Animal Farm

[DeadMan]

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a fantastic book of Communism gone wrong. Basically the story or Russia thru the years of Stalin, well in a sense. It's one of the few books that I actually sat down, unforced, to read. I read it in 1 full day I couldn't put it down. You can slowly see the changes, the lies, the propagandha and the shear hate. Very good book. Everyone who is into reading should definitaly find a copy. Most grade 12 classes in Ontario are forced to read it in English class.

DeadMan.

[FatFreeMilk]

Umm yeah, this is a favorite around here. There's a thread (plural?) around here somewhere all about it. I read it Freshaman year for english. Changed my life. Seriously, one of the ways how I found my way here :D

[Non-Sectarian Bastard!]

I haven't read Animal Farm, but I assume that Orwell attacks "Communism" just like he does in other books. Then there is one thing to be cleared up. Communism is a broad ideology, from authoritive bastards to anarchists. I see Orwell's attacks on "Communism" as an attack on Authoritinism. Orwell hated Authority and I am sure that hasn't choosen for Communism because the overruling stream in it was Authoritive.

[Al Creed]

His books arent really an attack on Communism, but an attack on the USSR, (whcih Ive never viewed as Real Communism...Flame me if you wish)

I like the portrayal of all the animals; Napoleon, the despotic pig, the horse who wroks himself to death because he doesnt know much else, the pony who ultimately leaves as she is denied the luxury of ribbons she loves, and the others.

I have it around here, I should read it again.

[(*]

I read the book years ago (when I was like 13 or 14). I remember enjoying it, but my knowledge on the history is not as vast as it is today.

I should read it again, but I have so many other books to read for the first time.

[FatFreeMilk]

Yeah, Non-Sectarian Bastard! I think it talks about that in the preface or forward or whatever, you know, the thing beofore the story.

[New Tolerance]

It's too pro Lenin and Trotsky.

[SonofRage]

Great book, one of the few I've finished in one sitting.

[Blackberry]

Originally posted by New [email protected] 18 2003, 11:38 AM
It's too pro Lenin and Trotsky.
You wouldn't say that if you read his other books, like The Road to Wigan Pier.

He didn't like vanguardism very much.

[Saint-Just]

It is true that he did not like Leninism that much, he was a classic British (although Orwell is an embarassment in terms of what it means to be British) socialist. However, he often favoured Trotsky or even anarchists over the USSR.

This book, Animal Farm is used in bourgeois education because it serves to reinforce the bourgeois weltanschauung. It is less of a work of debauchery as 1984, as such I think it is a less reactionary book than 1984. 1984 however, does serve to give a view of what we might hope the future to be like, although Orwell puts it in bad light. The hate and lies Orwell saw were nothing more than what the imperialist, bourgeois ruling class sees, Orwell reinforced their view in Animal Farm and indeed 1984. Orwell should of took note of what people such as the Webbs saw in the 30s when they went to the USSR; love and peace.

[Non-Sectarian Bastard!]

Originally posted by [email protected] 17 2003, 10:18 PM
His books arent really an attack on Communism, but an attack on the USSR, (whcih Ive never viewed as Real Communism...Flame me if you wish)

I like the portrayal of all the animals; Napoleon, the despotic pig, the horse who wroks himself to death because he doesnt know much else, the pony who ultimately leaves as she is denied the luxury of ribbons she loves, and the others.

I have it around here, I should read it again.
He defined the USSR as Communistic. Altough I disagree with him on that. Napoleon, Stalin all Pigs. That's why Orwell was anti-Commie. He even gave a list of suspected Communists when he died.

[canikickit]

1984 however, does serve to give a view of what we might hope the future to be like, although Orwell puts it in bad light.

There are three distinct classes in 1984. How can you advocate that? I don't see how he "puts it in a bad light", it's aa pretty shit situation from every angle I can imagine. But then again you hate Winston because he enjoys sex a lot.

My favourite of Orwell's book is "Down and Out in Paris and London".

[Marxist in Nebraska]

I had to read Animal Farm for English class in ninth grade. The teacher's lectures on the book gave the impression of, "See! Communism is great in theory, but in practice you always get a Napoleon/Stalin." I have to say, it was a powerful propaganda tool for my naive mind.

