Animal Farm

by SHASHANK SHRESTHA

FROM ISSUE # 135 (March 2007) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Although the author, George Orwell, billed it as a fairytale, Animal Farm is far from the sugarcoated romances and the exciting valor evident in the traditional tales. Animal Farm is, however, a tale of modern times, closely paralleling the era of the Soviet Totalitarianism. A sharp satire and a moving social commentary, this tale of animal rebellion has the amazing ability to grasp the readers' attention and bind them into the book from the start to the finish. 

The book is set in Manor farm, a regular farm in the English countryside. The tale begins with Old Major, the farm's prize-winning pig, summoning all the beasts and sharing with them, his dream where the entire human race is gone and the animals live in peace and harmony. The meeting ends with the penning of a revolutionary song 'The Beasts of England'. Although Old Major expires three days after this meeting, his dream is soon realized after the animals take control of the farm, driving away their human owners and proclaiming freedom from the men. Manor Farm is subsequently named Animal Farm and 'seven commandments of Animalism' is written on the wall of the barn for every animal to read, the most important commandment being 'All animals are equal'. 

The early days of the farm is very promising with the boars Snowball and Napoleon, leaders of the revolution; directing the animals towards a plentiful harvest and a far better quality of life in comparison to their human owned days. But slowly and steadily the farm begins to take a turn for the worst. Snowball and Napoleon begin a power struggle for the control of the farm, finally ending with Snowball being driven out of the farm by Napoleon. What follows next is the eventual dictatorship Napoleon and the pigs assume over Animal Farm. Slowly and steadily, the seven commandments of animalism are twisted and broken.  Though the animals continue to obey Napoleon, he changes the final proclamation to 'All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others'.

This masterful satire by George Orwell manages to relate to a number of socio-political agendas using the beasts of Animal Farm as allegorical set-pieces, each representing the actual stereotypes that exist: from the power figures to the genreal public. The socio-political allegory, however, is for the reader to decide. Whether as a touching tale of a revolution gone wrong, or as a witty political satire, Animal Farm will truly find a place in the readers' heart.

The next WAVE Book Club will be held at 2 PM on 24 March to discuss Lord of the Flies by William Golding at the British Council  

WHAT THE WAVE BOOK CLUB MEMBERS HAD TO SAY
ASMITA PIYA: It's a gripping book, as serious as it is funny. The language is lucid making it easier to understand.

PRAKASH PAGENI: The book's allegorical nature impressed me a lot. One can draw parallels with the book regarding Nepal's, if not, the world politics.

OMKAR KAFLE: The book is a satire on socialism, and the clever pun on the life cycle of a revolution is indeed thought provoking.