A story does not solely reside in one dimension; it exists in multiple dimensions brought forward through symbolism. Symbols are put in place to give a deeper meaning to words and expresses key points in the novel. In the novel Animal Farm, George Orwell uses symbolism to relate and reflect upon human society and its history. Orwell uses the farmhouse, the barn and the windmill to symbolize the ultimate power of the pigs and to reference points in Russian history. Moreover, the farmhouse represents the authority and corruption in society as well as the Russian Kremlin. It symbolises authority because only specific personnel were allowed in. In Animal Farm pigs were the only ones who could go into the farmhouse which was formerly owned by Farmer Jones.
The house stands in which where the leader of the farm lives, in the past it was Farmer Jones and then changes to be Napoleon and the pigs. This house give the permission for the pigs to do as they want, because they themselves are the rules, meaning no one has authority over them. They became the thing they despised the most; Farmer Jones. After the revolution, the animals vowed to never stoop to the level of men, but in the end they did just that. The pigs became just as greedy, vile and angry as the men: “Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike…the creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again: but already it was impossible to say which was which” (Orwell, 95).
The Essay on Pig Man Lorraine John Happy
Three individuals with varying personalities and backgrounds come together in a strange and magical way to help each other strengthen in their weak points. Lorraine who is self-conscious has John to make her happy and forget about her worries. John does not have many weak points except that he smokes and drinks. When he is around Lorraine and Mr. Pignati he does not do this as much. Mr. Pignati ...
The farmhouse intoxicated the pigs; they had everything at their disposal and that included power. The pigs became corrupted by luxuries of powerful, and conclusively changed into humans, there was no line between humans and pigs, they had one thing in common; they were corrupted. The farmhouse also takes a literal representation of the Russian Kremlin. The farmhouse is reserved solely for the leader of the communist pigs, just like how the Kremlin was reserved for Tsar. In the beginning of the novel, all the animals agreed that, “the farmhouse should be preserved as a museum. All were agreed that no animal must ever live there.” (14).
Much like the animals, Stalin agreed to preserve the Kremlin but later changed his mind. He as well as the pigs, both began to close off the access from the public until it was only reserved for the leaders. The power and sole use of the farmhouse for the pigs is an accurate representation of what Stalin treated the Kremlin as. In total, the farmhouse stood as a symbol towards the evils in society and evils in history. Equally important, the barn in the novel consistently stands as a symbol of the collective unity of the society but also remarks the control of the pigs, such as perceived by in the seven commandments.
The barn was a place of fundamentals for the revolution and a place where all the animals came together for the same goal. Together the animals joined to “remove man from the scene” (4), and to have the hard work the animals have suffered through, “abolished for ever”(4).
These words were put in place by Old Major, a symbol to the commencement of the revolution. The barn was where any animal could come together; it serves as a monument to socialism. The barn was the place for the general public, whereas the farmhouse was solely for the pigs. As the barn stood for the socialism, the seven commandments printed upon the barn represented the ideals of communism. Once Farmer Jones was overthrown, all the animals came together to create the seven commandments, but these were immensely influenced by pigs because they could write. This is communism, the animals thought they had their own choice but they were truly being persuaded to the ideals of the pigs or higher power. The commandments also stand as a symbol for the pig’s control. The commandments were made for everyone but the rules did not apply to the rule makers themselves; the pigs.
The Essay on Animal Farm Pigs Animals Commandments
Almost all the animals had a very bad memory so they were not able to remember things of major signifigance. After a little while the pigs would mention the past and the animals would not remember what had happened so they would agree with the pigs. The the battle of cowshed, snowball was a very herioic animal in that battle but Neapolean said that that was not true that there memory had deceived ...
Much like the Russian revolution, when Stalin was in power, he got to make rules but never followed them. All rules were made for the animal and society to follow but the leaders were allowed to bend them. This was shown throughout the novel by the pigs constantly breaking the rules, but before the rest of the animals realizing, the pigs would go back to the commandments and alter them so they would technically not be breaking the rules. One rule was all animals were equal; meaning they all got the same ration of food. When animals were found to be stealing they were immediately executed. Killing was against the commandments also, until being looked upon again, “No animal shall kill another animal without cause.” (61).
The pigs, unbeknownst to the other animals had gone back and changed the rules therefore they technically did not break the rule. But in all actually, the pigs did, this symbolises the control of the pigs because they were allowed to change the rules.
