Rating: Summary: On Animal Farm Review: For anyone reading Orwell or the classic novels, Animal Farm is a must read. While not as complex or intriguing as 1984, Animal Farm nonetheless is worthwhile in its own right. The book is essentially an argument against Totalitarianism or Communism delivered through an allegory of a group of animals on a farm. The dynamic between the animals and the farmer is the medium Orwell uses to make his case. Although it is a relatively simple and short story, it conveys a powerful message. The book was written after "Homage to Catalonia", Orwell's autobiographical description of his participation in the Spanish Civil War and indeed takes on new and greater meaning when read after HtoC.
Rating: Summary: Easy Orwell Review: Animal Farm is a cute little book great for combined 6th or 7th grade studies in English and History. It tells the story of the Russian revolution (1917) and its aftermath through George Orwell's Trotskij-stained glasses. The analogies are so easy to notice that I, personally, got tired of reading the book after just a few pages. But the book isn't entirely crappy. It can be used as great entertainment for kids. Because however involuntarily amusing it is in this wrapping, the Russian revolution definitely was action-packed. You can also choose to read the book without considering the historical framework. When that is done the book gains a lot and actually ends up seeming quite cute. George Orwell is a great writer and he surely had great reasons for writing "Animal Farm". It can be read as an introduction to some of his other work. But if I was you I would jump right on to 1984.
Rating: Summary: good relation, one mistake Review: In my opinion, George Orwell did a wonderful job of demonstrating the difficulty of remaining a democracy, and the since of power using a farm of animals. The book was very well written. I saw the book as a relation to human government, which I think was the intention, but all of the animals exept the pigs (the head of the government) were said to be stupid and just sat around letting the pigs brainwash them. The pigs said something, so it must be true. Well, all of the other animals on the farm I would relate to the rest of the human population exept the rulers. It may be just me, but I wouldn't consider the rest of the population to be stupid, and as you well know we all do not sit around and just watch the heads of our governments rule our lives while watching them with blank eyes. Even in communism, people speak up, and know whats going on.
Rating: Summary: Entertaining Tale of Human Nature Review: Animal Farm is the tale of opression and totalitarianism that made George Orwell the major political author of his day. It is a prequel to 1984, although the characters are different in the books, Animal Farm tells of how a tyrant can come to power, while 1984 tells of what happens when that power is firmly in place. The story goes like this. Mr. Jones is the human master of Manor Farm, a place where all animals are misfed, mistreated, and wanting a change. An old pig, Major, stirs the animals into action to start their own rule. But when this happens and Napoleon takes control, conditions return to the way they were, opression as the pigs grow fat and the other animals starve, the pigs break the commandments the revolution was founded on, and the animals can not revolt or even speak their mind. This book is very ambiguous except for on one thing: When freedom is taken away, tyranny is inevitable. This is an awesome book.
Rating: Summary: one of the best Review: i would suggest this book to any young person who wishes to learn more of the evils of both capatialism and communism. It shows how a worker based revolution with the right leader can work while a corrupt leader can bring it down with one stroke.
Rating: Summary: Animals getting a little wacky with Farm Domination Review: This one is a twisted fairy tale, or more like an elevated Aesop's Fable. It has a point to make. Important this many years later for its denunciation of totalitarian communism, Orwell felt strongly to tell the world how the Soviet's had derailed and bastardized the socialist cause. The story is semi-compelling. The writing is a little flat. That's what keeps it from earning 5 stars. There once was a time when searching out the meaning behind each allegory was elevated to a Holy Grail Hunt at the encouragement of High School English teachers everywhere. As adults we've came to realize symbolism just isn't all that cool. It's great and fun that there is a code here...the pigs are the communist ruling class, Snowball may be Lenin or Trotsky, Napoleon may well be Stalin. It's intriguing but a lot of work to figure it out. Literary art takes elements of reality, life, and elevates it to another plane. There are some eerie moments here when things come full circle and the pigs look like men an men look like pigs, but if you want the true masterpiece of Orwell denouncing the totalitarian state, give "1984" a read. This one's short and cheap though and can be polished off in a day or weekend.
Rating: Summary: Symbolic Review: Some people view this book as a simple story about how some animals take over the farm they live on. Others who know anything about WWII read it, and understand how all the characters symbolize the important people from WWII. It's a really neat book, and everything has a hidden meaning, all related to WWII. It's well written, and unlike most war stories, it is really short. I probably wouldn't read it again though.
Rating: Summary: well written book Review: Animal Farm is a typical book for school. It is well written. I found it is written in an easy language, so it is easy to read. I think it ia a good book for everyone, who likes George Orwell or other books, which were written in the same style.
Rating: Summary: quite interesting Review: This book treats a very interesting issue which is, in my opinion, still very current. A revolution with a totalitarian regime following afterwards was and is still very likely to happen today. the book gets partly boring, that is in the middle of it when it is described how things get worse for the andimals but nothing actually happens. I think it is useful and important to read the book, but it is not to be read if you want something enjoyable.
Rating: Summary: well written book Review: Animal Farm is a typical book for school. It is well written. I found it is written in an easy language, so it is easy to read. I think it is a good book for everyone who likes George Orwell or other books, which were written in the same style.
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