Anu Johny
Jul 13,2020
5:54pm
Animal Farm- A Fairy Tale by George Orwell
We all love fairy tales. They take us into an unreal world. Animal Farm is also a fairy tale in the sense it also presents an impossible world where animals behave like humans. Yes, it’s a fairy tale but also a fable; a fable of farm animals who took over the farm from the human farmer.
Imagine a farm with lots of farm animals .There are pigs, cows, ducks, hen, horses and all other sorts of farm animals. One day they decide to put an end to their exploitation by the farmer, Jones. Inspired by the ideas of prize boar whom they call Old Major, they lead a rebellion and took over the farm. Pigs were considered as the wisest of the animals. So a pig called Napoleon became their leader. The animals ran the farm successfully but in the end the leaders became their exploiters. The pigs gained the upper hand and ruled over other animals. The equal world they wanted to create became a dictatorial world.
Animal Farm is also a political satire. The famous quote “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others” is from Animal Farm. The book is not devoid of humor. The very idea of animals talking and behaving like humans is funny. Just bring into your mind a pig walking on two legs dressed in human clothes and smoking a pipe like humans. Isn’t it funny? Its a good read for children as well as adults. No wonder the book is always listed among the best books of 20th century.
The book was published in 1945. The author is George Orwell. He was born in India in 1903 while his father was a civil servant in British India. Though he has written six novels and more than hundred essays and articles, Orwell is best remembered for his works Animal Farm and 1984 published in 1949. 1984 is a dystopian novel which presents a world ruled by all powerful Big Brother. It’s a dark world where even thinking freely is a crime. You might have come across the expression ‘Big Brother is watching you’ in thriller movies or in crime fiction. Well, it’s from 1984
The works of Orwell are highly readable and enjoyable. The message in Orwell’s works, his ideal of socialism and fight against totalitarianism is still relevant. For those who love reading, the works of Orwell is definitely a treat.
