Animal Farm: Setting

Like all of Napoleon's speeches, it was short and to the point. He, too, he said, was happy that the period of misunderstanding was at the end. For a long time there had been rumours-circulated, he had reason to think, by some maligant enemy-that there was something subversive and even revolutionary in the outlook of himself and his colleagues. They had been credited with attempting to stir up rebellion among the animals on neighboring farms. Nothing could be further from the truth! Their sole wish, now and in the past, was to live at peace and in normal business relations with their neighbors. This farm which he had the honour to control, he added, ws a co-operative enterprise. The title-deeds, which were in his own possession, wre owned by the pigs jointly.

He did not believe, he said, that any of the old suspicions still lingered, but certain changes had been made recently in the routine of the farm which should have the effect of promoting confidence still further. Hiherto the animals on the farm had had a rather foolish custom of addressing one another as "Comrade." This ws to be suppressed. There had also been a very strange custom, whose origin was unknown, of marching every Sunday morning past a boar's skull which was nailed to a post in the garden. This, too, would be suppressed, and the skull had already been buried. His visitors might have observed, too, the green flag which flew from the masthead. If so, they would perhaps have noted that the white hoof and horn with which it had previously been marked had now been removed. It would be a plian green flag from now onwards.

Since the next passage I wanted to write will make the passage was too long, I will summarize that Napoleon said that he will change Animal Farm to Manor Farm. This passage was memorable because I was really surprised by the change of Napoleon. How could he do that? He was the one who said that he will do his best for the animals and work hard for their own benefit. It seemed as if he didn’t care about the animals anymore. Sneering at calling each other as “Comrade”, denying the march on every Sunday morning passing a boar’s skull which was nailed to a post in the garden, and the green flag were all denied by him. He insulted the tradition that the animals agreed and treated as if they were all gone now. Wow, the power of authority made a radical change! On the one hand, I felt bitterness because of his change and on the other hand, I felt an anger of his betraying attitude. In Animal Farm, he acted so much as if he could do everything for the animals, saying that he will give anything they want. However, all he had was seductive words that deceived the animals. He pretended to work hard for the animals but inside, he was a lump of selfishness and avarice. At the end of the book, alas, the true Napoleon that used to be a leader with strong and wonderful leadership was dead and all I could see was a piece of trash.


Image taken from: http://marek.turnovec.cz/mat/archiv/orwell2.jpg