Name: Animal Farm

About the book "Animal Farm" by George Orwell

George Orwell became popular after publishing the dystopian novel 1984, today his most famous book. This novel was preceded by several other works, which, in our opinion, were undeservedly ignored. Yes, George Orwell wrote “Animal Farm” (in other translations - “Animal Farm”, “Animal Farm”, etc.) - simply a wonderful satirical dystopian story. We’ll talk about it today, and a little later we’ll talk about it. However, both of these works were included in.

Well, “Animal Farm” can be downloaded at the bottom of the page in fb2, rtf, epub, txt formats.

In general, we recommend reading the book before “1984”, and not vice versa, because the novel seems to develop the scheme that became the basis for the story. The images here are generalized, but, nevertheless, they are perceived much easier, if only for the reason that all the events take place among animals, not people (but we understand how well the allegory is constructed).

In principle, the book can be considered as, in a certain sense, a prehistory to “1984” - after all, here we become witnesses to how society came to such a “bouquet” social diseases, which are described in more detail in the novel. The book helps to understand what were the reasons and course of events that led to the pig kingdom and the distortion of all laws. And everything seemed to start out so well...

George Orwell chose the fairy-tale form of storytelling for a reason (yes, here the animals not only talk, but also build, plow the land, and, in general, do housework). With the help of animals, the social hierarchy is very clearly conveyed - starting from chickens, working horses and ending with those closest to people - pigs.

The story begins when the owner of the farm stops caring for his livestock, which is why the animals decide to make a revolution, drive him out and start farming on their own. After they managed to achieve their plan, an incredible atmosphere of freedom and joy reigned on the farm. It seemed that a new, happy era had begun for all animals. But in fact, the euphoria quickly ended - a lot of work had to be done, and only for the “working” cattle, while the pigs considered themselves suitable only for thinking and pointing out to others.

Animal Farm is written more simply than the novel that followed it. Easy language and the lack of creepy details of the materialized nightmares really make the story simpler. Nevertheless, the metaphorical series here is simply impressive - every now and then it forces the reader to think about reality, distract from the fantastic form of presentation and draw parallels with the modern world.

The allegorical story-parable "Animal Farm" was written by George Orwell in 1945. It appeared on the shelves of domestic readers only four decades later. Not surprising, since the sharp anti-Stalinist satire simply could not have been published earlier. “Animal Farm”, also known as “Animal Farm”, “Animal Farm”, “Animal Farm”, “Animal Corner”, became the ideological predecessor of the most famous creation of the English prose writer - the dystopian novel “1984”.

The realities of Soviet reality and the main historical figures of the Land of the Soviets are described by Orwell so clearly that it is not difficult to unravel the artistic codes of the story. Animal Farm/Animal Republic is the USSR, the Leader, the author of the philosophy of bestialism is Lenin, the exiled leader of the newly formed republic of Collapse is Trotsky, the leader and tyrant Napoleon is none other than Stalin. The inhabitants of the farm are simple people dreaming of a bright future, hard-working, devoted, narrow-minded, blind, naive, and therefore deceived a thousand times by their ideological leaders.

George Orwell devoted most of his life to exposing the policies of Stalinism and Bolshevik terror, which he vehemently hated. He argued that the bright ideas of the revolution had been betrayed and vulgarized. Orwell considered the all-Union leader Joseph Stalin to be the main liar and source of evil. “There were few people the Soviet press spoke of with such hatred for forty years,” recalls one of the first translators of Animal Farm, Ilan Polotsk, “as George Orwell. She spoke little, and only through clenched teeth, choking on anger.”

Behind the Iron Curtain

Orwell died in 1950 from tuberculosis. The writer, alas, did not live to see the time when his works reached the main addressee - the Russian reader. Today it is not difficult to buy a volume of Animal Farm, but half a century ago it was found, secretly passed from hand to hand, and read overnight.

Let's remember how the revolution was born and died according to Orwell.

This night in the Lord's Yard - Mr. Jones's private farm - did not seem to foretell trouble. Her owner, as usual, got very drunk and was dead asleep in the house. Neither he, nor his wife, nor the workers suspected that a secret meeting of the four-legged inhabitants of the farm was taking place in the barn.

