[Animal Farm] - Question 5) The World

Picture Citation: http://images.google.co.kr/imgres?imgurl=http://www.foxnews.com/images/242678/0_62_112906_NKorea_KimJongIl.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,232617,00.html&h=240&w=320&sz=17&hl=ko&start=10&um=1&tbnid=naTYzYa6c6CxcM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkim%2Bjung%2Bil%26um%3D1%26complete%3D1%26hl%3Dko%26lr%3D%26newwindow%3D1%26sa%3DN

Question : Are there any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? What are they, and how do they relate? Does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or fixed?


Animal farm was an allegory that viewed a society under a dictatorship and communism. As a country that relates to communism, there would be North Korea left in the world. North Korean leader "comrade" Kim Jung-il taking over the country with his one-man-show politics(technically). Just like Napoleon, Kim Jung-il deceived the citizens for his own benefits. Governing going on in North Korea is pretty similar to the situations of this book. The citizens are exploited by the few elites that started up the government. However, the book itself and the message that the author gives only reveals the truth behind dictatorship and revolutions but does not give a resolution for the problem. It could be said that author had a message saying to us that true ideals can only be brought up and come to existence with interest of everyone(about the society).

Personally, I think that ideology of a human can't be perfect. Errors always occur and unexpected events take place and amazing people appear and disappear in human society. The moment that humans are able to get rid of all emotions and become 'God Like' will be the moment when ideology and all social ideas can come to existence. However, this won't have a meaning because literature would lose it's purpose as a desire and greed of a human being fulfilled in artistic way.

Well, if you have a solution or your personal feeling for this, say it!

THANK YOU FOR READING!
SEE YOU AGAIN AT NEXT DEADLINE....

[Animal Farm] - Question 4) The Passage

Picture Citation: http://images.google.co.kr/imgres?imgurl=http://www.leestringle.com/images/Illustration/Animal-Farm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.leestringle.com/animalfarm.html&h=501&w=507&sz=411&hl=ko&start=46&um=1&tbnid=Kqbhr67jZ4gDYM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Danimal%2Bfarm%26start%3D36%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26complete%3D1%26hl%3Dko%26lr%3D%26newwindow%3D1%26sa%3DN

Question : Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. Why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.

(PASSAGE WILL BE POSTED LATER)

Lots of events (passage) were meaningful in the novel, but among all of the events, I think that the very last part (resolution) is the most meaningful part (resolution). I consider it to be more impacting than the climax.

Lets think about this passage.

Napoleon and Pilkington both plays spade ace that creates the fight.

There's only one copy of it in each deck. Does that mean that they played with 2 decks to increase the numbers of card so there is enough for 12 people to play?
NO

They could have just thought that a card got mixed and retreat one of them and pass over it. In conclusion, it means that the fight was unnesscary.

What starts up fights?
Disbelief

That means that everyone in the game was actually trying to cheat. They knew that they had spade ace and saw others play it, that tells them that they were all trying to cheat on each other. That is why even the ones that didn't play the ace joined the fight. They couldn't trust each other anymore.

This drags out a voice of the author that criticizes not only socialism, but also all of the other systems and economies that is founded by leaders of mutilated ideals, greed and forgery. Pointing out that all these are the same, dirty things no matter how different they look on the outside. I guess we are only a human after all (...)

This event made my mind echo with George Orwell's voice. I guess it also reveals his life experiences of him (look up for his biography if interested).


Thank you for reading my fourth post.
Some how, I feel that my posts are getting shorter....

[Animal Farm] - Question 3) The events

Picture Citation : http://images.google.co.kr/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ukuleleman.net/uploaded_images/Uke%2520F%2520West%2520Seneca%2520Rocks%2520Visit%2520Mom%2520%2520B%2520to%2520D%2520110-761999.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.reason.com/blog/show/120174.html&h=451&w=466&sz=35&hl=ko&start=389&um=1&tbnid=g0_LMY9Ufjm4EM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Danimal%2Bfarm%26start%3D378%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26complete%3D1%26hl%3Dko%26lr%3D%26newwindow%3D1%26sa%3DN

Question : What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?

I will divde this question into three.


