A document on the background of Animal Farm, the book by George Orwell.

1. George Orwell:
Looking into the Background of Animal Farm
Ng Ding Xuan (18)
1I3
Introduction (Background) to Animal Farm:
Animal Farm is a classic work by George Orwell and a noted piece of
literature, which, of course, may help the reader to catapult the imagination
beyond the horizons of dogmatic adherence to idealistic or Utopian
thoughts. It however, represents human characteristics in an analogy of
animal instincts, but it really gives insight into the Russian Revolution of 1917.
It also mimics the doomsday of a precipitated change, brought by a
modicum of bureaucratic class called as Bolsheviks.
Animal Farm is a satirical fable set on Manor Farm, a typical English farm.
Orwell employs a third-person narrator, who reports events without
commenting on them directly. The narrator describes things as the animals
perceive them.
The animals, feeling that they are not being treated well by Jones (their
farmer), revolt against the farmers. Under the leadership of the wise and
clever Snowball as well as the strong and brave Napoleon, won the ‘war’
easily.
However, after the revolt, there were some leadership problems. The pigs
(especially Napoleon) and the dogs seem to get a larger share of the food.
However, thanks to some well-phrased propaganda by Squealer, the animals
did not protest. Then, Snowball was soon driven out as Napoleon saw him as
a threat.

2. As years passed, many things happened, from the building and collapse of
their windmill to Boxer (a loyal and strong horse) being sent to the horse-
slaughterer.
Soon, the pigs become more and more similar to humans, such that the
other animals can no longer differentiate them. This is similar to what is
happening in Russia, and the story aims to let us know about Communism,
to prevent people at that time from being influenced by the lies and
propagandas of the Communist party in England.
GEORGE ORWELL: Why he wrote Animal Farm
Having been enlisted in the Indian Imperial Police and served in Burma for
five years, George Orwell witnessed Imperialism at its worst; saw hangings,
floggings, and filthy prisons, and he "was forced to assert superiority over the
Burmese which he never really felt." Little economic or cultural progress was
made and Orwell left this situation with the conviction that Imperialism was
too evil to risk one's life for.
In 1936, Orwell joined the Republican side and fought in the Spanish Civil
War. Through first-hand experience, Orwell saw propaganda and the
perversion of history used for the first time as instruments of war. The
deliberate distortion of facts by both Left and Right seemed to Orwell to be
even more terrible than "the roar of bombs." Orwell believed the unchecked
distortion of objective truth would create far worse situations for mankind
than any ideological war ever could. For power, Orwell realized, had become
an end in itself.
Animal Farm is constructed on a circular basis to illustrate the futility of the
revolution. The novel is a series of dramatic repudiations of the Seven
Commandments, and a return to the tyranny and irresponsibility of the
beginning. The only change will be in the identity of the masters, and
ironically, that will be only partially changed.

3. In the eyes of Mr Orwell, the sole purpose of the book was to expose the
Soviet myth of Russia's acclaimed socialist utopia in a way that almost
anyone can comprehend. The simplicity of language in the book and the
usage of animals to convey the message made it a prime candidate for a
cartoon version and thus one was created.
Why was Animal Farm written as a fable?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a fable is:
A narration intended to enforce a useful truth; especially: one in which
animals speak and act like human beings
There could me various reasons for writing Animal Farm in the form of a
fable. Firstly, he might get into trouble with the Russians if it was not so
indirect. As a result, he wrote it as a fable. Though it did not directly criticize
the Russians, it exposed their myth about how a utopia can be achieved.
Secondly, propaganda plays with the emotions of people and lets them be
convinced of something else. Only some people like George Orwell was
aware of the truth. As a result, he wrote it as a fable, using characters like
animals as an analogy, to make the truth even easier to comprehend.
Conclusion
George Orwell’s purpose in writing Animal Farm is to tell us about the
danger posed by Communism. While we might enjoy ourselves reading the
book, occasionally punctuated with irony and humour, we should keep in
mind his message for us, and not make a mistake as future leaders of
Singapore, or perhaps the world.
References
http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/animalfarm/
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/Animal-Farm-
Animal-Farm-at-a-Glance.id-12.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/animalfarm/summary.html

4. http://www.enotes.com/animal-farm/q-and-a/what-purpose-author-
writhing-this-novel-3270
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_purpose_of_writing_anima
l_farm_for_george_orwell
http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/fable?show=0&t=1330431901