Everyone was here: the draft horses Boxer and Kashka, the pretty filly Molly, the old donkey Veniamin, the yard dogs Rosa, Kusay and Romashka, gilts and sows, the owner’s pet raven Moses, numerous sheep, chickens, ducks and even a cat, which, as usual, , a little late. The meeting was headed by the old hog Leader.

The inhabitants of the farm revered the old Leader. He has already turned twelve years old - a rare animal lives to such a old age. Lying in his cubbyhole for many years, the hog changed his mind and came to the conclusion that the source of all troubles for animals is man. He alone consumes and gives nothing in return, mercilessly exploits four-legged animals to satisfy his personal needs, lives in satiety and prosperity, while his workers receive just enough rations so as not to die of hunger, and work until they sweat. Moreover, a rare inhabitant of the farm reaches out longer than a year. They are born to be killed. And given your length of service, there is no point in dreaming about legal rest. The lot of old people is knackers.

Only by expelling a person can you live happily. In the fight against the two-legged oppressors, the Leader implored his followers, do not become like the vices of the enemy. Houses, beds, clothes, alcohol and cigarettes - all these are attributes of human vulgarity. Animals under no circumstances dare to adopt them. And most importantly, “no animal should oppress another. Weak and strong, cunning and narrow-minded - we are all brothers. No animal should kill another. All animals are equal."

So spoke the old hog named Leader on that great night in the barn of the Lord's Court. He passed on to his followers his philosophy and the song “Beasts of England,” which became a symbol of the coming changes.

Three days later, the Leader passed away peacefully in his sleep. However, the animals did not forget the teachings of the venerable boar. They learned "Beasts of England" by heart and hummed the song tune whenever convenient opportunity. The thought of an uprising pleasantly warmed hearts, but no one suspected that it would happen so quickly and spontaneously.

Mr. Jones drank heavily, his workers became unruly and often forgot to feed the animals. This time too, exhausted day's work the living creatures were starving in the barn. Patience ran out. The animals knocked down the doors and rushed for food, and when people with whips came running in response to the noise, the cattle lost control and went on the attack. The enormity of everything that was happening frightened the workers so much that they threw down their whips and clubs and rushed along the country road. Mrs. Jones, who was hiding at home, quietly slipped out the back door. The farm was empty. It was a victory.

Victory! Victory! For half the night, the animals, distraught with happiness, rushed across the expanses of the farm, tumbled in the ground, ate double rations, sang “Beasts of England” seven times in a row, and then fell asleep and slept as sweetly as never before in their lives.

In the morning, the Lord's Yard was solemnly renamed the Animal Farm, and on the wall of the barn they inscribed 7 commandments of the new animal society, which formed the basis of the philosophical teaching of the Leader, called scotism. The commandments read:

1. Anyone who walks on two legs is an enemy.
2. The one who walks on four (or who has wings) is a friend.
3. The animal does not wear clothes.
4. The animal does not sleep in the bed.
5. The animal does not drink alcohol.
6. An animal will not kill another animal.

The commandments were formulated by the pigs Obval and Napoleon, who, being smarter than other inhabitants of the farm, were able to master literacy. What was written was ordered to be memorized and strictly observed. From Mrs. Jones's old tablecloth they made a flag - a horn and a hoof on a green background. It was solemnly raised to the flagpole every Sunday to the collective performance of “Beasts of England”.

Pigs are actively involved in eliminating illiteracy among animals. True, not everyone was given this difficult science. The draft horse Fighter never progressed beyond the letter G. The pretty fool Molly only learned her name and lovingly built it out of twigs on the ground. The sheep turned out to be hopelessly stupid, so that for them even the commandments had to be reduced to one simple statement: “Four legs are good, two are bad.” They selflessly bleated this simple slogan all day long.

To rebuild the newly formed Scotch Republic, one had to work until one’s sweat. However, the work was a joy for the inhabitants of the farm, because now they were working not for a person, but for the sake of their bright future. Only pigs, as intellectual workers, have taken on the difficult responsibility of managing a farm. They were given a separate headquarters, organized in a stable, apples and milk, which stimulated brain function. The animals did not resist - more than anything else, they were afraid of Mr. Jones's return.

