Understanding Allegory in "Animal Farm"

• "Animal Farm" is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, as well as the political power systems people deal with, and the Notions of Freedom.
• Initially placed in children's section of bookstores due to satire, literary techniques used include humor, irony, and hyperbole.
• Russian Revolution led to the installation of communism, resulting in a civil war from 1918 to 1920 and the rise of Stalin's dictatorship in the Soviet Union.
• Marxist communism gave workers control of production, while Stalin gave the state control, paving the way for totalitarian rule.
• Stalin, an active participant in the Revolution, became the head of the Soviet Union after Lenin's death in 1922, leading the Communist Party until 1953.
• Parallels between Stalin and Napoleon, who distorted the idealized dream of equality and unity, using their power for their own purposes.
• Snowball (Leon Trotsky) was an intellectual who cared about Communism ideals, but purges under Stalin erased his memory and role in history.
• "Animal Farm" continues to have contemporary relevance as a cautionary tale about how a corrupt and selfish leader uses fear and ignorance to gain control of a population and lead to totalitarianism.
• Orwell believed that Revolution only brings significant improvement when the masses remain alert and overthrow their leaders when their job is done.

Explore the allegorical representation of the Russian Revolution and political power systems in George Orwell's "Animal Farm". Learn about the literary techniques used and the contemporary relevance of the novel as a cautionary tale. Delve into the parallels between historical figures and characters in the book.