Rats
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Muriel
Muriel is a knowledgeable goat who reads the commandments for Clover. Muriel represents the minority of working class people who are educated enough to decide things for themselves and find critical and hypocritical problems with their leaders. Unfortunately for the other animals, Muriel is not charismatic or inspired enough to take action and oppose Napoleon and his pigs.
What I learned personally from reading this book
First of all, I noticed that reading the book was more interesting than I expected. Reading it in English made it more attractive for me because I could improve my English skills through that, which is a goal of mine. I found it very nice that we could pick a book of our own choice from a list with many interesting suggestions.
The level of the English in the book "Animal Farm" fitted very well to my actual knowledge of English. I could read it with little difficulties and understood nearly every sentence.
Of course there where also sentences which I had to read a second or a third time to finally understand them.
I think trough reading the book I could improve my vocabulary. There were so many new words which I didn't know yet. I could understand the meaning of some of this words out of the context, other words I had to type in my transportal translator or, if I was in front of my computer, I translated them online.
Of course I didn't learn every new word by heart, but I can say for sure, I could expand my vocabulary.
Many words which only appeared once in the book I forgot, but there where also a lot of words which appeared repeatedly. These I could easily memorize (for example: labour, windmill, boar, poultry, harvest, barn etc.).
I think my English could also benefit from writing these blog entries. I'm getting more comfortable in writing longer texts on my own. In school we normally only practise grammar, for example by setting sentences in different tenses.
In these blog entries we can finally show what we've learned and can put it in practise.
I really enjoy this task, it's a welcome change.
The level of the English in the book "Animal Farm" fitted very well to my actual knowledge of English. I could read it with little difficulties and understood nearly every sentence.
Of course there where also sentences which I had to read a second or a third time to finally understand them.
I think trough reading the book I could improve my vocabulary. There were so many new words which I didn't know yet. I could understand the meaning of some of this words out of the context, other words I had to type in my transportal translator or, if I was in front of my computer, I translated them online.
Of course I didn't learn every new word by heart, but I can say for sure, I could expand my vocabulary.
Many words which only appeared once in the book I forgot, but there where also a lot of words which appeared repeatedly. These I could easily memorize (for example: labour, windmill, boar, poultry, harvest, barn etc.).
I think my English could also benefit from writing these blog entries. I'm getting more comfortable in writing longer texts on my own. In school we normally only practise grammar, for example by setting sentences in different tenses.
In these blog entries we can finally show what we've learned and can put it in practise.
I really enjoy this task, it's a welcome change.
My impressions of the book
The book "The animal farm" was written by George Orwell and was first published in England on the 17th August 1945.
I found it very interesting to read even if I normally don't read books.
I chose this book because I had some faded childhood memories about the film of the book.
I couldn't remember what the story was about. I have seen the film at the age of eight and at that time I was probably too young to understand it. So I thought I would choose this book for my English task to find out more about its story.
At first it begins like a normaly story, except that the animals can talk to each other.
But the more you read, the more you understand that it's about the politic situation during the Stalin era in Russia.
Every animal on the farm represents a figure of the dictatorship of Stalin.
I was very impressed by how well George Orwell conveyed the situation during the Stalin era through the symbolic meanings of the animal farm and each creature on it.
I found it very interesting to read even if I normally don't read books.
I chose this book because I had some faded childhood memories about the film of the book.
I couldn't remember what the story was about. I have seen the film at the age of eight and at that time I was probably too young to understand it. So I thought I would choose this book for my English task to find out more about its story.
At first it begins like a normaly story, except that the animals can talk to each other.
But the more you read, the more you understand that it's about the politic situation during the Stalin era in Russia.
Every animal on the farm represents a figure of the dictatorship of Stalin.
I was very impressed by how well George Orwell conveyed the situation during the Stalin era through the symbolic meanings of the animal farm and each creature on it.
