Animal Farm

George Orwell

Genre

Recommended By

Book Reviews

One of Sahil Lavingia's most recommended books.

Book Synopsis

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell is a timeless allegorical novella that explores the corruption of power through the lens of a seemingly harmless farmyard rebellion. Set on Manor Farm, the animals are tired of their mistreatment and exploitation by the human farmer, Mr. Jones. Led by the intelligent pigs, specifically Old Major and his successors Napoleon and Snowball, they overthrow their human oppressors and establish their own self-governing society.

Initially, the animals embrace the principles of Animalism, a set of commandments that promote equality and a fair distribution of resources. However, as time passes, the pigs gradually consolidate their power, eroding the egalitarian principles upon which the rebellion was founded. They rewrite the commandments to justify their increasing privileges and manipulate the other animals with propaganda and fear tactics.

The once unified and harmonious animal society is soon divided, with the pigs forming an elite ruling class. Napoleon, the devious and power-hungry pig, emerges as the self-proclaimed leader, eliminating any opposition to his rule. The hardworking and loyal horse Boxer becomes indoctrinated into blindly supporting the pigs, and his eventual tragic fate serves as a harrowing reminder of the harsh realities of totalitarianism.

As the pigs align themselves with humans, betraying their fellow animals, the original commandments are revised to a single maxim that exemplifies the pigs' hypocrisy: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." The once-revolutionary animal rebellion, now mirroring the tyranny it sought to escape, becomes indistinguishable from the human-dominated society it replaced.

"Animal Farm" serves as a cautionary tale, providing a stark and insightful critique of political corruption, abuse of power, and the dangers of blind obedience. With its timeless themes and memorable characters, Orwell's masterpiece continues to resonate with readers, highlighting the potential consequences of unchecked authority and the illusory nature of utopian ideals.

Explore More Books

See All
Livewired
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Raising Girls
Zen in the Art of Archery
The Inner Studio
Medieval Technology and Social Change
Thank You For Smoking
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Savage News
Liberty Under Seige
The Breakthrough
Alpha Girls
The Great Escape
Solution Selling
The Great Transformation
The World
Oranges
Travels with Charley
That Used To Be Us
Powerful
The Unsettling of America
White Fragility
Active Inference
I, Robot
Outliers
Transmetropolitan
The House of Rothschild
Metaphors We Live By
The Secret of Fatima
The Power Broker
The Hour Between Dog and Wolf
Lean Solutions
Digital Gold
Zero to One
Long Walk to Freedom
No Filter
History and Geography of Human Genes
Meaningful Work
AI Superpowers
Howard Hughes
Free Women, Free Men
Second Foundation
Tenth of December
This Is Your Brain on Music
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
The Back of the Napkin
Poor Numbers
Dominion
We Learn Nothing
Disruptor
Learning To Love Yourself
The Reasonableness of Christianity
The Works
Bull!
The Alchemy of Air
Hunger of Memory
Mind-Body Problem
The Pursuit of Wow!
The Strange Death Of Europe
Call Me Ted
The Middle Kingdoms
The Course of Love
The Future of Capitalism
Million Dollar Weekend
Lessons for the Living
The God That Failed
Walter Benjamin
Probability Theory
Pandaemonium
Watchmen
Finite and Infinite Games
Rick and Morty Book One
Your Dad Stole My Rake
Jack
When The Facts Change
The Prince
The Madness of Crowds
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Off The Record
The Harder You Work, The Luckier You Get
The Magic of Thinking Big
Success
The Emotion Code
How Nature Works
What's Our Problem?
A Cultural History of Physics
The Black Dahlia
The Essays of Warren Buffett
The Great Mental Models
Eating The Big Fish
Fate Is The Hunter
San Fransicko
Skunk Works
Letters To A Young Athlete
Capital Ideas
Nexus
The Utopia of Rules
The Columbian Exchange
The Graveyard Book
The Price We Pay