However, the enemy did not keep himself waiting long and soon attacked the Animal Farm along with his workers. Thanks to the knowledge that Landfall gleaned from the Notes of Julius Caesar and the bravery of the farm's inhabitants, the animals managed to repel the attack. This day went down in the history of the Scottish Republic under the name of the Fight under the cowshed. Landfall and the Fighter, who fought selflessly, were awarded the Hero of the Animal Farm awards of the first degree, and the dead sheep was posthumously awarded a similar title of the second degree.

"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others"

Little by little, relations between the leaders of Animal Farm - Landfall and Napoleon - began to become complicated. Any initiative proposed by Collapse caused sharp rejection on the part of Napoleon. Napoleon came to the vote on the construction of the mill, which was designed by Obval, accompanied by nine vicious dogs. While still puppies, he took them from Rose and Chamomile and raised them into cold-blooded fighters. The collapse was overthrown and put to flight. The time of Napoleon's dictatorship has come at Animal Farm.

The way of life in the Bestial Republic began to diverge more and more from the philosophy of bestiality laid down by the Leader. First, the pigs moved into the old manor's house and began to sleep on the beds. The animals thought for a moment, but then reread the fourth commandment. Strange, now it read: “The animal does not sleep in the bed ON THE SHEETS”.

Then Napoleon started trading with neighboring farmers - Culmington and Frederick. With the money raised, the pigs began to buy alcohol for themselves and have nightly feasts. It was now written on the barn “The animal does not drink alcohol UNTIL it goes unconscious”.

The collapse was recognized as the enemy of the people, and everyone who showed self-will was automatically equated with his secret agents. Public bloody reprisals were carried out against traitors. And for some reason an amendment was added to the sixth commandment "An animal will not kill another animal WITHOUT A REASON".

One day Napoleon came out into the courtyard wearing Mr. Jones's cap and riding breeches, walking on two legs and holding a whip. Nearby, in the same way, still a little awkwardly, other pigs walked, curled around vicious dogs, and the sheep selflessly bleated: “Four legs are good, two are better.” The animals rushed to the barn - the seventh commandment was dark on its wall - “All animals are equal, BUT SOME ARE MORE EQUAL than OTHERS”.

Years passed. Animal Farm flourished. A mill was built and a second one was planned. The first bricks of an elite school for piglets were being laid. There were very few eyewitnesses of the uprising left - the blind mare Kashka, the donkey Benjamin, and even a couple of old-timers.

That night Kashka and Veniamin could not sleep. They crept up on former home Mr. Jones and looked out the window. The pigs played cards together with the farmers, glasses clinked, pipes puffed, and drunken swearing was poured out.

Napoleon, who had grown fat and had three chins, hugged people like brothers. He talked about his immediate plans to rename the Animal Farm to the Lord's Farm, because this befits his status as a master, and to remove the horns and hooves from the flag, leaving only a green canvas.

Kashka squinted her old eyes, but could no longer distinguish who were people and who were pigs - they became so similar. Animal Farm was no longer the place they had so selflessly dreamed of as they floundered in the fresh soil on the night after the uprising.