Characterization of the character Napoleon
Napoleon is a big, impressive berkshire boar. After the reign of Mr. Jones he instantly tries to take a high position on the farm. But Snowball, a very smart and popular pig, who took very good care of the needs of all the animals stood in his way for. Napoleon wanted to be the almighty animal on the farm so he violently took over the farm.
The longer he was in power, the worse his personality became. He never had enough power, he always strived for more. Every animal had to do exactly what he wanted. He was a ruthless leader and all the animals on the farm had to suffer under his regime.
His greed could not be satisfied, he always wanted more and more. He exploited the other animals for his own needs and showed no compassion. He also didn't take responsibility for his mistakes. Everytime something went wrong, he blamed Snowball for it. He said Snowball would sabotage the Animal Farm. But this wasn't true. He spread lies about Snowball, so the other animals wouldn't remember what a good pig he was and how good the life on the farm had been when he was still in charge.
He was extremely egoistic and racialist, because only the animals of his kind had enough food and freetime. However he could manage to stay in charge as the leader of the farm because he was very good at manipulating others.
He was narcissistic and he used every means to get what he wanted.
The longer he was in power, the worse his personality became. He never had enough power, he always strived for more. Every animal had to do exactly what he wanted. He was a ruthless leader and all the animals on the farm had to suffer under his regime.
His greed could not be satisfied, he always wanted more and more. He exploited the other animals for his own needs and showed no compassion. He also didn't take responsibility for his mistakes. Everytime something went wrong, he blamed Snowball for it. He said Snowball would sabotage the Animal Farm. But this wasn't true. He spread lies about Snowball, so the other animals wouldn't remember what a good pig he was and how good the life on the farm had been when he was still in charge.
He was extremely egoistic and racialist, because only the animals of his kind had enough food and freetime. However he could manage to stay in charge as the leader of the farm because he was very good at manipulating others.
He was narcissistic and he used every means to get what he wanted.
The author's main message / purpose
The main message of George Orwell's book the "Animal Farm" is that we citizens, should always question the goverment's decisions and be aware of what it is doing, because the people in the government are often full of greed and they are corrupt and selfish and don't care about the well-being of the citizens.
People should not only sit back and accept everything the goverment throws at them.They should stand up for their rights and needs, even if it seems very difficult to change anything.
Also they should be aware of history, because it often repeats itself, as we can see in "Animal Farm", after the revolution: all the animals were so happy, but as time passed, it was getting worse and worse under the regime of the pigs.
In the end, the situation was just as terrible as in the old days when Mr. Jones was in charge.
But most of the animals unfortunately have forgotten how it was back then, so they couldn't compare their actual situation to their previous one and accepted it without doing anything against it.
This is why we should always be aware of our history.
The relationship between Snowball and Napoleon
After the rebellion on the Manor Farm, the two boars named Napoleon and Snowball emerge as the new leaders of the Farm. Both boars had very different views about how to lead the Farm which is now named Animal Farm.
Snowball on one side was careful, loyal and brave and always wanted the best for every animal on the farm. Napoleon on the other side was getting more and more rude and selfish. He only pursued his own interests and his well-being.
A good example for the different intentions of Napoleon and Snowball could be seen in their plans for the upcoming windmill. Snowball wanted to use the power of the windmill to do a big part of the work from the animals, so they would have to work much less. Also he wanted to get electric lights in the barns and heatings during winter. Napoleon's intentions on the other side where characterized by greed and egoism. He only wanted the windmill to increase his profit. He didn't want to let the animals work less and didn't want to use the electricity for more comfort in the barns.
Napoleon didn't like Snowball at all. He saw him as an enemy. He was frightened of losing his power, because Snowball was a much better leader and appealed more successful by the other animals. Whenever Snowball brought up a suggestion for vote, Napoleon automatically suggested the opposite of it, even if he wasn't interested in the subject of the vote. I interpreted this as a clear act of hate and detestation of Napoleon against Snowball. Snowball on the other hand accepted Napoleon as he accepted every other animal on the farm, even though Napoleon was his political enemy.