//What is the climax of this novel?//

Although it is kind of hard to identify the climax from this novel (for me). I think that the climax of the story is when Boxer gets sold to the horse slaughterer by Napoleon. Because this is the point-of-no-return. Any other events such as cheating other animals (which were done by Napoleon) was always available to be confessed and repented but the death caused by sale of Boxer can never be put back to life.


//What happens?//

Boxer was a devoted worker to the Animal Farm and ideals of Animalism that was unable to work anymore due to the injury at the windmill construction (russian economic growth, which was targeted to shift the citizens eye onto another issues) and aging.

He was unable to produce anymore "labor" so Napoleon sells him out.
This part plays a very important role in the novel to significantly reveal the deprivaty of Napoleon (dictator).


//How do the events of this novel make you feel?//

Most of the events in this novel was mostly composed trickery and deceiving. This made me feel happy because it was actually fun to observe the actions and reactions of all the characters that appears in this story. The way that events impacted them and the way that they were forgotten easily and what was done to make it inevitable.

I think that events will be boring for readers who acknowledges any history of dictatorships or the Russian History since not only characters, but also the events were very symbolic (ex. windmill construction could be seen as a economic development, which was desinated to distract citizens).
When it was cleary noticed that Napoleon was losing moral senses (such as overtaking apples) the story was predictable from then on.



Thank you for reading my third post.

[Animal Farm] - Question 2) The Characters

Picture Citation: http://images.google.co.kr/imgres?imgurl=http://sunslife.com/image/peoples/animal_farm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sunslife.com/bbs/view.php%3Fid%3D4004%26no%3D664&h=681&w=938&sz=302&hl=ko&start=35&um=1&tbnid=nmL7tVSCH2YvMM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=148&prev=/images%3Fq%3Danimal%2Bfarm%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26complete%3D1%26hl%3Dko%26lr%3D%26newwindow%3D1%26sa%3DN

Question: Who are the main characters in the novel? Do you like them? Why or why not? What is special about them? What do they reveal about the universal human experience?

There are lots of animals and characters that appear in this story. Before I choose who I like the best, let me list the analysis and description of them.

[Characters]

Benjamin, raven : Are an old donkey and raven that dwells in the Animal Farm for a long time. They are smart and significant about the politics going around. I think that they represent the intellectual that is unwilled to change or parcipitate the economy. Raven seemed to be related to religion...(sugarcane mountain)

Boxer (and horses) : Is a horse that believed socialism and devoted his life for it. He represents the people that truly believes in socialism.

Napoleon : Is a authoritarian pig that shows absolute power with his intelligence and power of his army (dogs). He significantly shows depravity by selling away the truly devoted follower when he was unable to use anymore. The one who starts revolution by stirring the citizens (animals), and tries to stand on top of nation with deprived and mutilated socialism. A pretender. Referred to Russian history, he represents Stalin.

Snowball : Idealist that tries to protect the true ideals of the revolution but is terminated by his "comrade" Napoleon. Referred to Russian history, he represents Lev Davidovich Bronstein.

Mr. Jones : The previous owner of the farm (before Napoleon) that used to reign over animals. Referred to Russian history, represents Emperor Nicholas 2nd. Also represents feudal system.

Major : The old pig that created the ideal called "Animalism", which all rights "for" the people and "by" the people are promised to come true.
Referred to the Russian story, he represents Marks.

Flock of Sheep : Represents the press that directly delivers the mutilated socialism to the other citizens (animals).

Frederick : Owner of the neighbouring farm. To look at the change of relationship with animal farm, I think that he represents fascism (Fascios).

Pilkington : Owner of the neighbouring farm. I think that he represents captalism.

As a character that I admire the most among these diverse types of characters. I admire Napoleon, the great pig of dictatorship.
The reason I buy him so high is because of the knowledge and power that he posseses. Most of other people would think of himself as the main "EVIL" and also a ashameable character.
But that is the reason I like him, I like characters that posseses large amount of power and potential. Maybe this is the reason I turn out to be liking picaresque literatures.

The universal truth that this character reveals throughout the actions in this novel is that "Justice doesn't always come to victory."

In our present day history, it is proved that not all what we call "Justice" comes to existence in our society. By the victory of this character shown at the very last, it creates a small thesis that a person in possession of the power will win no matter how delinquent and evil they are.

