spent a few hours a few days ago and read the book " Animal Farm " in one go. This thin book reflects the selfishness, greed, cowardice and stupidity of human nature, which is chilling.
This book is a novella written by the British writer George Orwell . It was first published in 1945. The book tells the story of the animals in Manner Farm who were dissatisfied with the oppression and exploitation of their owners, and rose up to resist and succeeded. The story of the overthrow of human tyranny. However, the ending of the story is unexpected.
01 Everything starts from a dream
Old Maghe is a boar who once won the "Medium Mane Award". He is the wisest and most respected among animals.
Because of a dream, he determined his life ideals and goals.
One night, he complained to other animals about human cruelty, greed and incompetence. Human beings could not produce anything and did not have enough strength to work. The fruits of the animals' hard work were mercilessly plundered by them, and all they got back was Endless oppression, and even the inability to spend their old age peacefully, undoubtedly win the strong approval of animals.
Then, Lao Maizhe said the only solution, that is " rebels against "!
works day and night to overthrow human tyranny, and then everyone can live a rich and free life.
In order to achieve this goal, we must unite at all costs. All animals are comrades and all humans are enemies.
Then he sang the song in his dream "Beasts of England". This song made the animals' blood surge, and the whole manor reverberated with the song.
02 The uprising was successful, this is Animal Farm
Old Major died quietly three days later, and the three smartest pigs took over his mantle. They are Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer.
Among them, Napoleon is tall, with a fierce look and a silent character. Snowball is smarter and more creative. Squealer was an orator with nimble movements and a high-pitched voice.
Old Maghe's teachings were carefully studied by them, and they concluded a comprehensive ideological system called "Animalism".
Faced with the oppression of its owner Jones, at a certain moment, the intolerable animals finally launched an attack and won the final victory, driving Jones out of the manor.
They destroyed almost all traces of human rule, including various farm tools, nose rings, collars, bridles, blindfolds, knives, etc., changed the name of "Manna Manor" to "Animal Farm", and wrote down the principles of animalism." Seven Commandments” as unchangeable laws.
Seven Commandments
03 Leadership and Counterattack
After the victory of the revolution, because they could not use farm tools, the animals had to rely on their own strength to complete various tasks. Although the efficiency was reduced, the animals burst out with unprecedented enthusiasm for work and completed the task ahead of schedule. .
In particular, a horse named Boxer is a representative of strength, hard work and perseverance. No matter what difficulties and setbacks he encounters, his answer is always: " I will work harder !"
But pigs, In this process, he did not work, he was only responsible for teaching and supervising other animals.
Since the cultural level of animals is generally low, Snowball simplified the Seven Commandments into one rule; " four legs are good, two legs are bad."
Faced with Jones' counterattack, Snowball carefully arranged defensive tactics , relying on his excellent command and the brave fighting of the animals, once again drove away the invaders.
However, during this process, the animals discovered that the fruits of labor, such as apples and milk, were enjoyed exclusively by the pigs as leaders. The reason is that as leaders, pigs engage in mental work and must ensure adequate nutrition.
Under the warning " none of you want to see Jones come back ", the animals acquiesced to this fact.
04 Game of Thrones
In the process of animal autonomy, as leaders Napoleon and Snowball, their previous conflicts are increasing day by day.When one party asked for a variety of barley, the other said it wanted a variety of oats. If one party proposes that a certain place is suitable for growing cabbage, the other party says that potatoes must be grown.
Especially on the issue of building windmills, the two pigs refused to give in to each other. Snowball, who firmly supported the construction of windmills, eventually failed in the fight and was expelled from the farm. Napoleon gained absolute leadership.
What is surprising is that Napoleon proposed to build a windmill, and Squealer privately told the other animals that these were Comrade Napoleon's strategies to drive away the evil Snowball.
Accompanied by Squealer's speech and the three ferocious dogs around him, the animals had no choice but to believe.
05 The construction and destruction of windmills
In order to build windmills, animals work like slaves, but they have no regrets because they are working for themselves, not lazy and selfish humans.
The construction process of the windmill was extremely difficult. For this, Boxer made great efforts. All animals were full of respect and admiration for him. For him, all problems can be solved with "I will work harder " and "Comrade Napoleon is always right" are the two spoken replies.
