Animal Farm Summary | Chapterly
Animal Farm by George Orwell: A Complete Summary "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." Overview Animal Farm (1945) is one of the most brilliant political satires ever written. On the surface, it is a simple fable about farm animals who overthrow their human owner and attempt to run the farm themselves. Beneath, it is a precise and devastating allegory of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalin's Soviet Union. The animals' revolution begins with noble ideals: equality, freedom, and the end of exploitation. But the pigs, who are the cleverest animals, gradually assume control. Led by the ruthless Napoleon (Stalin) and aided by the propagandist Squealer, they rewrite history, eliminate rivals, and exploit the other animals until the original revolution has been completely betrayed. The final image -- pigs walking on two legs, indistinguishable from the humans they replaced -- is one of the most chilling in all literature. Orwell had difficulty getting the book published because the Soviet Union was a wartime ally of Britain. When it finally appeared, it became an instant classic. Its message transcends its specific historical context: revolutions that promise liberation often produce new forms of tyranny. Themes...