Animal farm is not a picaresque novel, but my perspective is (...)


Thank you for reading my second post (if you actually have)
Who is your favorite character?

P.S. Somebody tell me the name of that raven? I forgot his name.

[Animal Farm] - Question 1) The Major Theme

image citation : http://images.google.co.kr/imgres?imgurl=http://arungoodboy.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/animal_farm_2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://arungoodboy.wordpress.com/&h=600&w=800&sz=101&hl=ko&start=22&um=1&tbnid=Cg8WoLn-oPsEqM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Danimal%2Bfarm%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26complete%3D1%26hl%3Dko%26lr%3D%26newwindow%3D1%26sa%3DN

QUESTION : What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to teenager living in 2008?


"Animal Farm, is a novel by George Orwell which is about a farmland where animals were overdriven to labor by owner called Mr. Jones. Growing tired and sick of the their state which only seems to get worse than better, animals start up a revolution which overthrows the reign of Mr. Jones and builds up their own society to run the farm."

This is the image that is normally observed in the novel, "Animal Farm". However, this little story of a small farmland inside England is actually a profound and allegorical story.
As you read this allegorical story, you will come to realize that the book is actually showing a history of Russia from 1917 (Russian Revolution) to 1943 (Teheran Meeting).

I will save up what the characters represents for the other question and move on to identifying the major theme of animal farm.

First, to look up at the title "Animal Farm", animal farm was a society that got run by a great leader called "Napoleon", the absolutist that reigned the farm in system which we call, "Socialism". It was a place which was to be perfect and peaceful, where all the ideals of every animals were promised to come true.

Second, analysis of the characters and their actions. Main action and dilemma of the story was mainly gazed upon the way that Napoleon organized the farm. Napoleon is a leader who stood in front of all animals in the farm to make the words (ideals) of old "Major" come true.
Napoleon gains all the trust and absolute power all over the farm as the ultimate leader, but this consequence reads him into delinquency. It turns out that everyone else was working and dying for one another while Napoleon and the group of pigs are living at the highest point in their standard of living, which points out the depravity that the system of socialism fell into.

Third, the climax of the story is identified as the part where "Boxer" gets taken by the horse slaughterer. This is the climax of the story because it is the part where nothing could be turned back to the way it was (point-of-no-return).
It played an important role in the novel to show how delinquent Napoleon has become
(action of selling away the life of a truly devoted worker that is now unable to produce a product called "labor").

Fourth, the resolution of the story was that the pigs (the leading group of the farm including Napoleon) got along with humans and played a game of cards, announcing that they were equal and friends now. This shows how the leaders of the socialism would even flex their ideals for their own benefits. Again, this is all about the depravity that the pigs have fell into.

Looking back at all these four statements, it could be told that the story was talking about the depravity that revolutions fall into although it turns out to be successful for at least a while, pointing out that these types of revolutions never will give a true success to everyone but to the elites who starts it.

The theme major theme of this story is that..... "Absolutist always comes to depravity"

I have mentioned that the story mainly represented the social history of Russia. But there are more possibilities and message in this story.

To justify this story, it could be said that this story is a allegory that shows the Russian history.
But at the same time, it is a fable of ideology that criticizes the ideals of revolution that starts and composes of falsehood public pledge.


How is it important to the teenagers that dwell in this era?
It is important for teenagers to think out of this story. About the society and the system we live in and if it is wrong or right. Teenagers should think about the meaning of true happiness for everyone.

Here are some questions for "precious" teenagers that dwells in this era.

1. Theme : Do all revolutions and communism always fail and fall into depravity?
Does all dictatorship fall into delinquency?

2. Look back to one of the seven commandments that were in the animal farm
"All animals are equal."
What is the true meaning of equality?
Like humans, animals are developed differently from each other. Pigs, horses, cows, dogs, chickens, rats, and sheep are very different from each other.
So how could that "true equality" come to existence? Is it possible?

3. Resolution : At the card game of very end. Pilkington and Napoleon both put out spade ace and that creates a fight among them.
What is the meaning of this spade ace?


Thank you for reading my first post.
You will be welcomed to at least, answer one of the questions that I made.