Book Introduction:
This is a story about animals rebelling against humans and becoming the owners of a farm. The leaders of the Enlightenment movement and the struggle are all pigs. After becoming the owners, the animals live a brief period of peaceful time, being self-sufficient and full of imagination for a better future.
At the beginning, the pig leaders simplified animalism into the "Seven Commandments," which is an unchangeable code of law that all future animal lives must follow.
- Anything that walks on two legs is an enemy.
- Anything that walks on four legs or has wings is a friend.
- Animals must not wear clothes.
- Animals must not sleep in beds.
- Animals must not drink alcohol.
- Animals must not kill any other animal.
- All animals are equal.
However, a power struggle arises between the two pig leaders, and one named Napoleon drives out the other named Snowball. From then on, Napoleon begins his dictatorship.
Reality no longer aligns with the Seven Commandments, so they are modified. The pigs can now live in the farmhouse, drink alcohol, kill other animals, be more equal than other animals, cooperate with humans who walk on two legs, and even become pigs who walk on two legs... The Seven Commandments established after the revolution are gradually erased, leaving only one contradictory commandment to prove their existence.
All animals are equal,
but some animals are more equal than others.
Equality among the animals on the farm disappears, and a privileged class emerges. Brainwashing activities begin, freedom of speech is restricted, and even internal purges occur. Napoleon becomes the forever correct and great leader.
Most of the animals are brainwashed and, having received no education, go from being enslaved by humans to being enslaved by pigs. Among them, a horse named Boxer is the most typical, working hard for his leader and eventually being sold by Napoleon to a horse slaughterer in exchange for alcohol.
Excerpts and Thoughts:
In the preface, Orwell said that what he wanted most was to turn political writing into an art, and he actually achieved it, predicting much of the future history in the 1940s.
When the book was first published, Orwell was busy going from one bookstore to another in London, moving it from the children's section to the adult section. In contrast, many books in China make people wish they could move them from the adult section to the children's section.
Snowball condensed the Seven Commandments into one sentence: "Four legs good, two legs bad." This scene is hard not to associate with the phrase "Socialism good, capitalism bad," simple, direct, and opposing.
The milk disappeared, but it was eventually discovered that it had been mixed into the pigs' food, and the privileged class began to emerge.
"The Joneses will come back" has become a universal excuse that can be used when oppressing other animals face resistance. "You don't want the Joneses to come back, do you?"
There is no more discussion, only the execution of tasks handed down. The reason given is that sometimes you may make wrong decisions, and what kind of situation would we be in then? Freedom of speech disappears.
The horse Boxer's statement, "I will work harder, Napoleon is always right," is beyond foolishness, and it takes an animal to stand up and point out that "practice is the sole criterion for testing truth."
After Napoleon expelled Snowball, he plagiarized Snowball's windmill plan and even claimed it as his own idea. Naturally, now that he is a dictator, everything he says is right, and history can be modified and erased.
Napoleon has another hobby, awarding himself medals, which inevitably reminds people of a self-referential national leader.
The pigs start moving into the farmhouse and enjoying more privileges.
Any animals who privately discuss Napoleon or are suspected of communicating with Snowball are executed, and the purges begin.
Napoleon acquires many titles, such as "Great Leader" and "Father of Animals."
The song of rebellion, "Beasts of England," becomes a banned song, with the reason being that a beautiful society has already been built and there is no need for rebellion anymore.
The original Seven Commandments are gradually altered and even erased - if the laws no longer fit the current situation, then they should be modified.
Squealer's role is to brainwash, maintain the legitimacy of the pig ruling class, and convey orders without the need for the animals below to discuss.
The animals work longer hours than in the Jones era, but their food is not better.
Napoleon appears less frequently and is guarded by fierce dogs. Before speaking, he is preceded by the crowing of a black rooster, with great pomp.
The establishment of a republic is announced, and a president is elected, with only Napoleon as a candidate. This is what is called an election, what is called freedom and democracy.
Boxer collapses from exhaustion and is sold by Napoleon to a horse slaughterer, who trades him for alcohol. Remember Boxer's motto: "I will work harder, Napoleon is always right."
The beautiful life that Snowball advocated, with electric lighting and hot and cold water, is no longer mentioned, and Napoleon accuses it of going against the spirit of animalism, pointing out that true happiness lies in hard work and a simple life - you live in a farmhouse, drink milk, enjoy good wine, and then let the animals below live simply? Truly noble. What is the difference between this reasoning and the communist ideal of the more impoverished, the more glorious?
The pigs do no physical labor; instead, they spend a great deal of energy on "files," "reports," and "minutes" of mysterious affairs.
The slogan changes from "Four legs good, two legs bad" to "Four legs good, two legs better!" because the pigs want to become "human," to the point where the animals can no longer distinguish between humans and pigs.