Animal farm historical context

the first layer of meaning

• It's a funny fable about animals who rebel against their owner and take over a farm in England, only to allow corruption to ruin it.

• second layer of meaning

Allegorical. The symbolic tale of the Russian Revolution of 1917 with animals representing characters from Russian history

• third layer of meaning is the meaning.

Satirical. Orwell's particular message about world politics and his criticism of inhumane, corrupt government policies, of the former Soviet Union in particular. Orwell uses satire to expose what he saw as the myth of Soviet Socialism.

Extended metaphor

metaphor that extends over multiple lines, paragraphs or

stanzas.

Conceit

A specific use of extended metaphor comparing two

VERY different ideas. Conceit often makes use of multiple metaphors, juxtaposition and similes.

Allegory

A simple story that represents a larger point about society or human nature.

Generally, events and characters in the story are representative of real-life figures or specific ideas. The comparisons extend throughout the entire story.

Tyranny

Cruel and oppressive government or rule. It's characterized by absolute power and the abuse of that power.

Facsim

A far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.

Propoganda

Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

Proletariats

The working class, especially industrial workers, who do not own the means of production and whose only source of income is the sale of their labor.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

Fable

A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.

Totilarianism

A system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.

Communism

A political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

Capitalism

An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the government.

Socialism

A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Fuedalism

A social system that existed in medieval Europe in which people worked for lords in exchange for protection and a place to live.

Vladimir Lenin:

A Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924.

Joseph Stalin

A Soviet revolutionary and political leader who governed the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953.

Leon Trotsky

A Russian Marxist revolutionary, political theorist, and philosopher. He was a prominent leader in the Bolshevik Revolution and the early Soviet Union.

Karl Marx

A German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, and socialist revolutionary. His ideas form the basis of Marxism.

Tsar Nicholas

The last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland. He ruled the Russian Empire from November 1, 1894, until his abdication on March 15, 1917.

Bolshevik

A member of the Russian Communist Party that seized political power in Russia in 1917.

Menshevik

A member of a faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party that emerged in 1903. They advocated for a more gradual approach to achieving socialism compared to the Bolsheviks.

KGB

The main security agency for the Soviet Union from 1954 until its dissolution in 1991. It was the successor to the Soviet state security organizations such as the NKVD.

Pravda

A Russian newspaper. It was the official organ of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1912 until 1991.