Book Review: Animal Farm by George Orwell

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Strong allegory told in an entertaining way

Cons: It truly represents human nature

The Bottom Line:

I throw around classic

But this book deserves title

Still needs to be read

Some Classics are More Equal than Others

In high school, I had the pleasure of reading George Orwell's classic 1984. While I don't remember many of the details, I do remember enjoying the book. I always intended to read his other classic, Animal Farm, one day. I finally got around to it, and it was well worth the effort.

Just before he dies, Old Major, an old pig, shares a dream he had with the animals of Manor Farm. In the dream, he saw a future where animals were no longer the servants of man but enjoyed the profits of their own labor.

His dream became reality much sooner then he imagined, however. Shortly after his death, the animals spontaneously revolt against the farm's owner, Jones, a mean alcoholic.

With the humans gone, the animals start working the farm together, anxious to enjoy the rewards. They also form their own government, a complete democracy where every animal has a say. They create seven commandments that they will all live by to make the newly renamed Animal Farm an even better place to live.

It isn't long, however, before the pigs begin to take a place of leadership because of their superior intelligence. Two in particular, Snowball and Napoleon, rise to the top and always take opposite sides on every issue.

The first year, things go smoothly. But the second year, things begin to fall apart and a leader emerges, slowly gaining more power. Will the other animals go along with the changes?

It is easy to see why everyone talks about this classic. It is a powerful allegory about the dangers of Socialism. And, while some of the commentary directed squarely at the USSR may be lost on today's readers, anyone familiar with the history of that country or the other communist countries in our recent history will certainly get the point. It's amazing how accurate George Orwell was in his depiction of the rise and fall of communism in general. Of course, anyone who studies human nature will have seen these same things coming.

The brilliance of the book lies with the characters. Every one plays an important part in the story, but also represents a type of human behavior. There's Napoleon, the power hungry leader who is brilliant at his planning. Boxer, the naive work horse, is a sympathetic figure who is easy to like. I must admit I found the mule and his pessimistic attitude not only funny but sadly prophetic.

While the book is great, the ending makes the book. Don't worry, I won't spoil it. I must admit, it took me a few minutes of thought to truly get it. But when I did, it was very chilling.

While aimed squarely at Stalin's USSR, the book resonates with us today because the story holds true for any totalitarian government. Human nature being what it is, this was the ultimate end of any story like this. No matter which side of the political spectrum you are on, it is easy to see parts of this reflected in our country over the last 20 years as well.

The best part is, the book is fun, too. Some classics can be dry and boring, but not this one. The story moves quickly and the animal characters are so well drawn it's hard not to get pulled in to the story. I was hooked and couldn't wait to see how it ended.

Some classics are boring and hard to get through. Animal Farm isn't one of them. Don't fear the classic label, but pick this up and read it today. You'll be glad you did.