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Animal Farm and Related Readings

Animal Farm and Related Readings

List Price: $17.36
Your Price: $17.36
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Animal Farm
Review: Despite the way it's often talked about, Animal Farm unfortunately does not live up to it's praise. What could have been a very moving story comes off as being dry, flat, and ultimately forgettable. While the message behind the book is a valid one, I found myself feeling like I was reading the Reader's Digest version of the book when I read it. Orwell seems to give a fact-by-fact summary of the book which makes it extremely difficult to feel connected with the story, much less the characters. One really should feel something towards the characters - whether it be admiration or disgust, but I found after reading it I did not feel much of anything towards the lot of them. All in all, it seems that Orwell is simply trying to get his point across rather than actually telling a story. One's better off reading a history book, because that's basically all Animal Farm focuses on - which is unfortunate, because this could have been a really interesting and moving story, and it isn't.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Summer reading
Review: This is a good book to read if u have to read one for your summer reading for school it is short yet has a good meaning to it. I would definatly recoomend it to anyone!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Aping their Betters
Review: Orwell's 1946 "Fairy Story" and political masterpiece offers a
timeless warning about the dangers of a totalitarian state. Unfortunately the all-too-human nature of the animals who engaged in this egalitarin experiment are destined to recreate
the inevitable abuse of absolute power: lust for still more power, greed for material comforts, plus the surprising and
unrestrained cruelty toward the other animals who were naive enough to trust their leaders for protection. And worst of all--the tendancy of the other farm creatures to behave like sheep by not raising their collective voices to protest the rampant
deception.

The characters in this novel are animals who behave in a painfully human manner. Although the ideologies of Socialism and Communism are not specifically named, the effects of revolution are terrifyingly familiar from recent 20th century
history. Old Major--a wise and repsected pig--calls the animals of Manor Farm to an evening assembly. Outlining his dream of a more democratic and benevolent lifestyle for all farm aniamls, he
instills in them the idea of rebellion, which will be followed by an almost utopian existence. The emerging leader pigs under him devise the Seven Commandments, which should provide for general peace and prosperity.

Alas, after his death his two successors, Snowball and Napoleon, vie for power. They maniuplate both the facts and the written ideas to their own private purposes of self-aggrandizement. Suspicion, paranoia, deceit and cruelty define the new age of porcine rule. Animal dissidents are converted, silenced or removed, as the memory of actual history is gradually lost in a haze of clever rhetoric and retribution.

One by one the rights of the hard-working animals are stripped away or distorted for Napoleon's private agenda--the dream of a peaceful retirement is forgotten. Worst of all, the revised rules permit an oligarchy to sink to human vices; eventually the rulers become barely distinguishable from the humans they vowed to shun. Orwell raises the nagging
question: were the animals better off under drunken Jones, the tyrant, than they are under one of their own? Whether you consider this novel a fairy story, a fable where animals and humans can communicate (zoomorphism) or a cautionary political essay disguised as fiction, ANIMAL FARM has earned an honored place in literary history. Its sobering view of the effects of dictatorship will expand and warn thoughtful minds. His style flows as easily as absolute power corrupts; the plot captivates readers and maintains our interest from the start. Beware the excess of human vice!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Animal Farm. Woot!
Review: "Animal Farm" is by far one of the most amazing and powerful books I have ever read. On Manor Farm the animals are mistreated by Mr. Jones, their farmer who has a drinking problem. When one day the animals decide to rebel, Mr. Jones and his family are driven out of their farm. The pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, since they are deemed the smartest of the animals, become the rulers of the farm. The animals rename their farm Animal Farm and create The Seven Commandments which all animals on the farm must listen to. For a while on Animal Farm, life is happy and rewarding. All animals are treated with equal respect, and are allowed to vote on plans for the farm. However, when the desire for power gets the better of Napoleon, things start to get out of hand.

