaningful meaning name which means the man, a religious leader who will lose the oppression of the people to get the freedom. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Moses is a Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery and at Mt. Sinai delivered the Law establishing God’s covenant with them. In fact, Moses in the Animal Farm does not do that right role. Ironically, he is considered to be a liar, who always conveys the animals to work hard in order to get the freedom, Sugar Candy Mountain, the Animal Heaven.

            The pigs had an even harder struggle to counteract the lies put about by Moses, the tame raven. Moses, who was Mr. Jones's especial pet, was a spy and a tale-bearer, but he was also a clever talker. He claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain, to which all animals went when they died. It was situated somewhere up in the sky, a little distance beyond the clouds, Moses said. In Sugarcandy Mountain it was Sunday seven days a week, clover was in season all the year round, and lump sugar and linseed cake grew on the hedges. The animals hated Moses because he told tales and did not work, but some of them believed in Sugarcandy Mountain, and the pigs had to argue very hard to persuade them that there was no such place. (7; ch. 1)

His existence serves a positive impact for Napoleon, so that is why, he is recalled to avoid the animals’ complain while they are working. It also happens in Russian Revolution when Orthodox Church is allowed to stay because Stalin thinks that religion will stop the violent revolution. Theoretically, raven is symbolism of ill omen, death, evil or other gruesome turns of thought which can be described of its dark coat of feathers. Ravens often hunt down animals much larger than themselves which indicates that Moses can influence a lot of people to follow his idea. Raven’s long bill symbolizes that Moses is a good speaker and tricky.

            Mollie, a petty white mare, is the interesting character to be analyzed. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Mollie is another variant of “molly” which can be defined as any of several brightly colored tropical live-bearers (genus Poecilia) highly valued as aquarium fishes. She represents vain and selfish people especially in the middle class. Her white mane is the symbol of cowardice in this case, although in the cultural perspective, white is identified as purity, innocence, neutrality, and cleanliness. Middle class society does not care much with the revolution and tend to travel to other countries where offer more benefits for them.

`           All events in Animal Farm novel involve historical events in Russian Revolution. Teheran Conference as the first series of several conferences which is conducted by the three leaders of the three countries, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin, is to discuss the efforts to defeat Germany after the involvement of America in the World War II, the opening of the second front in West Europe and confessing the independence of Iran. It is symbolized by a game of cards between Napoleon, the pig-dictator and a human neighbour, Mr. Pilkington.

            The Battle of the Windmill reflects the Battle of Stalingrad in Russian Revolution. The Battle of Stalingrad happened between July 17, 1942 until February 2, 1943 was the major battle of World War II in which Soviet Union was fought by Nazi Germany and its allies to control the Stalingrad city in Southern Russia. However, Russia with The Red Army could stop the Germans by leaving 2 million casualties. Theoretically, windmill and air work together. If there is no air, windmill can not be functioned. Air here is the symbol of interpretation, representative of thought, intellect, idea and synthesis.

            But when the animals saw the green flag flying ... It was announced that the battle would be called the Battle of the Windmill, and that Napoleon had created a new decoration, the Order of the Green Banner, which he had conferred upon himself. In the general rejoicings the unfortunate air of the banknotes was forgotten. (40-41; ch. 8)

            The Battle of Windmill happens because Mr. Frederick attacks the farm using blasting powder to blow up the restored windmill, but the animals win the battle before the death of Boxer, the workhorse. Windmill, which is firstly promised to make the animal’s life easier, is considered as a symbol of Stalin’s Five-Year plan. The Five-Year Plan was firstly supposed to shorten the work week of the soviets and to improve Soviet industry by increasing production. Napoleon forces animal to build another windmill and promises that the next windmill plan is going to be successful. Stalin did the same thing in which kept The Five-Year Plan to solve all of the Russian’s problems.

            In conclusion, the prominent quality of Animal Farm Novel by George Orwell is full of satirical allegory whose functions are to make a moral judgement, to correct wrongs and to criticize injustices. Every single part of the novel he writes involves all of historical characters in Russian Revolution. He attempts to use a novel to be his media to criticize the leadership of Stalin, the dictator. Animal characters that he builds are to strengthen his satirical critics in order to make it seems ridiculous, amusing and contemptible, because the position of animals is lower than human beings. Animals have natural appetite or desire and instinct but do not have mind, otherwise human beings have both mind and desire which positioning them in the higher position naturally.

References:

1. Lamont, George J. "Animal Farm - Comparison of Characters to the Russian Revolution." Print.

2. Olivastro, Anthony. "The Battle of Stalingrad and the Windmill."  (2013). Print.

3. Sana Nawaz, Iqra Jabeen, Tanzeela Rao, Abida Bibi, Fatima Afzal and Saba Sadaqat. "Allegory and Satire on Animal Farm by George Orwell." International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection 3.5 (2015). Print.

4. Sun, Ping. "Animal Images and Metaphors in Animal Farm." Journal of Arts and Humanities 4 (2015). Print.