"By constructing a fictional world the novelist gives us insights into our own society." How does George Orwell give us insights into our society? Refer closely to Animal Farm.
In the book, Animal Farm, George Orwell gives us insights into our society by creating a fictional world. The Russian Revolution serves as the prototype for this world. Human nature and the state of society today, makes us turn to the past to create the future, but we repeat its errors. Animal Farm clearly shows us that we must start learning from the mistakes of the past to stop this destructive cycle.
The plot of Animal Farm follows the Russian Revolution. This is achieved by events in the novel corresponding to the actual events in Russian history. In the year 1937, Russian leader Joseph Stalin used secret police to get rid of rivals including his main rival, Leon Trotsky. Napolean uses his dogs to chase Snowball from Animal Farm. Napolean's guard dogs represent Stalin's secret police. Another example is when the animals start to rebuild the windmill and "starvation seemed to stare them in the face." Russia suffered a similar fate resulting in a famine. Animal Farm allows us to study the Revolution from a different disposition.
Aspects of human nature and society are apparent in Animal Farm. Greed is a part of human nature that cannot be restrained as portrayed by the pigs becoming the sole consumers of the apples. Vanity is also human nature as is the case with Mollie and her ribbons. When the animals venture into the farmhouse, they find that "she had taken a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. Jones's dressing-table, and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner." Orwell is especially interested in exploring the issue of power and how it is exploited. There are many examples throughout the novel concerning the pigs and how they use their power. They allow themselves privileges that the other animals do not have, such as sleeping in the beds in the farmhouse.