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Summary: George Orwell¿s Animal Farm
Review: is the story of a revolution betrayed, a paradise substituted, and an ideal shattered. Old Major's fiery speech inspires and defines the animals' revolution. He hopes that one-day they will live in a communal society run by the animals for the animals. In the society that forms after the revolution, Napoleon (who represents Stalin or any leader like him) achieves absolute power. Napoleon and the other pigs distort Old Major's dream, changing the original concept from doctrine (Animalism), to "unalterable law" (the Seven Commandments), to slogans (Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad). By the end of the book, the reverse of what Major originally intended occurs. Animal Farm testifies to the power of language to change and control society, for both good and ill. Major first uses language to free the animals; Napoleon then uses it to enslave them. The wrongs that Major denounces in his speech, the pigs eventually commit, using distorted forms of his views to back up their actions. Napoleon gains power through the twisting of language and the rewriting of history in order to control the future. As the language that defines the ideals of Animal Farm is distorted, so is the reality, revealing that power over language is power over reality.
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Summary: Among my favorite books ever written.
Review: Problably the best book I ever read. The truth of communism is exposed in a genieus way, one that has never been done before. It used animals to portray the communist people. Nothing is more true than "all animals are equal.... but some are more equal than otheres". I think it goes like that.
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Summary: Mandatory reading...
Review: 'Animal Farm' is a fairy tale of sorts, a modern allegory on modern happenings, yet told in a fantastic and unbelievable way. No, instead of political commentary or essays, or fiction that is apparent, Orwell chose the realm of fantasy to make his points on Socialism and the human way. Not sword and sorcery fantasy, but rather that classic mode of storytelling that works so well, in which non-humans take up the role as humans, showing us who we are while remaining distant from our image. Facinating through and through.And you get all that in less than 100 pages.
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Summary: Just Awesome!
Review: Animal Farm turned what was one of the most significant events in this century and put it into a story even a 5th grader could understand while maintaining every bit of historical integrity. Even if you have no interest in the Russian Revolution, you WILL be awed at the simple prose in which Orwell writes to convey one of the most complex problems of our time
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Summary: One of the most influential novels of the 20th century.
Review: George Orwell is the pseudonym of Eric A. Blair (1903-1950). He published this short political satire in the mid-1940s and it was required reading for many students when I was in high school in the early 1960s. I even discovered that it was required reading for eighth graders in one of the local schools just this last year. It is still having an impact. This classic fable of animals who take over a farm is a satire of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and of Communist rule in the Soviet Union. Since the U.S.S.R. has now broken up, one might feel that this book is now outdated. However, I think that is far from the case. First of all, the book is a part of history. The satire has had an influence on the world's perception of this form of government (and on any form of totalitarianism). Thus, in a way, the novel has played a role, perhaps minor, in the ultimate fate of the Soviet Union. In addition, I find many instances in politics, in other totalitarian governments, and even in personal interactions in business and in academia that can be perceived in a new light through this fable. In the tale, the animals on Mr. Jones's farm revolt and oust their human master. In the beginning, all the animals have a deep revolutionary zeal and all attempt to work for the common good. A list of Commandments is formulated that all are to follow. But, the pigs, led by a pig named Napoleon, begin to take over the leadership and begin to edit the Commandments for their. They subvert the Revolution for their own ends and for the sake of power. A new tyranny has replaced the old. The downtrodden remain the downtrodden. The pig Napoleon represents the ruthless Stalin and the idealistic Snowball represents Trotsky. The doomed horse Boxer represents the characteristics of the common man. But, as mentioned above, the book brings up issues that go far beyond that of the 1917 revolution. Perhaps the most famous line is "All the animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." An earlier reviewer gave the book only a single star, using this line as an example of how the book was so "dumb" since how could things be more equal than others. Of course, that was Orwell's point but it seems to still elude some of our young critics. This is a book that everyone should read and it is incumbent that teachers get some of Orwell's points across. There are some reviewers who gave the book a single star simply because it wasn't realistic in that Orwell used animals as characters. It is as if these students had never heard of satire, imagery, allegory, or metaphor. Thank goodness that most of the students writing comments do not fall into that category.
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Summary: Very nice.
Review: This was a very well thought-up book, everything in fit together well & made the story very fluid & easy to read. The substantial amount of symbolism & personication really surprised me. I had to pay a good deal of attention to the plot, Orwell's thinly veiled message regarding Communism, etc. since the point of my reading this book was so I'd pass my Speech class, which is required.
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Summary: interesting but challenging
Review: Animal Farm was a interesting book, but i believe you must take interest in Orwell's works in order to be able to truly follow the book. It takes place on a farm ran by animals and is based on the Russian Revolution. You must hold an interest in history and historical fiction to enjoy the book. History is an interesting topic to me but i found Orwell's Animal Farm to be somewhat hard to follow. Over all i wold give this book three stars.
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Summary: Wonderful satire and allegory on the Bolshevic Revolution
Review: Orwell does a wonderful job of writing a simple allegory on the Bolshevic Revolution of the early 1900's. It was very simple to understand and the idea of making the setting at a farm was great. However, I felt it was a bit unchallenging for my high school freshman honors english class.
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Summary: Surprising and full of adventure.
Review: George Orwell's Animal Farm goes beyond being a great story. Orwell is able to tie his book in with important historical events. The story which takes place on a farm, is about the leadership of animals without human interference. They eventually are able to reach their goal. However, upon doing so some of the animals become un-loyal and dishonest to the animal code or amendments. I found this book to be very interesting and fun to read. Through the eyes of the reader the story may seem odd or unreal. The actions of the animals can easily be related to the actions of important historical figures.
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Summary: Communist pigs are cool
Review: this is one of the only books at school that i like because it has communist pigs.
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