Free Sample Essays > North American
A Child Called It
KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS
SETTING
The novel is set in Hertfordshire, where Orwell lived, wrote, tended his garden, and kept poultry. Though the setting is the South of England, it is not stressed in the story, but serves only as a background. The farm…….
CHARACTERS
Old Major - An old boar that dreams of a better life and incites the animals to overthrow man. He is the inspiring force behind the Rebellion and founding of Animal Farm.
Snowball - A young, intelligent, persuasive, and important boar known for his oratory skills. He is expelled by Napoleon.
Napoleon - An ambitious, power-hungry, ruthless and eminent boar who stoops to any level to gain his goal.
Boxer - A big, powerful, honest, and devoted carthorse who does not have many brains but always comes forward whenever any hand work is needed.
Clover - A motherly mare who is truly concerned about the welfare of the animals. She has a good shoulder to cry on and is a source of strength and confidence, especially to Boxer.
Benjamin - A cynical, skeptical donkey who believes everything remains the same with………
CONFLICT
The conflict in Animal Farm is really between Marxist Socialism (Old Major) and Russian Communism (Napoleon) as represented by the two attitudes expressed by the two different groups in the novel.
Protagonist - The protagonist is the group of common animals searching for a utopian world and largely represented by characters like Old Major and Snowball and supported by the 'proletariat'.
Antagonist - The antagonist is the combination of all the forces acting against such an idealistic world, largely represented by the power-hungry Napoleon and his henchman, Squealer.
Climax - The ultimate climax is reached when Napoleon changes Animal Farm into a republic and elects himself President, assuring the maintenance of his seized power. The result of Napoleon’s……..
PLOT(Synopsis)
Mr. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, has not been a very responsible farmer. Of late, he has taken to drinking and tends to neglect his farming chores. His careless attitude makes Old Major, the Berkshire boar, incite the animals to rise up against Jones. The boar calls for a meeting to explain his dream for the farm animals. Although Old Major does not narrate the dream, he does explain the ill treatment given to them by man and the dreary and deplorable life they are leading on the farm. He also inspires the animals with his song 'Beasts of England.'
The inspired animals seize their very first opportunity to oust Mr. Jones and rename the farm as “Animal Farm”. They inscribe their laws, seven commandments, on the barn-wall. Napoleon and Snowball ……..
THEMES
Major Theme
The major theme of the novel is the sad triumph of evil over good. The animals try to create a utopia, a paradise where society brings out and develops the best in a being. Unfortunately, the animals that gain control of Animal Farm begin to act in a manner similar to the humans that they had kicked off the farm. At the end of the novel, the pigs cannot be distinguished from the humans.
Minor Theme
Power corrupts and absolute power [next page]