George Orwell's Animal Farm

Video

Animated barn animals act out human faults in life and politics in Orwell's captivating tale

The characters in Animal Farm were inspired by the Russian Revolution and the events that followed - the pig Napoleon is clearly the farm's Josef Stalin - but Animal Farm was not simply a satire on the Russion Revolution. Orwell's message was intended to be broader. In his own words: "I meant the moral to be that revolutions only effect a radical improvement when the masses are alert and know how to chuck out their leaders as soon as the latter have done their job. The turning point of the storey was supposed to be when the pigs kept the milk and apples for themselves".

George Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair. The son of a civil servant, he was born in India in 1903. His family having moved to England in 1907, he commenced studies at Eton in 1917, where he contributed to several college magazines.

Orwell served with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma from 1922 to 1927. Years of poverty followed.

Thanks to Amilcar for bringing this item to our attention.