Animal Farm: A Book Review

TLDR: 4.2/5 stars; good in theory and concept, though predictable and uncomfortable in reality.

1984 has long been one of my favorite novels, so I was hopeful for animal farm to give me a similar feeling. Orwell is known for his thought provoking work, and I think this novel, though still very applicable to today, just felt too predictable. Yet, there is something to say for a story where its symbolism isn't hidden deep in the white space between the letters.

Animal Farm is everything I expected it to be, yet somehow had me struggling to get through the story. It may be that the story is too familiar––and too accurate for our current day political world––and that that was the thing that put me off of it. In that case, it's not a criticism against Orwell and his work, but rather for it. I think I may have enjoyed this book more if it were not for the pig in control of the world's greatest army in current day.

The characters in this were very well thought out as reflections of groups of humanity. The sheep, repeating everything they're told and blindly going along––and creating chaos while doing so, raising their voices so loudly that no one else is able to speak coherently. The strong work force of the horse Boxer, the worker who gives his body and mind to the one in control in blind trust, yet is sold to the slaughterhouse as soon as he's no longer useful. The pigs, testing what they can get away with and taking more and more for themselves. Eventually even becoming the very ones they sought to overthrow. The donkey that sees everything and is simply disillusioned because of it. The scapegoat that was Snowball, portraying the "evil" that can be used to shove blame onto.

As with 1984, there was a sense of inescapability to the thing. The issues are already too far gone to change them in a meaningful way at the end of both stories. It's a very, very good tactic to drive the point of the story home––that sometimes, things are inescapable, and thusly is the way of men––however the sense of doom and dread was not something I was looking for. My mistake, because it's one of Orwell's works; doom and dread are a near guarantee.

Still, the ending scene is bone chilling. Not in its cruelty, but in its threat of inevitability. It makes one wonder whether the loop of master and slave is one that we can one day break, or if it will truly go on forever, as long as intelligent life exists.

This story was most likely one about communism; it wasn't hard to pick up, they called one another comrade. Still, I think its progression applies to most systems put in place by humans. Though capitalism hadn't reached its dying breath yet when the book came out, we can see in today's world that those who get an inkling of power and especially money will soon try to get more and more. Though the term of "sheeple" is highly over-used, there is something to be said for it. The loud groups that take up so much attention that communication is warped.

Anyway, I did not enjoy the book in the slightest but am still inclined to recommend it because it is written cleverly. The progression from camaraderie to tiranny is one that is executed very well. It is realistic, it's harrowing, it's a bit too close to home.

It's a short book, so it shouldn't take up too much of your time. If you've got some spare hours, pick it up, and see for yourself how society is put together––at least in Orwell's time. And maybe you'll gain a new topic to pull out with thanksgiving or over your Christmas dinner.