George Orwell's story "Animal Farm": summary

An uprising is brewing at the Manor Farm, which is located near the town of Willingdon in England. At the beginning of the story, the farm is owned by a local alcoholic farmer, Mr. Jones. The farm is doing badly. At night, the respected boar Clever Man invites them to raise an uprising, at which he calls for overthrowing the power of people and sings the song “Beasts of England.” A few days later he dies. The animals, led by the boars Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer, are preparing for an uprising. One day, Jones forgets to feed the animals, and this causes a rebellion. The animals drive him out, and the pigs become the leaders of the farm. The animals proclaim seven commandments that everyone must obey. Snowball created a flag from a green tablecloth by drawing a white hoof and horn. Green symbolized the fields of England, and the hoof and horn represented the animal republic. In the updated Animal Farm, the animals consider themselves free and happy, despite the fact that they have to work from dusk to dawn. Special work qualities shows the old horse Boxer, who works for three. At one of the meetings, Napoleon seizes sole power on the farm, relying on the support of ten huge dogs, which he raised, hiding them as puppies. Another leader of the rebellion, Snowball, fled and has not been seen since. The animals' goal is to build a windmill. They work even harder, Boxer at a construction site undermines his health. One day, a storm destroys a windmill that was almost built. Napoleon declares the explosion a sabotage by the escaped Snowball and sentences him to death in absentia. On Napoleon's orders, several animals (including four piglets who protested against Napoleon's abolition of Sunday assemblies) and birds were executed by dogs on charges of secretly having a relationship with Snowball. Gradually, one after another, Napoleon corrected and then completely abolished all the commandments except one, the first and most important. However, this commandment did not remain unchanged and was accepted next view- “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” Life on the farm is under the control of Napoleon and the pigs close to him, who make all the decisions at the Animal Farm. The owner of a neighboring farm, Mr. Frederick, tries to take over the Animal Farm, but his attempt ends in failure. The boxer is injured. After a few years, there were virtually no animals left who remembered the times before the uprising. The horse Boxer, who can no longer work, is taken to the slaughterhouse. Squealer manages to convince the animals that the hero of labor and rebellion has been taken to the hospital, where he will be better than on the farm. Also, Squealer, along with the sheep who echo him with their bleating, convinces the animals every day that life on the farm is getting better and better. At the same time, the pigs move into Jones's house, wear his clothes, drink his wine, and play cards with human neighbors from other farms. The story ends with a quarrel between people and pigs, which is watched by the horse Clover, blind from old age, and several other animals: “Those who remained outside looked from pigs to people, from people to pigs, again and again they peered into the faces of both, but it was no longer possible determine who is who."

Reprinted by permission of The Estate of the late Sonia Brownell Orwell and AM Heath & Co Ltd literary agencies. and Andrew Nurnberg.

© George Orwell, 1949

© Translation. L.G. Bespalova, 2013

© Russian edition AST Publishers, 2014

© Electronic version books prepared by liters company (www.litres.ru), 2014

Chapter I

Mr. Jones, the owner of the Lord's Court, locked the chicken coop for the night, but drunkenly forgot about the hatches for the young animals. The lantern in his hand shook, the circle of light darted from side to side when, writing out monograms, he walked to the back door, kicked off his boots, poured his last mug of beer that day from a barrel in the pantry and climbed into bed, where he was already snoring. Mrs Jones.

As soon as the light went out in the bedroom, rustling and rustling was heard in all the services. During the day there was a rumor that the old Leader, a prize boar of a medium white breed, had an amazing dream last night and he wants to tell the animals about it. We agreed that as soon as Mr. Jones had gone home, we would gather in the large barn. Old Ringleader (he was always called that, although he was exhibited under the nickname Willingdon's Beauty) was revered on the farm, and everyone willingly agreed to lose an hour of sleep just to listen to him.

In the depths of the barn, on something like a platform, under a lantern hanging from the mat, the Leader was stretched out on an armful of straw. He turned twelve, and although recent years he became heavier, but was still majestic; the wise and benevolent appearance of this pig was not spoiled even by unfiled fangs. Soon other animals began to flock in, they fidgeted for a long time, trying to position themselves - each in their own way - more comfortably.

Three dogs came running first: Romashka, Rose and Kusai, followed by pigs - these lay down on the straw in front of the platform. Chickens perched on the window sills, pigeons fluttered into the rafters, sheep and cows settled behind the pigs and began to chew their cud. Fighter and Kashka, a pair of draft horses, came together; they slowly made their way to the platform, looking for a long time for where to step so as not to accidentally crush the small fry scurrying in the straw with a shaggy brush hoof. Kashka was a plump, compassionate mare not in her first youth, greatly overweight after her fourth foal. The fighter, a powerful horse almost two meters tall, was stronger than two ordinary horses combined. Because of the white mark on his snoring, he seemed stupid, and indeed he did not shine with intelligence, but he was revered for his perseverance and unheard-of hard work. They galloped after the horses white goat Mona and donkey Benjamin. Benjamin was the oldest on the farm in years and had the worst temperament. He kept quiet more and broke the silence only to make some cynical remark - for example, he declared that the Lord God gave him a tail to ward off flies, but he personally would have done without a tail and without flies. He was the only one of all the cattle on the farm who never laughed. And if they asked him why, he snapped: I don’t see any reason.

