Thoughts on Animal Farm

I have enjoyed Animal Farm throughout what we have read so far.  One of my favorite aspects of the book is how it can be read on multiple levels—as a fairy tale of maltreated animals taking over a farm, or as an allegory of the Russian Revolution.  While reading the novel, I find it interesting to read it on both levels, and see the comparisons from the characters and events to the actual Russian Revolution.  Napoleon, who stands for Joseph Stalin, becomes to be ruthless leader, doing whatever he feels necessary to remain in power.   Snowball, who represents Leon Trotsky, often fought with Napoleon over power earlier in the novel.  This compares to how there was a power struggle among Communist leaders after the death of Lenin in 1924.  Trotsky and Stalin were the main competitors.  Eventually, Stalin was able to take Trotsky down, and Trotsky fled.  This compares to when Napoleon turned things around after losing in the number of supporters, sending the dogs he trained to attack Snowball, who then fled.  Napoleon then took over Animal Farm, and insisted to the animals that Snowball was an agent of Mr. Jones (who stood for Tsar Nicholas II).  Later on, when working on the windmill project that had been the idea of Snowball (although Napoleon insists it was originally his idea), work on the farm comes to be more difficult than ever.  Poor Boxer, who represents the Proletariats, motivates himself to keep working harder, and tells himself that if Napoleon says something, it is true.  This compares to how the working-class Proletariats were responsible for all of the hard work, yet received nearly nothing in return for their labor.  As Napoleon continues to make changes to the laws without the animals’ knowledge, they soon begin to realize that they do not always remember their existence.  Even Boxer, who is not of first-rate intelligence, begins to notice something odd is happening.  These ideas suggest another revolution might be approaching.  Overall, I enjoy reading Animal Farm, and recommend it to anyone, whether or not they know much about the Russian Revolution.  If they do not, this story will be a great aid when the time comes that they do learn about the Russian Revolution.