The reading of Animal Farm plunged me back to senior school. My English Lit class had this as one of our O-Level reads about the same time as we covered the Russian Revolution onwards period in the history O-Level Class. Our teacher for English Lit was an enthusiastic chap who really enabled us to see beyond a series of farm animals talking.
In many ways it gave a degree of concept to the political history of Russia at that time and the country it was to become. We truly have no idea of how frightening it must be to live in such a Country where there is no democracy. Where you work, live and believe what the regime tells you to, if you don't the consequences are harsh and so much more.
I wonder what prompted Orwell to write such a book. I know he spent time in India although he died here in England, but I would be interested to know what his catalyst was. Perhaps the stories of what was happening at the time simply prompted his creativity or was there more to it?
I was very surprised that the majority of the group had never read Animal Farm. Have you and did you enjoy it?
Well, I read this book ages ago. Should read it again now that I'm more politically aware. It's a political statement. But what I do know is that Orwell was a flag-waving socialist who supported Communism only he was against Lenin and Leninsim, preferring Trotsky. This story reflects that. Not sure where he stood on Stalin. Marx said "socialism is the first step to Communism" which I agree with whole heartedly having grown up in a socialist family.
ReplyDeleteOrwell fought in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascists. He was shocked and outraged at the Communists, and moved to something like a soft socialism. Animal Farm, written after WWII, in the beginning of the Cold War, was a warning to all, what Stalinism would do if it won the world. He never stopped being a socialist.
ReplyDeleteOrwell fought in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascists. He was shocked and outraged at the Communists, and moved to something like a soft socialism. Animal Farm, written after WWII, in the beginning of the Cold War, was a warning to all, what Stalinism would do if it won the world. He never stopped being a socialist.
ReplyDeleteOrwell fought in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascists. He was shocked and outraged at the Communists, and moved to something like a soft socialism. Animal Farm, written after WWII, in the beginning of the Cold War, was a warning to all, what Stalinism would do if it won the world. He never stopped being a socialist.
ReplyDeleteOrwell fought in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascists. He was shocked and outraged at the Communists, and moved to something like a soft socialism. Animal Farm, written after WWII, in the beginning of the Cold War, was a warning to all, what Stalinism would do if it won the world. He never stopped being a socialist.
ReplyDelete