For all that, he was devoted to the Fighter, although he did not show it in any way, and on Sundays they usually grazed side by side in the little paddock behind the garden, grazed the grass, but did not talk.

As soon as the horses lay down, a brood of ducklings who had strayed from the mother duck walked into the barn in single file, they squeaked weakly and darted from side to side, looking for a place where they would not be stepped on. Kashka shielded them with her front leg, they settled down perfectly behind her and immediately fell asleep. At the last minute, the gray filly Molly, a pretty little fool, driving Mr. Jones's droshky, appeared, coyly mincing and crunching a lump of sugar. She positioned herself closer to the platform and immediately began to shake her mane - she couldn’t wait to show off the red ribbons woven into it. The cat came last, looked around, habitually choosing a warmer place, finally squeezed herself between the Fighter and Kashka and purred blissfully - she ignored the Leader’s speech from beginning to end.

Now everyone had gathered in the barn, with the exception of Moses’s tame raven - he was dozing on a pole at the back door. When the Leader was sure that the animals were comfortably seated and tuned in to listen, he cleared his throat and began his speech:

So, comrades, how does our life work? Let's face it. Poverty, overwork, untimely death - this is our lot. We are born, we receive just enough food so as not to die of hunger, and the draft animals are also exhausted with work until all the juices are squeezed out of them, and when we are no longer good for anything, we are killed with monstrous cruelty. There is no animal in England that would not say goodbye to leisure and joy of life as soon as it turns one year old. There is no animal in England that has not been enslaved. Poverty and slavery are what the life of animals is, and we cannot escape from this.

But is this the law of nature? But is our country so poor that it cannot feed those who live in it? No, comrades, no, no, and no again. The soil of England is abundant, its climate is favorable, and besides us, it is capable of feeding many, many more to the full. Our one farm could contain a dozen horses, two dozen cows, hundreds of sheep, and they would all live freely and with dignity, in a way we had never dreamed of. Why then do we drag out this miserable existence? Yes, because people appropriate the fruits of our labor. This is the cause of all our troubles. If we define it briefly, it is in a person. Man is our true enemy. If we remove man, we will put an end to hunger and overwork forever, for man is their cause.

Of all living beings, one person consumes but produces nothing. It doesn't give milk, it doesn't lay eggs, it can't be harnessed to a plow because it's too weak, it can't catch a rabbit because it can't run fast. Everything is so, and yet he rules over us. He forces us to work for himself, takes the fruits of our labors, and feeds us from hand to mouth. The land is cultivated with our labor, it is fertilized with our manure, but what do we have? Nothing but your own skin. Here you are, cows, how many liters of milk have you given in the last year? And where did this milk go, with which you could feed strong calves? Our enemies drank it all, to the last drop. Here you are, chickens, how many eggs have you laid this year and how many eggs have chicks hatched from? Where did the others go? They were sold at the market by Jones and his employees to raise money for themselves. Here you are, Kashka, where are your foals, four foals, your hope and support in old age? They were sold one by one as soon as they were a year old, and you will never see them again. You got them hard, you worked hard in the field, and what did you get in return - a meager ration, a place in a stall and nothing more!

But even this miserable existence is cut short before its time. I can't complain, I'm lucky. I am now thirteen years old, and four hundred piglets have been born to me. This is how nature determined the boar to live. But there is no animal that at the end of its life would not be overtaken by a merciless knife. Here you are, pigs, not even a year will pass, and every single one of you, squealing desperately, will say goodbye to life on the deck. All of you - cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, all of you - will face this terrible end. He won’t pass even horses, even dogs. Here you are, Fighter, on the very day when you, so mighty, are no longer strong, Jones will sell you to the flayer, and he will cut your throat and let you feed the hounds. When the dogs are old and toothless, Jones will tie a brick around their necks and drown them in the nearest pond.

Isn’t it clear to you yet, comrades, that the cause of our troubles is the oppression of people? If we throw a person off, no one will appropriate the fruits of our labor. Tomorrow we will be free from poverty and lawlessness. So what to do? Work day and night, sparing no effort, and overthrow the human yoke! Revolt, comrades! - here is my promise to you. I don’t know when the uprising will break out - in a week or in a hundred years, but I am sure, just as I am sure that I am standing on straw, sooner or later justice will prevail. Give up your entire, albeit short, life to bring it closer! And most importantly, convey my message to those who will replace you, and may future generations bring the fight to a victorious end.

