Essay Three

INTRODUCTION

The enduring value of literature lies within their capacity to provide perspectives towards essential human values which continues to resonate with contemporary readers. This idea is particularly evident within George Orwell’s Animal Farm¹ (1945), which reacts to the uprising of totalitarianism in its portrayal of hope within an oppressive world. In depicting the struggle of the animals, Orwell explores the significance of hope in upholding the integrity of the human spirit. Yet, in response to the oppressive nature of Orwell’s context, the novella culminates in a complete decimation of hope, highlighting the perversion of human values by despotic leaders such as Stalin and Hitler.² Therefore, despite its publication in the 20th century, Orwell’s Animal Farm captures an essential aspect of the human condition that heightens readers’ understandings towards the value of hope across changing contextual paradigms.

1. In the introduction, it is convention to always introduce the text and the full name of the author and the text before using shorter terms such as ‘Orwell.’

2. The body paragraphs will be presenting two polarising perspectives of hope that are present in the novella.

PARAGRAPH 1

Orwell’s Animal Farm captures the essence of human heritage through its depiction of hope and its potential to elicit meaningful change within society. Mirroring the plight of Russia’s working class under Tsarist autocracy, Major’s macabre conceptualisation of life as “misery and slavery” metaphorically highlights the necessity of hope, in that without it, individuals are subsequently relegated to a state of continual depression. His cumulative listing in “this single farm of ours would support a dozen horses, twenty cows, hundreds of sheep” instils a sense of hope³ within the animals by creating a vision of collective prosperity that propagates the Marxist model of communism. In this way, Major’s rhetorical question, “why then, do we continue in this miserable condition?” serves as a vehement rejection of the current norms of life, projecting rebellion as the key to profound change in society. To a large extent, it reflects the ensuing social disillusionment stemming from Russia’s large losses in the aftermath of WWI. Thus, the anthem Beasts of England stands as a symbol of hope for the animals to pursue a better life, with its intimations of rebellion foregrounding Marx’s theory of permanent revolution. Reflecting the historical traits of⁴ Boxer emerges as an archetype of the workingclass citizen, characterised primarily by his unrelenting work ethic and his terse maxim, “I will work harder.” His persona as the “admiration of everybody” thus reveals his role as a symbol of belief for the animals, enabling them to persist in their efforts for the farm. Ultimately, the repetitive exclamation “yes it was theirs – everything that they could see was theirs!” represents the destabilisation of the old dictatorial system, illustrating the potential of hope in holistically fashioning an ideal society for all. In exploring the idea of hope, Orwell draws upon the intrinsic traits of humanity to prompt readers to empathise with the characters of Animal Farm in their endeavours to pursue a better life.⁵

3. Remember that although identifying literary features within the novella can be useful, your focus should always be on explaining evidence and linking it to your argument. Don’t simply make remarks that point out structural devices without following it up with a sentence like this that recognises the intended effect for readers.

4. Again, references to specific events and historical personalities demonstrates a heightened appreciation of the text. Doing research is important to reinforce your understanding of the novella’s storyline and characters.

5. By the end of your paragraph, you should be ready to ‘zoom out’ and make a broader comment about what Orwell is saying about society, or what he is attempting to evoke in his readers. This also makes for a much stronger final sentence that links your discussion and the core of the prompt to the overarching purpose of the text.

PARAGRAPH 2

Yet, on the opposing side of the spectrum, Orwell uses the ensuing struggle of the animals to explore the fractured ideals of hope within a world which has transcended human compassion.⁶ Echoing the mindset of the Russian cynics,⁷ Benjamin’s comment, “life would go on as it had always gone on – that is, badly” adopts a fatalistic worldview that foreshadows the tragic fate facilitated by the animals’ constant pushes for change. Likewise, Boxer’s question, “what victory?” encapsulates a melancholic sentiment that reflects the social turmoil arising from the events of WWII. In this way, Orwell utilises the visceral image of the “weary and bleeding” animals to ultimately reveal the dehumanising impact of war caused by the vices of totalitarian leaders, and the diminishing effect on hope for those involved. Clover’s valorised memory of “grass and the bursting hedges were gilded by the level rays of the sun” therefore emerges as a metaphor for her innate yearning to retain a sense of hope through a meaningful reconnection with the physical landscape. The undertones of stasis in “their life, so far as they knew, was as it had always been” subsequently highlights the banality of existence and the lack of direction on the farm due to the oppressive dictatorship of Napoleon. Thus, Orwell presents to readers a tragic vision of loss that thereby heightens their contextual understanding towards the need to retain essential human values such as freedom and hope.⁸ Benjamin’s aphoristic claim of “hunger, hardship, and disappointment being... the unalterable law of life” presents a Predeterministic⁹ worldview towards the inevitable struggle stemming from authoritarian control. Yet, even within a debilitating zeitgeist, Orwell illustrates the ongoing nature of hope within society, demonstrated by the animals’ idealistic visions of “green fields of England... untrodden by human feet.” As such, the motif of hope is interwoven with Orwell’s critique of totalitarianism to reveal how such regimes ultimately desecrate the ideals which constitute a sense of humanity.

6. Here, we present a more complex perspective on the prompt and adding sophistication to our contention.

7. This is another subtle integration of our background research; remember that your marker doesn’t want to read a massive information dump! Always focus on the set text and just make quick references like this to help add credence to your argument. The vast majority of your essay should be focused exclusively on the novella in order to secure your marks.

8. This is a link back to the essay question.

9. Predeterminism is a philosophy that interprets all actions and events as being already decided by God or an external force of nature such as fate.

CONCLUSION

Ultimately,¹⁰ George Orwell’s Animal Farm features protagonists who appeal to similar elements of the human condition; compassion, freedom and hope. In his novella, Orwell reveals the struggle for social change, whilst re-iterating these values which define humanity. Thus, a study of the text enables for a heightened understanding towards hope and what can happen when it is deprived.