Published March 2, 2005
I'd been meaning to read it for years, but the politics seemed tedious especially when there was so much controversy about the “war against terrorism” on the tv. But finally, for my Modern History class, the teacher suggested we read Animal Farm because we were starting on the Russian Revolution (for those whom have not read it, that’s what the story was based on), and so i finished it in a few days (no not the same day, I know, pitiful considering how small it is).
What I want to know is how many people have actually read Animal Farm.
The politics in the book are extreme. It's very satirical and very cynical, they are just farm animals, and yet one sees such a resemblance to parts of human society. The most noticeable, of course, are the sheep, and the pigs. The pigs, on one end of the spectrum, are very controlling and devious, a lot like the upper-class, more educated of society, and the Sheep are the under-educated, willing to follow and not think for themselves-part of society. Unfortunately, they are the majority, the rest of the animals seem to have the intelligence, just not the education. Funny that.
I suggest if you have not read it, then do so (but don't turn into a cynical old hag)
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139,477 Literary Works • 672,575 Reviews
Anthropomorphism.
Wow...BIG word!! hehe. I should add that to my vocabulary...and keep it. It's just that impressive.
As for Animal Farm, I've read it. Knowing before hand what it was all about. So I read it with my English class...Well, while they read it-slowly- together I finished it in a class period. Small book eh?
Nothing about it jumped out at me though. I didn't have favorites, or least favorites, no lines inspired me. It left no impact on me what-so-ever. Therefore I hated it.
The writing did nothing for me, the story line was the same. I read it because I had to, and was very disappointed. Just to add to how much I really disliked that book, is the fact that I actually like satirical government stuff. It's right up my ally, yet I didn't like the book at all. Maybe it was the animals...who knows...
I don't recommend this book to anyone, even though at some point you'll probably have to read it. If you happen to like it though, kudos to you, that's an achievement to me.
We read it in my Language Arts class a while back. At first I found it boring, but that was probably just because I hate being forced to read anything i'm not interested in beforehand. It grew on me though. I seem to be one of the few fans of personification here, and thought that was very cool. I liked the message of the book too, and how there were so many parallels to society.
Although I didn't really see much of the allegorical meaning to it. Maybe I'm just an idiot XD
I thought it was pretty good when I read it. Not my favouite, of course, but interesting and different.
I loved every sentence of animal farm. But i would never recommend it to those uninterested in politics and history, and especially not those who don't have a keen eye for satire.
I read it a while ago, and if you ask me, it's superior to 1984. It's short and it makes its point quite well... And the ending is nice and creepy.
Prokaryote
It's Anthropomorphism. (hee hee, big word XD)
I liked it, we had to read it for English last year. One of the better books we were assigned. I didn't find it tha scary. But have you seen the film? That's downright disturbing *shivers*
-Kaz
I read this book for my freshman English class and totally loved it. Satire is totally up my alley, and even though some of it made me really sad, I think it made for great political commentary. I don't usually like talking animals either (I couldn't stand Babe or Charlotte's Web when I was younger), but this just plain worked.
Personification?
It would seem that we have opposite tastes in books, Claudette! Which makes it pretty funny that we really like eachother's NaNo plot...XD
I suggest this book to no one!!!!
It scared me. Horribly. I should go add this to my 'books I hate list' over in that other thread.
SCARY BOOK! I've never liked Humanized (what is it called? I forget the real word) animals.
How was is it that I haven't posted in here yet?
I read this book last summer and loved it. The ending was perfect, and the way you can draw parallel after parallel between the farm animals and our society is cool and creepy. But it was indeed sad. Definitely one of those books that makes you think. Actually, it's right up there on a list of my favorite books.
I read it for english last year; and I initially didn't like it. I think that was partly becuase I was forced to read it, though. Now.. I'm still not overly fond of it, but it was well written (oh, alliteration, points!). Part of what turned me off what the constant need of every little thing to be explained in class, like Addie said. People couldn't get past the fact the characters were farm animals (eh, for the record, I don't usually like personfication of this extreme, either), and many did not understand who something like the book could happen. And then were shocked to learn it was based on reality. I'm fuzzy on details, now, but I do remember thinking, "Gee, I should really look in the physcology of this." ANd I'll end my rambling here. It's not a book I would have picked up to read for pleasure, but I'm glad I read it.
there wasn't anything I liked in the book (i'm not being pessimistic); The politics were boring (did i mention I Hate discussing politics, they are so twisted and web out everywhere. Confusing web of chaos), All it did was restate what the text book said, except to where it is animals instead of humans (while he may have thought this was clever (in some ways it was, such as he thought of the russians as Communistic pigs, or It leads that he thinks that)). The writing style wasn't like-able (for me), it's just not the type of book (animals that talk and such) that I like to read. And you are correct, usually when you are required to read something it makes things worse, but it was also the fact it was a dull and boring book (IMO).
You gave no reason for why it was terrible; you just said it was. In my previous post, I stated that I enjoyed the politics in it. I may be morbid, but I thought it was a good book. Maybe you thought it was so awful because you were "forced to read it for ADV. Word History." Don't be so pessimistic about it and enjoy what you did like about it.
You know, I don't mind you saying I'm your smart baby sister. But every time you use baby, I picture myself as a really fat, pink baby with rather large butt cheeks. (And face cheeks).
You're ridiculously grandiloquent, you know that, right Addie?
*is secretly proud of her smart baby sister* I'm related to that! *beams*
Don't read this book, although it is interesting how george orwell connected the important people of the russian revolution to animals, it is over all a terrible book. We were forced to read it for ADV. World History this year, when we were studying the Russian Revolution. It was terrible, also the animal farm movie was terrible as well.
