Almost .
overnight we would become rich and free.'" (Orwell, 10) The other .
animals take this utopian idea to heart, and one day actually do .
revolt and drive the humans out. Two pigs emerge as leaders: Napoleon .
and Snowball. They constantly argued, but one day, due to a difference .
over plans to build a windmill, Napoleon exiled Snowball. Almost .
immediately, Napoleon established a totalitarian government. Soon, the .
pigs began to get special favours, until finally, they were .
indistinguishable from humans to the other animals. Immediately the .
reader can begin to draw parallels between the book's characters and .
the government in 1917-44 Russia. For example, Old Major, who invented.
the idea of "animalism," is seen as representing Karl Marx, the .
creator of communism. Snowball represents Trotsky, a Russian leader .
after the revolution. He was driven out by Napoleon, who represents .
Stalin, the most powerful figure in the country. Napoleon then .
proceeded to remove the freedoms of the animals, and established a .
dictatorship, under the public veil of "animalism." Pigs represent the .
ruling class because of their stereotype: dirty animals with .
insatiable appetites. Boxer, the overworked, incredibly strong, dumb .
horse represents the common worker in Russia. The two surrounding .
farms represent two of the countries on the global stage with Russia .
at the time, Germany and England.
Orwell begins his book by criticizing the capitalists and ruling .
elite, who are represented in Animal Farm by Mr. Jones, the farmer. He .
is shown as a negligent drunk, who constantly starved his animals. .
"His character is already established as self-indulgent and uncaring." .
(King, 8) Orwell shows us how, "if only animals became aware of their .
strength, we should have no power over them, and that men exploit .
animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the proletariat." .
(Gardner, 97) What was established in Russia after the Bolshevik .