When the windmill construction project was halfway completed, the fierce northwest wind destroyed the fruits of their labor.
However, in Comrade Napoleon's speech, he blamed the traitor Snowball for the destruction of the windmill and announced that he would be executed, and the reconstruction of the windmill would continue.
Snowball's heroic performance in fighting against humans was also considered by Squealer to be fabricated out of thin air and the animals had just remembered it wrongly. All this was actually Comrade Napoleon's wise decision.
06 Suppression and Cleaning
Due to the destruction of the windmill, the food of the animals was in short supply and they were hungry, but they still had to work hard for the windmill and worked hard without complaint.
In order to gain absolute rule, Napoleon carried out an inhumane and bloody massacre, first of all three black Minorca chickens that refused to lay eggs, then four pigs who opposed the abolition of Sunday meetings, and geese that were said to have eaten grain. , and the chicken that had dreamed of Snowball, etc., these animals were all executed on the spot.
What is even more shocking is that "Beasts of England" has been abolished and is no longer allowed to be sung, because Squealer said that this song tells the yearning and pursuit of a better society, which we are now in.
Even if there is an animal objection, the sheep will bleat loudly:
" Four legs are good, two legs are bad."
And Napoleon can't call him by his name, he must use a solemn title - " Our leader, Comrade Napoleon ", as well as other titles, such as "the father of animals", "the natural enemy of mankind", "the patron saint of sheep", "the closest relative of ducks" and so on.
And under Squealer's unremitting speech, the animals also expressed their gratitude to Comrade Napoleon:
"Under the leadership of our leader, Comrade Napoleon, I laid five eggs in six days."
"Thanks to the guidance of Comrade Napoleon, the water we drink will be very sweet!"
A hymn called "Comrade Napoleon" was written opposite the "Seven Commandments", and a profile portrait of Napoleon was painted on the bottom of the poem. above.
Eventually, the rebuilt windmill was also named the "Napoleon Windmill".
07 Some animals are more equal than others
The lives of the animals are becoming more and more difficult. The windmill was also blown up by Jones and others with explosives. In the cold winter, the food of the animals was reduced, except for pigs and dogs. reduce.
Napoleon even ordered the animals to build a house for his children to study, and other animals must stand by the roadside when they encounter pigs.
All the pigs had special privileges, their food was richer, all the barley was for the pigs to enjoy, each pig could receive beer every day, and could also tie a ribbon on its tail on Sunday.
Every week, the animals participate in what is called a "spontaneous parade" to celebrate the achievements and prosperity of Animal Farm.
The parade ended with an activity of reciting poems praising Napoleon, followed by a speech, in which Squealer reported the latest data on increased grain production.
If the animals complain that this is a waste of time, the sheep will definitely shout loudly, "Four legs are good, two legs are bad", and the animals will have to shut up.
Eventually, the "Seven Commandments" were tampered with to include just one:
All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
The scariest thing is that all the pigs began to learn to walk upright, and the slogan was changed to:
"Four legs are good, two legs are better."
There is no difference between humans and pigs at this moment.
08 What enlightenment does this story give us?
This novel is considered to be a shocking political fable. The animals rose up to resist and overthrew human tyranny through revolution. However, the fruits of the revolution were stolen by pigs and eventually turned to totalitarianism. path of.
George Orwell, the author of this book, went to Spain to fight in the war at the end of 1936. He was originally going to defend the democratic system represented by the republican government, but he witnessed the life-and-death struggle within the left.
Orwell returned from Spain after escaping death. He was indignant at the various practices of the Spanish Republicans controlled by the Soviet Union, which on the surface represented progress and democracy, but carried out political and personal persecution and ideological control, so he wrote this novel.
Orwell made his own judgment on the nature of the Soviet Union under the rule of Stalin through his own experience and his understanding of a series of events such as the Great Purge of the Soviet Union. "Animal Farm" written in the form of a fairy tale is a product driven by this kind of thinking.
This novel profoundly points out:
Since the fundamental interest of the group that controls the distribution power is to maintain its dominance, no matter what kind of appeal it has in form, the final result will run counter to its basic appeal of maintaining social fairness.
In other words, true equality and freedom can never be based on totalitarianism .
A critic once said:
"The more people watch Orwell, the more freedom will be guaranteed."
Therefore, he is also called: "the cold conscience of the generation."