I read it about a year ago for a sixth grade project. I absolutely loved it. I wrote my book report and discussed the political aspects of the book. When I did my presentation about it and read my report, the other kids in my class just kind of looked at me.
My teacher said, "Did you enjoy it?" I responded with, "Well, of course I did. I loved the way it was written, and the great political side of it."
Everyone just continued staring blankly at me, and my teacher tried yet again to make me answer a question the way she wanted me to. "It was kind of a funny and silly book, wasn't it?"
I said, "Well, no, not really. It can be described as humorous, but it wasn't nonsensical."
Needless to say, I was disappointed that the kids in my class were so annoyingly uninformed and unwilling to try to understand.
The end was very moving I thought. A good, tragic book. Loved it.
I like puppies.
I too have come across a few people who have read this wonderful book.
I first came to know ‘bout it 4 years ago when my English teacher gave it as an example for the word allusion. “Animal Farm is an allusion to the Russian Revolution” she had said and ever since then I have been trying to get my hands on a copy.
I too read it only a month ago and the book left me thinking. Though it may seem to be a very childish book superficially, deep inside the skins of the animals lurk vicious human thoughts and philosophies.
Personally I like the horses Clover and Boxer. Clover represents that class of the society who understands what is going on but it unable to take any action. I can identify myself with her. Boxer is more like the sheep easily fooled by dreams and is ready to sacrifice life for the gold at the end of a non-existing rainbow.
The character of the donkey Muriel is pretty interesting. I think Muriel stand for the learned recluses of the society.
It was a shame to see Old Major’s Paradise being turned into hell for the animals.
But I do appreciate the determination of the animals. It was sheer determination that allowed them to re-re-construct the windmill.
I was very sad when Boxer was sold to the slaughterhouse in return of a crate of wine.
The last line “the creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which” is just too brilliant.
My favourite dialogue is however “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQULA THAN OTHERS”
I also like the sheep’s dialogue “Four legs good two legs BETTER”
Did you know that Orwell was born in India and in my state – West Bengal.
I read it pretty recently. I really enjoyed it, and I did not like Boxer or the pigs. It made me cry, but I forgot which part. I saw the movie before it and the movie made me cry too(for the puppies). I like the book's ending better, even the the movie had a relatively happy one.
Believe me, I read it when I was 10. I just happened to come across it, and read it like any other book, like the children's classics. It was only afterwards that I came to know that it was a politics-based book. The character Boxer had seemed to me to be a childhood hero to me. So, for me I did not relate Animal Farm with politics but rather politics with Animal Farm. The 'Orwellian idea' did really appeal to me.
As you probably know, I like pigs. A lot. When I was in second grade, I was quite obsessive over them and said that they were the best species in the world, etc., etc. So, my mom, being a twisted lady, gave me "Animal Farm" when I was in second grade. And I read it. I became convinced that the pigs were quite evil, so my new motto was, "Pigs are the best, except the pigs in 'Animal Farm.'"
Did I mention I was a strange kid?
I didn't really think much of it at the time. I loved Boxer and I thought the pigs were evil. Oh, and windmills were bad ideas. That was what I got.
Anyway, when I was about 14, I realized that I had read it about 7 years ago and decided I needed to read it again. So I did.
It's creepy.
At first, it seems like everything is fine. The Old Major makes a speech, and it really is a good speech. It's about equality and togetherness, and though the writing is rather bare (it was purposely written like that) it is quite evident that the animals need this unity. After all, Farmer Jones is a drunk who doesn't care about them at all. So when they get the chance, using their force together, they kick Farmer Jones out. And then, lo! They are free!
Instantly the pigs set up command. After all, they are the intelligent ones and they can think quickly. They decide on a socialist system where each animal does the best he can. At first, everything is fine. The harvest is more, the animals are happy (they are free!) and everything is fine. But then there's the windmill.
And everything falls apart.
It's quite a tragic book, and I'm afraid to say I never quite finished reading it (mostly because I was in tears and threw the book down at the most emotional part of the book). But it is good. Very good. Written in a bare style, it is easily accessible, and even for those who are no aware of the historical aspects of the time, it is a good story and will leave you thinking.
But it's very sad...
10/10
I finished reading it a few weeks ago. It was really good, in my opinion, and it really helped me to understand what really occurred. I'm doing a project on it right now, so I've been rereading it.
Right now I am reading it. It was a best seller in its time because it was realsed at the beginning of the cold war.So far I can see the politics in the book very easily. So far the book isn't the best book that I have ever read but its not the worst.
I read it in the fourth grade, so of course I didn't catch the fact that it was a political statement, not a story about a bunch of animals on a farm..lol...anyway, it's on my summer reading list, which is rapidly lengthening...I've bit a bit busy with Dante and Tolkien to start on anything else...
Unbelievably, I didn't catch the politics on the first run through of it. I dont agree with a ton of it, but the book had me in hysterical laughter. I read it last year and really enjoyd it
Orwellian political thinking isn't my cup of tea, per se. A lot of his predictions are extreme, and the only reason why any of them have survived is because of fanatic revolutionaries who propagate his ideas, but as they purport his political notions, they commit the actions he condemns.
However, I did, indeed, love the satirization in Animal Farm, but if anyone else had written it, I would have ripped it to shreds. The plot of the story was flimsy and the construction he used to set it up could have been better. It did, though, get its point across, and I can't fault him, really; after all, we're still reading it.
I've just read it and it's great.