Many authors write about topics that they know and about historical events that are going on while they write their story. In the book Animal Farm, by George Orwell, this is definitely true. Orwell modeled many of his characters after Russian leaders. He depicts the troubles of Russia in a book about farm animals. Animal Farm draws parallels from the situation leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917.
The story begins with a prize winning boar named Old Major who gathers all of the farm animals around to tell them of a dream that he had. He tells them about a society of only farm animals who would run everything without humans. The farm animals like this idea and make a song called "Beasts of England" about their new freedom. Three days after announcing his dream, Old Major dies. Two younger pigs; Snowball and Napoleon, put Old Major's ideas into a philosophy and call it Animalism. The animals chase Farmer Jones off of the farm and claim it as their own, calling it "Animal Farm." Everyone works together to bring happiness to the farm. Boxer the cart horse devotes all of his strength to the farm, Snowball teaches the animals to read, and Napoleon educates a group of puppies on the topic of Animalism. Soon there is a struggle for power between Snowball and Napoleon. Snowball wants to erect a windmill to produce power for the animals. Napoleon is opposed to this idea and sends attack dogs to chase Snowball out of town. Now Napoleon has all power and begins to run the farm like he wants it. He decides that the pigs will run the farm, and he also changes his mind about the windmill. They finally build it, but the next day they find it toppled to the ground. Napoleon tells everyone that Snowball toppled the windmill. So anyone that goes against the words of Napoleon would then be with Snowball and would be put to death by the dogs. Napoleon starts to act more like a human by sleeping in a bed, wearing clothing, drinking whiskey, walking upright, and he even engages in trades with the neighbors.