And most importantly, comrades, be persistent. Do not let yourself be carried away from the path of struggle by any arguments. Do not listen if they tell you that man and beast have common goals that their prosperity is inextricably linked. All these are enemy machinations. A person pursues his own interests, and only his own. And may our unity in the struggle, our comradeship be indestructible! All people are enemies. All animals are comrades.

Then a terrible commotion arose. Four hefty rats—the Leader’s speech lured them out of their holes—sitting on their hind legs and listening to him. But they didn’t manage to listen to the end of the speech - they caught the eyes of the dogs, and if they hadn’t slipped into the holes, they wouldn’t have blown their heads off. The leader raised his leg, calling for silence.

“Comrades,” he said, “there is one point that should be clarified.” Wild creatures: rats or, say, rabbits - are they our friends or enemies? Let's vote: who agrees that rats are friends?

A vote was immediately held, and by an overwhelming majority it was decided to consider the rats as comrades. Only four voted against: three dogs and a cat, however, it was later discovered that she voted both “for” and “against”. And the Leader continued:

- My speech is coming to an end. I just want to repeat: never forget that your duty is to fight a person and everything that comes from him. Anyone with two legs is an enemy. Anyone who has four legs, as well as anyone with wings, is a friend. Remember also: when fighting against a person, do not become like him. Even after defeating him, do not adopt his vices. Do not live in houses, do not sleep on beds, do not wear clothes, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, do not engage in trade, do not handle money. All human customs are harmful. And most importantly, no animal should oppress another. Weak and strong, cunning and narrow-minded - we are all brothers. No animal should kill another. All animals are equal.

And now, comrades, I will tell you about the dream I had last night. I won’t undertake to describe it to you. I dreamed of what our land would be like when man disappeared from its face. This dream revived one memory in my memory. A long time ago, when I was still a pig, my mother, along with other pigs, sang an old song: they only remembered the tune and the first three words. I knew this motif as a child, but it has long faded from my memory. And last night in a dream I remembered him, moreover, I remembered the words of this song, words that, I am sure, were sung by cattle in time immemorial, but then they were forgotten, and for several generations they have not been known. And now, comrades, I will sing you this song. I am old, my voice is hoarse, but I want to teach you it, and you will sing it properly. It's called "Beasts of England".

Creatures of England and creatures
All the lands that exist,
About the earthly future paradise
Take the news, creatures!

Creatures, you will be happy,
A man will be overthrown
There will be all meadows and fields
Given to the creatures forever.

We'll take the nose ring out -
Ours still took it!
We'll break the whip, throw off the harness,
The bits will rust!

It may take a long time to wait
But wheat and barley,
Hay, and beans, and beets -
They will be ours on this day!

Our waters will become cleaner
The color of the shoots will become brighter,
Sweeter than the air of freedom
There is nothing for the creature.

The road to freedom is the road
It’s far away - not everyone will get there;
Geese, horses, cows,
Let's give labor to freedom.

Creatures of England and creatures
All the lands that exist,
About the earthly future paradise
Accept, creatures, the news! (Hereinafter in the text of “Animal Farm” is a translation of poems by V. Kornilov. - Here and further - note. lane (except where specifically noted).}

The animals became frantically excited - they were so shocked by this song. Before the Leader had time to finish singing the song, they immediately picked it up. Even the dumbest ones learned the tune and individual words, but the smartest of them, that is, pigs and dogs, after a few minutes knew the song by heart from the first to the last word. And, having rehearsed once or twice, the whole farm burst out in unison as one “Beasts of England”. Each sang in his own way: cows mooed, dogs barked, sheep bleated, horses neighed, ducks quacked. The song fell so deeply into the hearts of the animals that they sang it five times in a row and would probably have sung it all night long if they had not been interrupted.