This is a pivotal point because if the pigs could change the basic fundamentals of the farm they could change the society as a whole. In culmination, the barn stands as two opposing ideals with control wedged middle. Furthermore, throughout the novel the windmill serves as multiple symbols. It represents the manipulation skills that the pigs have, the submissiveness of the animals, and the modernisation of Russia. The windmill was first brought to attention by Snowball, and Napoleon strongly opposed the windmill saying that the farm should focus on food production. Once Snowball was in exile, Napoleon said he was always supportive of the windmill, even though that contradicts his opinions that he had stated beforehand. From then, the farm began to build the windmill until one night “the windmill was [found to be] in ruins” (47), and it was none other than Snowball, “the enemy who comes in the night” (47), and the scapegoat now created by Napoleon, to be at fault for this crime. Napoleon stated that Snowball only proposed the windmill because he was allied with Farmer Jones and Snowball’s goal was to ruin Animal Farm.
All the animals on the farm believed this story and a common enemy was made; Snowball. Napoleon twisted and manipulated a story to his own favour, making not only a common enemy but a devoted work force that he could use at his leisure as well. Though it was the pigs that had used their manipulations skills, it was still the other animal’s submissiveness to the pigs that caused the windmill to become a symbol. Throughout the story the windmill was destroyed multiple times, and under dependence and obedience to the pigs, the animals all suffered to rebuild it. Although pushing forward a motion to erect and to reconstruct the windmill, the pigs never included themselves in the back-breaking work it took to actually build it. The pigs took all weekend and privileges from the animals but they animals still continued to build the windmill, while the pigs lived the life of luxury. The animals never took a stand against the pigs even though they were suffering. The animals believed that the pigs were beneficial to the farm even if the animals themselves were no proof of that. Multiple times the animals had suffered through the building of the windmill but still stayed under the control of the pigs.
The Essay on "Animal Farm" Speech – Snowball
Comrades, I stand here before you on this Sunday morning to bring forth my final solicitation to you for the ratification of the building of the windmill. In a minute or so, I will make all the beauties of the windmill known to you. Weeks ago, when I investigated our farm and surveyed the ground, I discovered that the knoll is the highest point on the farm, and it is certainly the ideal place to ...
This ignorance for their own rights is shown through the suffering and ultimate submissiveness needed to build the windmill. Lastly the windmill symbolises the modernisation of Russia. In the early nineteenth century the Russian Empire was ruled by a very old style of authority, through the story this is represented by Farmer Jones. Once the Russian Empire (Farmer Jones) was overthrown, modernisation was inevitable. Throughout the modernisation and changes in dynamics, both societies associated power to one entity; the Tsar. The Tsar’s position is occupied by Napoleon and underlined by the pigs. Such like Russia, Animal Farm tried to muddle their way through problems, and their leader often made empty promises. Such promises made to the farm were, “… supply the farm with electrical power. This would light the stalls which would warm them in the winter, and would also run a circular saw, a chaff-cutter, a mangle-slicer and an electric milking machine.” (32).
Because of these promises the animals all agreed to suffer and go on to build the windmill. Like Russia, Animal Farm overcame some problems but their leaders had empty promises that would never be filled. This is shown by the pigs who ultimately convert the windmill for commercial use, never giving the electricity needed to the farm.
The Essay on Russian History
Russia has always played a major roll in global politics, economics and thought. However, in the past two centuries, Russia has had probably the greatest influence on the international world in modern times, surpassed only by the United States. The Russia that we’ve known this century though, has its roots in last centuries Russian. At the end of the nineteenth century, Russia experienced great ...
Overall, the windmill represents multiple things varying different points of personalities to a point in history. As a result, Orwell uses the farmhouse, the barn, and the windmill to exhibit the excessive power the pigs have over the animals and the farm as well as the history that defines an era. Animal Farm proves to be more than a novel, rather it be an indication of social challenges and animal nature. That is because a symbol is more than a symbol; it is a gateway to an opinion and a reflection of our world.
Works Cited
Orwell, George. Animal Farm. England: Penguin Books,2008.Print. “The History of the Moscow Kremlin”. www.kreml.ru/en/history/kremlin/. RBC, GASPROMBANK. Website. November 7th 2012.
“The Russian Revolution”.http://rationalrevolution.net/war/russian_revolution.htm Rational Revolution. Website. November 7th 2012.
