Short & Sweet Treats discussion

"Tired of their servitude to man, a group of farm animals revolt and establish their own society, only to be betrayed into worse servitude by their leaders, the pigs, whose slogan becomes: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." This 1945 satire addresses the socialist/communist philosophy of Stalin in the Soviet Union."

I just read this very recently; so I probably won't read it again, but I'll follow along with the comments

I realize this book is an analogy to to the dictatorship in Russia during the 20th century. Unfortunately this is one subject I know almost nothing about. Can someone refer to a good resource / book I can learn from about this period?

I'm not sure Diwan - in my opinion Animal Farm is enjoyable and meaningful even without understanding Orwell's exact references because the human behavior is pretty universal - if you look at any historical situation where abused people with no power suddenly acquire influence, you'll see some of these behaviors I think.

If you want to fully appreciate the references, I think you want a book that describes in particular the appalling treatment of the populace by the Czars that led to the revolution, the early years of the Revolution, and something about the first few intellectual and political leaders - Stalin, Trotsky, Lenin, Marx. That will give you most of it. I picked up those references at random over time in a number of books; so unfortunately I don't know just one good reference to recommend. Hopefully someone else will be able to help!

Is anyone reading this one?

Greg,
I read Animal Farm about 20 years ago and before that my 2nd grade teacher had us read the story. Obviously, my first reading and viewing of the cartoon lacked the understanding of Orwell's theme.
18 years later, reading the story as an adult, I got so much more out of the book. I think it's implication on government are still relevant today and echo the sentiments of our Enlightenment philosophers on the nature of man and government.

Wow, second grade is pretty young for this book Jen!

I completely agree that it's still relevant today!

I read it a few years ago and wasn't a big fan...

What did you like and dislike about the book, Melanti?

Basically, I didn't like the fact that it's a fable/allegory.

I know it's criticizing specific regimes, but its lessons are taken as applicable for communism & socialism as a whole. I'd rather read something that's a bit more nuanced and shows the good parts along with the bad. (Good parts of communism as a whole/ideal, not good parts of that specific regime.)

Ah, I can understand that, his novels do tend to gravitate to the negative and extreme sides of communism.

For me, although Orwell certainly intended it as a critique of communism, it can apply equally well to many other scenarios. At its core I wouldn't even say it was about communism so much as human flaws - what can happen when people who have been abused and powerless suddenly find themselves in positions of power - how propaganda works (and what democracy doesn't have those political figures who cynically manipulate popular opinion by deliberately twisting the truth .. a Western problem as much as anywhere!).

I do agree Melanti that it dwells almost entirely on the negative side of human nature, and that isn't balanced.

It functions well as an exploration of the darker side of human nature during times of upheaval and change. I loved it for that reason. But life is certainly not always like that. Human beings are also capable of remarkable kindness and grace!

I liked this book because it was accessible. Orwell takes what is a complicated theme and tries to make it accessible to a population who is likely less educated and less knowledgeable about the nuances of government, politics, and power. He uses a theme that is relatable to the populations most affected - farming, construction - and highlights the impact of the regimes on the lives of the population. For instance, I read The Jungle, which is similarly themed, but found it much more complicated to follow.

I first read this book in high school and discovered my love of Orwell. From his essays to his masterwork 1984 he always has a resonating theme of the fall of man based on his own reach for utopia. What makes Animal Farm so chilling is how he managed to simplify that down to a children's book. And though the book is obviously intended to represent Communism, it really can represent any conflict between governments and human rights. i.e. "All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others" - every civil rights issue ever, and that's why this book is still resonate today.

Robyn wrote: "And though the book is obviously intended to represent Communism, it really can represent any conflict between governments and human rights. i.e. "All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others" - every civil rights issue ever, and that's why this book is still resonate today. ..."

I completely agree Robyn!

Orwell was merciless with the truth.