Unfortunately, the noise woke up Mr. Jones - he jumped out of bed, deciding that a fox had sneaked into the yard. He grabbed the gun, which he kept in the corner just in case, and fired a shot into the air. The pellets crashed into the barn wall, and the meeting was instantly dissipated. Everyone ran to their places. The chickens climbed onto their roosts, the animals lay down on the straw, and soon the whole farm fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter II

And three days later the old Leader passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was buried at the far end of the garden.

He died in early March. Over the next three months, the animals began their underground work with all their might. Among those who are smarter, the Leader’s speech produced a complete revolution in their views. They did not know when the Leader’s prediction would come true, they did not hope that the uprising would take place during their lifetime, but they knew for sure: their duty was to prepare for it. The task of training and organizing the animals was, of course, assigned to the pigs. Among animals they were considered the smartest. Among them, two young boars, Obval and Napoleon, stood out sharply, which Mr. Jones fattened for sale. Napoleon, a large, fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire boar on the farm, was a man of few words, but he was distinguished by incredible tenacity in achieving his goals. Obval was of a livelier disposition and much more eloquent and resourceful, but, by all accounts, he was inferior to Napoleon in strength of character. Apart from them, there were no boars on the farm, only gilts. Of these, the most noticeable was a fat pig named Squealer, round-faced, nimble, with darting eyes and a shrill voice. He was a rare speaker: when he needed to prove something difficult to prove, he had a way of spinning like a loach, twisting his tail, and for some reason this was convincing. They said about Squealer that it costs him nothing to pass off black as white.

It was these three who developed the teachings of the old Leader into a coherent philosophical system and called it “bestialism.” Almost every night, when Mr. Jones fell asleep, they secretly met in the barn and explained the main principles of bestialism to the rest of the cattle. It is impossible to convey the stupidity and indifference they encountered at first. Some said that they owed loyalty to Mr. Jones, and called him nothing more than master, or even made immature statements of this kind: “Mr. Jones feeds us. Without him we will die of hunger." Some asked questions of a different kind: “What do we care what happens after we die?” or “If the uprising happens anyway, what difference does it make whether we work for it or not?” The pigs spent a lot of work convincing them that such statements are incompatible with the spirit of bestialism. But the stupidest questions were asked by Molly, the gray filly. Her first question to Obval was: “Will we have sugar after the uprising?”

“It won’t,” Obval snapped. – We cannot produce sugar. And anyway, why do you need sugar? You get plenty of oats and hay.

– Will it be possible to wear ribbons in the mane? – asked Molly.

“Comrade,” said Obval, “these ribbons that you love so much are a symbol of slavery, that’s what they are.” Isn't freedom more valuable than ribbons?

Molly agreed, but without much confidence.

But it turned out to be even more difficult for the pigs to refute the lies spread by the tame raven Moses. Moses, Mr. Jones's favorite, was a snitch and an earworm, but he knew how to talk with his teeth. He assured that there was a certain mysterious land where milk rivers flowed with jelly banks, and all animals would go there after death. This region, Moses said, is in the sky, right behind the clouds. There all week, every day, Sunday, all year round clover does not grow, and lump sugar and flaxseed cake grow right on the hedges. The animals could not stand Moses: he weaved tales and was idle all day, but some believed in milk rivers and jelly banks, and it took incredible effort for the pigs to convince them that there was no trace of such a land.

The most devoted followers of pigs turned out to be draft horses - Fighter and Kashka. They could not come up with anything on their own, but, having once and for all recognized pigs as their teachers, they literally absorbed every word they said and intelligibly passed it on to other animals. They never missed a single underground meeting in the barn and were the first to sing “Beasts of England,” which invariably ended the meetings.

The uprising took place earlier and easier than they expected. Mr. Jones, a tough but skillful owner, has been plagued by failure after failure in recent years. He lost a lot of money in a lawsuit, lost heart, and became addicted to drink. And all day long he sat in a chair in the kitchen, read newspapers, sipped beer and fed Moses crusts soaked in beer. His workers became lazy, stole, the fields were overgrown with weeds, the roofs were leaky, the fences were lopsided, the cattle were underfed.

