Often regarded as a cornerstone of political satire, the book intertwines the realms of animal fable and political allegory to critique totalitarian regimes and the cyclical nature of revolutions. Initially, the reader might anticipate a narrative from the perspective of animals, exploring their treatment by humans and their expectations for better treatment. Orwell takes what could be a simple hit-you-over-the-head theme and turns it into a deep examination of political maneuvers, the illusion of equality, and the stark realities of totalitarian rule. His use of animals to demonstrate the human condition is not necessarily new. Still, it does a solid job of showing power consolidation, the exploitation of the working class by the ruling elite, and the psychological manipulation employed to maintain the status quo of oppression.

Orwell's genius lies in his ability to craft a narrative that maintains a simple story full of sophisticated layers of socioeconomics to explore. Dripping with political satire, the sophisticated narrative belies this simple story. It goes beyond its political essay and offers a broader commentary on humanity, included the stagnation of power-changing, the futility of change without understanding, cynicism, manipulation, and many other things we would take note of in today’s rocky political landscape.

While I don’t love Orwell’s writing and, at times, find it somewhat lackluster, this doesn’t diminish the book's importance or its timeless exploration of the human condition. It offers insights into the machinations of power and the vulnerability of the collective psyche to manipulation. Combined with 1984 (It think I like Animal Farm more) it portrays a fairly accurate picture of where we’ve ended up.

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Created Apr 05, 2024 at 2:13pm • Submit your own review...