When I began exploring my radical views during my Senior year of high school and immediately after, I was hesitant for several months to call myself a communist. I have little doubt that the propaganda surrounding the Animal Farm unit three years earlier had me so hesitant to embrace the name of communism, even after I had begun embracing the ideas.

About Orwell, I have always understood he was a self-described socialist who was harshly critical of the Soviet Union (which he considered truly communist, I suppose). I wonder sometimes what Orwell would think of my ninth grade English teacher, scaring his pupils into embracing capitalist "democracy."

[Hooverfox]

One of my favourite books i've read t countless times, the first time when I was around ten I think although I have'nt actually read it for some years now. It is quite pro Trotsky as the pig snowball was suposed to represnt him and as far as I rember Snowball was seen as the one good pig in the book.

I dont know if any of you watched the documentry on Orwell that was on early in the year to celebrate 100 years since he was born, it was very interesting. As far I can remember from it hedidnt like the USSR because of th authorotive way it was run. he fought in the spanish civil war but again started to find things he didnt like in the way the socialist group he was fighting with was run. I cant rember much more about it but it was an interesting documenttry and i recomend watching it if it comes on again.

[DeadMan]

Snowball represented what realistic communism could of been like in this, the greedy human world. He made it into a small big decision democracy not a what I say goes dictatorship. Until Napoleon made a coup d'etat and took over.

DeadMan.

[praxis1966]

The concept/message of the book was a decent idea. I had a problem with it since the imagery is about as subtle as an Andrew Lloyd Weber play. Not exactly great literature if you ask me, which I know you didn't.

[jermicide]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2003, 02:01 AM
I had a problem with it since the imagery is about as subtle as an Andrew Lloyd Weber play. Not exactly great literature if you ask me, which I know you didn't.
I do not think this book was suppose to be his masterpiece, it was suppose to be more of a mock fable.

[Comrade Ceausescu]

Despite what is said,I think its a great book.Though Orwell would probobly piss on me for saying this,I take it as a book,a book and nothing more.Not a means of historical education.

[Saint-Just]

Originally posted by [email protected] 18 2003, 11:41 PM
There are three distinct classes in 1984. How can you advocate that? I don't see how he "puts it in a bad light", it's aa pretty shit situation from every angle I can imagine. But then again you hate Winston because he enjoys sex a lot.

My favourite of Orwell's book is "Down and Out in Paris and London".
There are three distinct classes in 1984. How can you advocate that?

I don't advocate that, furthermore the idea of three classes is one way in which he:

[i]"puts it in a bad light"/i]

I enjoy sex more than Winston, or at least I certainly get a lot more he does.

Its not a pretty shit situation from every angle, the way they call each other comrade is good. Also, the way they have many magnificent buildings and that there seems to be no crime, at least for two of the classes.

The part of it I hate most is where Julia tells Winston how many men she has had sex with in that field, does she think it is romantic?

Its a shame that Homage To Catalonia did not end like 1984.

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by Non-Sectarian Bastard&#33;+Dec 18 2003, 11:02 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Non-Sectarian Bastard&#33; @ Dec 18 2003, 11:02 PM)
[email protected] 17 2003, 10:18 PM
His books arent really an attack on Communism, but an attack on the USSR, (whcih Ive never viewed as Real Communism...Flame me if you wish)

I like the portrayal of all the animals; Napoleon, the despotic pig, the horse who wroks himself to death because he doesnt know much else, the pony who ultimately leaves as she is denied the luxury of ribbons she loves, and the others.

I have it around here, I should read it again.
He defined the USSR as Communistic. Altough I disagree with him on that. Napoleon, Stalin all Pigs. That&#39;s why Orwell was anti-Commie. He even gave a list of suspected Communists when he died. [/b]
Blah blah blah, he was a democratic socialist, and thought that the USSR leaders were no better than the Nazi&#39;s and I have to say he has a point.

[Rastaman]

It doesn&#39;t really matter who Orwell was or what he thought about communism... he wrote a good book that we can learn from.