Thursday, November 27, 2014

Animal Farm

I have decided to stop reading Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton as I found it quite difficult do understand, and I didn't enjoy that style of book and the style of writing because I kept having to look up words on most pages, which made it challenging to read and to comprehend everything.

The new book that I have decided to read is Animal Farm by George Orwell.


Chapter 1:
One night, Mr.Jones (the owner of the farm and of all the animals from the farm), stumbles back to his bed drunk and forgets to lock up all of the animal's farm building's properly. When Mr.Jones' lights go out, all of the animals from the farm pile up into the old barn to hear what Old Major, a boar who is the wisest and most respected animal on the farm, has to say. Old Major feels that his life is coming to a close as he is getting quite old and he wants to share his intelligence and his wisdom that he has acquired over his long lifetime.

He tells them the thoughts that he has had in his lonely stall over the years, and what he is basically saying is that the animals of the farm live short, miserable, laborious lives. They are born as slaves, work until they can work no longer, they are given just enough food to keep them breathing and working and eventually when they are useless they get butchered and sold as meat. Even if they aren't given enough food, Old Major says they live on rich soil, and there should be plenty of food for everybody and there should be no reason for the animal's misery. He blames everything on the humans that steal everything from them- eggs, milk, foals, etc.- and they give nothing in return of the hard labour that the animals have to go through.

Old Major then goes on to tell the animals the dream he had; where animals could live without the tyranny of men, where the animals are free to do as they wish, where the animals are fed enough food and treated with dignity. Old Major tries to convince the animals that this is a possibility that is achievable, but that they have to work together realise this dream. They then go on to dispute and argue if rats should be treated as comrades, and Old Major explains that any creature that walks on four legs is a friend and on two a foe.

He then explains that once they have defeated the humans they must not obtain any of their habits; they must not wear clothes, drink alcohol, engage in trade, touch money, etc... He then teaches all his fellow animals "Beasts of England", which explains the ideal life of the animals, they sing it proudly until Mr.Jones fires a shot and all the animals return to being quiet.





















4 comments:

  1. This is a fantastic book. I highly recommend it. Have you read anything else by George Orwell?

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  2. A very addicting book reflecting Soviet Russia. It may help people to understand the system.

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  3. I read this book last year, its very interesting! I hope you enjoy

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  4. I have heard so many good things about this book, and I'm hoping to read it soon! How is it so far?

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