June has arrived - it's time for haymaking. On Midsummer's Eve - which fell on a Saturday - Mr. Jones went to Willingdon and was so busy at the Red Lion that he did not return until Sunday lunchtime. The workers milked the cows early in the morning and went to hunt hares, but didn’t even think about giving the animals food. Mr. Jones himself, upon his return, dozed off on the living room sofa, covering his face with the News of the World; So evening came, and no one gave the animals food. Finally their patience ran out. One cow knocked down the door of the granary with its horns, the animals rushed to the bottom of the barrel and - let's grab the grain. That's when they woke up Mr. Jones. Not a minute had passed, and he, along with four workers, burst into the granary, and whips ran across the backs of the animals. The starving animals could not bear this. And, without saying a word, everyone, as one, rushed towards their oppressors. Kicks and blows rained down on Jones and the workers from all sides. The animals were out of control. People had never seen anything like this, and this unexpected rebellion of those very animals that they had not oppressed or beaten, scared them out of their consciousness. They tried to fight back, but after a minute or two they took to their heels. And now all five of them rushed headlong along the country road to the highway, and the cattle, triumphant, chased after them.

Mrs. Jones looked out the window, saw what was happening, threw some things into her bag and ran away from the farm. Moses jumped off the pole and, croaking loudly, splashed after her. Meanwhile, the animals drove Jones and his workers onto the road and slammed the plank gates behind them. They had not yet had time to understand what had happened, but the uprising had already taken place, Jones was expelled, and the Lord's Court went to them.

At first they did not believe their luck. And first of all in in full force they galloped around all the boundaries - they really wanted to make sure that there was no trace of people left on the farm; then they rushed back to the services to destroy the traces of Jones’s hated rule. They demolished the grooming shed attached to the end of the stable; mouthpieces, bits, dog chains, terrible knives with which Mr. Jones lightened the pigs and lambs were thrown into the well. Reins, halters, blinders, vile bags were thrown onto a pile of smoldering garbage in the yard. The whips also flew there. When the whips started to burn, the animals jumped for joy. The collapse also sent the ribbons that were woven into the horses’ manes and tails on market days into the fire.

“Ribbons,” he announced, “are equivalent to clothing, and clothing is one of the signs of a person.” All animals must go naked.

His words made such an impression on the Fighter that he brought the straw hat that saved him from annoying flies in the summer, and also threw it into the fire.

Soon everything that reminded him of Mr. Jones was destroyed. After which Napoleon led the animals to the granary and gave each a double ration of grain, and the dogs two biscuits. Then they sang “The Beasts of England” from beginning to end seven times in a row, went to bed, and never slept so well in their lives.

Out of habit, they woke up at dawn, immediately remembered what wonderful changes had happened in their lives, and rushed together to the pasture. A little further away in the pasture a hill rose up, from which almost the entire farm was clearly visible. The animals climbed onto it and looked around in the bright morning light. Everything here, wherever you look, has gone to them! How can one not be amazed, how not one can get excited, and they were already frolicking, they were going crazy! And they rolled in the dew, and ate their fill of sweet summer grass, and threw clods of black earth into the air, and inhaled its satisfying smell. They examined the entire farm meticulously; Dumb with delight, they looked at the arable land, meadows, garden, pond, grove, looked as if they were seeing them for the first time, and could not believe that the farm had gone to them.

Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. It looks like a fairy tale, but behind all this fabulousness you begin to notice how much is similar to the truth. This is the reason why this novel is so popular. The writer has created a work that is easy and captivating to read, but behind this ease lies very difficult questions.

The author draws a small farm before the eyes of the readers. Her owner stopped caring for her and no longer cares about animals. Then the animals, who here perfectly understand and know how to do everything, decide to do everything their own way. They establish their own rules so that the farm can exist independently of the owner. The animals manage the farm themselves; it seems to them that the time has come for freedom and happiness. But this did not last long, because there are those who work more, and there are those who only want to give instructions...

One can easily draw parallels with real world. The book acutely raises the issue of power and control. There are always those who are ready to work from morning to evening in the name of an idea; There are those who want to profit without doing anything. Someone supports the established order only because it is accepted by the majority. There are those who see the shortcomings, but there are too few of them to make a revolution. Or maybe it’s not all about all the animals the author writes about. It’s just that as long as pigs are in power, there will be no order on the farm. And here there is a very serious topic for thought...

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