But sadly one day Napoleon chased Snowball away with his security force of nine big dogs.
Instead of a nice democratic system the animals had now to suffer under the dictatorship of Napoleon.
Snowball on one side was careful, loyal and brave and always wanted the best for every animal on the farm. Napoleon on the other side was getting more and more rude and selfish. He only pursued his own interests and his well-being.
A good example for the different intentions of Napoleon and Snowball could be seen in their plans for the upcoming windmill. Snowball wanted to use the power of the windmill to do a big part of the work from the animals, so they would have to work much less. Also he wanted to get electric lights in the barns and heatings during winter. Napoleon's intentions on the other side where characterized by greed and egoism. He only wanted the windmill to increase his profit. He didn't want to let the animals work less and didn't want to use the electricity for more comfort in the barns.
Napoleon didn't like Snowball at all. He saw him as an enemy. He was frightened of losing his power, because Snowball was a much better leader and appealed more successful by the other animals. Whenever Snowball brought up a suggestion for vote, Napoleon automatically suggested the opposite of it, even if he wasn't interested in the subject of the vote. I interpreted this as a clear act of hate and detestation of Napoleon against Snowball. Snowball on the other hand accepted Napoleon as he accepted every other animal on the farm, even though Napoleon was his political enemy.
But sadly one day Napoleon chased Snowball away with his security force of nine big dogs.
Instead of a nice democratic system the animals had now to suffer under the dictatorship of Napoleon.
Mollie
Mollie is one of the minor characters in the book, described on page 2 as ‘the foolish, pretty white mare who drew Mr Jones’s trap,’ she represents the section of society that was privileged before the Russian Revolution and goes on to lose its status under the new regime. After the Russian Revolution many people who had been members of the middle and upper classes under the Tsar’s rule left the country, as they had no interest in sacrificing their living standards under the ‘equality’ of communism. Mollie doesn’t oppose the regime on political or ideological grounds, but opposes it as she cannot keep her lumps of sugar or comfortable life and her ribbons or symbols of social status within the new regime. Orwell shows how socialism is not perfect and it does not suit all factions of society. Mollie is unhappy at being at the same level as Boxer and Clover; Mollie eventually runs away from the farm. Mollie does not appear in the film version; her character was removed from the story along with several other minor characters.
Pigeons
While the pigeons are not a singular character they should not be overlooked, the pigeons represent the Soviet Union’s propaganda to the rest of the world. The Soviet Union under Stalin frequently boasted of great achievements both economically and socially. In the book Snowball and Napoleon use the pigeons to spread propaganda and send messages to other farms.
Pilkington
Pilkington represents the western allies of Britain and the United States, Stalin after being invaded by Hitler looked to the western allies for help. He has been specifically linked to Winston Churchill. His description on page 24 reads ‘Its owner, Mr Pilkington, was an easy-going gentleman-farmer who spent most of his time in fishing or hunting according to the season.’ Just as in the book Napoleon sides with Pilkington after Frederick attacks him. At the end of the book Pilkington is one of the farmers Napoleon invites to the farm for a tour of inspection. Pilkington gives a toast and says on page 92 of Napoleon’s and the pigs’ management of the farm that ‘He believed that he was right in saying that the lower animals on Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the country.’ In one of Orwell’s greatest prophecies on page 95 the reader finds the text reads ‘Yes, a violent quarrel was in progress. ... The source of the trouble appeared to be that Napoleon and Mr Pilkington had played an ace of spades simultaneously.’ The men and pigs have caught each other cheating at cards and have begun to fight. Orwell seems to have predicted in the 1944 the breakdown of the good relations between the USSR under Stalin and the western allies that would occur in the late 1940s and lead to the beginning of the Cold War. Pilkington does not appear in the film, though various good and kind farmers are shown.
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