What does satire mean in Animal Farm?

Category: books and literature fiction
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A satire is a work which uses humour, irony or wit to highlight the vices, follies and pretensions of individuals, institutions, communities or ideas. Animal Farm satirises the breakdown of political ideology and the misuse of power, and does so in the ingenious form of a beast fable.



Similarly one may ask, how is satire used in animal farm?

George Orwell's Animal Farm uses satire to show the political ideology and the misuse of power in communistic society. Orwell uses humorous satire by making the setting on a farm and the characters animals. The main characters are animals but their failings are all too recognisably human.

Additionally, is Animal Farm a satire or allegory? During World War II this novel was written By George and it was published in 1945 so animal farm is a modern fable and it is an allegorical and satirical novel of soviet totalitarianism. Orwell has presented major events during the Stalin era in the novel from Soviet Union.

Hereof, what is meant by satire justify Animal Farm as a satire?

Animal Farm is a satire or the course taken by revolutions in general and by the Russian Revolution of October, 1917 in particular. It is a satire on the process by which a revolution is effected and by which it is afterwards betrayed.

How is Animal Farm a satire on the Russian Revolution?

Animal Farm is a satire about The Russian Revolution, particularly directed against Stalin's Russia. It symbolises a time of darkness in Russia. The characters represent political figures, for example, Old Major represents Lenin, Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, Snowball is Leon Trotsky, and so on.

39 Related Question Answers Found

What is a satirical example?

Most political cartoons we see every day in newspapers and magazines are examples of satire. These cartoons criticize some recent actions of political figures in a comical way. Some shows on television are satire examples, such as The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and The Larry Sanders Show.

What is the irony in Animal Farm?

Situational irony is an occurrence in literature that the reader does not see coming, like when the animals are unable to distinguish pigs from Man or when Napoleon decides to make his own alcohol after getting over his hangover. Dramatic irony exists when the reader knows something a character does not.

What are the types of satire?

An introduction to the three most common types of satire: Horatian, Juvenalian and Menippean. Satire has been around for thousands of years, so it's inevitable it has developed many complexities as a literary genre throughout its evolution.

Why is Animal Farm a allegory?

Animal Farm, a novella written by George Orwell in 1945, is an allegorical commentary on what went wrong when Czarist Russia evolved into Communist Russia. An allegory is a narrative that uses literary devices to unveil hidden meanings. Orwell wanted to show the negative side of communism when it is taken too far.

What are the elements of satire?


Terms in this set (13)
  • Ridicule. The objective of satire.
  • Sarcasm. A caustic and bitter expression of disapproval masquerading as praise.
  • Irony. The use of words to express something completely different from the literal meaning.
  • Exaggeration.
  • Juxtaposition.
  • Incongruity.
  • Understatement.
  • Parody.

What does the windmill represent in Animal Farm?

The windmill in Animal Farm represents industry and technology in the Soviet Union. Snowball, like Leon Trotsky, has big, exciting ideas on how to improve productivity and make life better for the animals.

What genre of literature is Animal Farm?

The genre of Animal Farm is defined as a long work of prose fiction. The first component of the genre is that it is written in prose, as opposed to verse or poetry.

How is Animal Farm a paradox?

Animal Farm by George Orwell
In George Orwell's Animal Farm, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" is one of the cardinal rules. Clearly this statement does not make logical sense. However, the point of a paradox is to point out a truth, even if the statements contradict each other.

How does Animal Farm relate to real life?

Hens. Snowball is a pig on Manor Farm that is exiled from the farm. Snowball represents Leo Trotsky because they were both exiled, Stalin/Napoleon made up stories about them being traitors, and they both wanted to spread communism or animalism.

What is the theme of Animal Farm?


George Orwell's Animal Farm is a political allegory about revolution and power. Through the tale of a group of farm animals who overthrow the owner of the farm, Animal Farm explores themes of totalitarianism, the corruption of ideals, and the power of language.

Is Animal Farm a fable?

Animal Farm is a fable because it is a morality tale using anthropomorphism, or animals who act like humans. Orwell wrote Animal Farm to tell a cautionary tale about communism using the Russian Revolution as a backdrop. By using animals, Orwell was able to make his “fairy story” a traditional fable.

What does the rebellion represent in Animal Farm?

The rebellion in the book represents the Russian Revolution. Just as the serfs revolted against the aristocracy, the animals revolted against the farmers. Squealer represents the propaganda.

Is Animal Farm political?

Animal Farm is a political allegory on Russian Revolution, but it can also be applied on every revolution. This work attacks generally the quest for power. It observes the psychological foundation of revolution, it's processes and the irony of displacement of an oppressive regime by the new revolutionary order.

Why did Orwell write Animal Farm?

Animal Farm was published on the heels of World War II, in England in 1945 and in the United States in 1946. George Orwell wrote the book during the war as a cautionary fable in order to expose the seriousness of the dangers posed by Stalinism and totalitarian government.

Who does Napoleon represent in Animal Farm?


Manor Farm is allegorical of Russia, and the farmer Mr. Jones is the Russian Czar. Old Major stands for either Karl Marx or Vladimir Lenin, and the pig named Snowball represents the intellectual revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Napoleon stands for Stalin, while the dogs are his secret police.

What is the political allegory in Animal Farm?

Animal Farm is an allegory about the evils of the Russian Revolution. A political allegory is a story or image that has a hidden political meaning, explains author and academic Chris Thurman. The literary device can be used to illuminate contemporary politics and has, in the past, been used for religious purposes.

How does Orwell's use of irony contribute to the satire in the story?

Orwell uses irony to mock the vices of humans because the animals overthrow the humans and then the pigs bring back all of the offenses that the humans stood for. Old Major describes the abuses of humankind in his speech at the beginning of the book. The animals would be better off without humans.