When I read this story, I was surprised to find that it contained humor. Although it is an easy read, it is one of those stories that will keep you thinking long after you've finished it. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Read Animal Farm
Review: I read Animal Farm by George Orwell The New Signet Version with a Preface and an Introduction both new features to accommodate the book. The novel itself was very enjoyable to read and was thought out completely with a creative mind. The symbolism is ever present in the story helping it to produce the fairy tale affect. This book I thought was a real (relatively short) page-turner because along with the excitement throughout the story there are many characters developing to go along with the farm itself changing as well. George Orwell's masterpiece was a subtly rebellious novel of the times, he was telling the world what he felt about the current events, which he did not agree with. Orwell's ability to combine many different aspects of spinning a great yarn makes this a must read.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Animal Farm
Review: "Animal Farm" is a story that tells about how people, or animals in this case, can be so power hungry and mean and decieving. It all tells a lot about teamwork, if everyone works together, they can accomplish many great things, and if some people start acting arrogant and think they are better than they others, they will mess up everything. In this story, all the animals worked together to overthrow the humans. Everything in the farm was going great, infact it was perfect, until Napoleon became power-hungry and kicked Snowball out of the farm. Then Napoleon started changing the rules and made them more beneficial to him and the pigs. Finally the rules were so unfair that some animals wanted to rebel but thier plan was discovered before they could take any action. That was when Napoleon started killing them, after seeing what happened to some of the animals, the other animals lived in horror in a prison that they once used to call home. Years passed, some of the animals started dieing off, and the unlucky ones continued to be the slaves of Napoleon and his pigs. In the last part, the pigs invited some of the people over for dinner. While the other animals were looking through the window, they realized that they could tell no difference between the pigs and the humans and they were shocked with horror. This was a very good book that taught some valuable lessons. Another book that can kind of relate to this story is "1984" also by George Orwell, but this book was much better and quicker.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A great look at history through the eyes of animals.
Review: I feel that Animal Farm by George Orwell presents a dynamic representation of Russian society in the years following the Russian Revolution. Animal Farm presents the problems of Soviet Communism in a metaphor that is easily understood, and engaging to read. At the outset, the animals follow the wishes of Old Major, a boar, who represents the idea of Karl Marx and Lenin. He presents his idea for a peaceful society, free of human oppression and harmony for all species. Old Major dies three days after the meeting and the younger pigs, Snowball, Squealer, and Napoleon all establish "Animalism", which is based on the foundations of Old Major's ideas.

The pigs assume control of a Democratic Animal Farm; decisions are made based on the wishes of all the animals. However, over time, a rivalry develops between Napoleon and Snowball, both fighting for control of the Farm. One day, Snowball gives a passionate speech about his idea to build a windmill for the farm. However, Napoleon orders nine dogs to attack Snowball, who is chased off of the farm. Napoleon now declares that only pigs will make the decisions, because it is what is best for the society.

Napoleon changes his mind on the windmill, and the animals set to work on the project. The windmill is destroyed however, during a violent storm. Napoleon sees his opportunity. He blames the destruction on a Snowball conspiracy, and now declares that anyone who opposes Napoleon's rule is a traitor. Napoleon begins acting more and more like a human, sleeping in a bed, drinking alcohol, and trading with other farms. Old Major's original plan forbids these kinds of actions, but Squealer explains his actions through propaganda. There is finally a domino effect which leads the animals down the path of the Russian people in the 20th century.

I felt this book presented a great metaphor of the Russian Revolution, bringing about sympathy for the animals, who were led down the wrong path. I felt Napoleon's character was developed well, starting as a believer in the original ideals, to a power hungry dictator. The animals of the farm also symbolize the population of the Soviet Union, trusting leaders and their decisions. Orwell presents a depressing outcome, but leaves a sense of hope in the story, trying to prevent history from repeating.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Animal Farm
Review: This book was a greatly written tale of the possiblity of animals taking over their farm. The treacherous pigs with their obvious use of trickery are able to use the other farm animals to their own advantage. In the story the pigs change the rules of Animal Farm throughout the story and by the end these pigs are no better than their human counterparts.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Funny And Strange Classic
Review: I bought this after my high school teacher said I should read it. I was quite suprised when it was funny. The story is simple. A bunch of mistreated animals decide they have had enough of the farmers tyranny and overthrow the farmers. They then rename the farm Animal Farm with tha pigs as rulers. everything works out well, but then the pigs get more and more tyrannical, until one pig, Napoleon, takes over alltogether and they are no better off than they had been under the rein of the humans. This book is both funny and bizarre. i find it hard to believe that an unconventional book like this is regarded as a classic. The best book ever written.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good book...
Review: Good book. I was able to keep attention and even though Im in 11th grade, it still kept me reading and wanting to know more. I liked the ending and I thought it was overall a good book.


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