wrote to illustrate the way Stalinism had betrayed the ideals of the
socialist revolution in the Soviet Union. As he put it, "I thought of exposing the Soviet
myth in a story that could be easily understood by almost anyone and which could be easily
translated into other languages."
Though popular today, when alive
Orwell managed to alienate people on both the left and the right. Although he was a Democratic
Socialist, socialists condemned him for betraying the revolution in pointing out its flaws (as
he did in Animal Farm) and rightwing people condemned him for his
socialism.
Orwell called it as he saw it, and like other leftwing
intellectuals, was dismayed at Stalin, a person he depicts asthe pig in the novel. Like Stalin,
Napoleon has show trials in which animals, such as the three poor, not very intelligent hens
"confess" to so-called crimes and are executed. Like Stalin, Napoleon runs his
rival(Trotsky) out of the country. Also like Stalin, Napoleon ends up signing a pact with the
enemy. In Stalin's case, it was Hitler; in Napoleon's case Farmer Jones.
We
may not remember the distinct historical parallels that Orwell references, but the warning
against an idealistic rebellion turning into a tyranny is still being
heeded.
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