Animal Farm and Dystopic Literature

Animal Farm and Dystopic Literature

  • Submitted By: pnzg
  • Date Submitted: 10/23/2013 7:46 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 921
  • Page: 4
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Pan Zheng
Fry
Honors English 6
4 May 2012
Animal Farm Essay
In its nascence, a new society that arises after overthrowing their former oppressive regime is the incorruptible ideal wherein each individual human share the same objectives of equality and freedom. However, the former goals of the revolution are eventually betrayed by the same leaders who lead the coup d'etat, regressing the people-led utopia that had broken free from the shackles of tyranny, into a totalitarian society equally repressive. The incentives for the leaders' betrayal of the former revolutionary ideals lies in their desire to become the new bourgeoisie among the lower classes in a society where such distinctions are thought to be eliminated. In George Orwell's Animal Farm, a fable detailing the evolution from tyrannical rule by humans to a totalitarian rule with equally negative ramifications, the pigs arise as despotic rulers who betray the former ideals of the revolution due to their desire for to be the new bourgeoisie.
Initially, the revolution occurring on Manor Farm had stemmed from ideas of equality, progress, and justice among animals. The animals would live in a society that was based off of mutual respect and care, free of the limitations and misery placed on them while Mr. Jones was in charge. This utopian view was soon destroyed, however, when the pigs started rewarding themselves with luxuries at the animals' expense, similar to Mr. Jones's behavior while he had been in charge of the farm. While the other animals worked at gathering the hay after expelling the humans from the farm, it is observed that “the pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others” (Orwell 27). Despite the pigs', knowledge of the revolutionary objectives, including the equality of all animals, the pigs assert their intellectual superiority over the other animals and use it to their advantage in order to shirk work. Although animals are deemed free and equal after the revolution, the...

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