Sea-view: Animal Farm

I have an Independent Study in school where I read books for class, write papers, and then take tests. It is truly a class I love and look forward to every day. This week, I read Animal Farm by George Orwell. It was the perfect book for this stressful week because it was a quick read, but also very engrossing.

It is about this farm where an old, dying boar proclaims his longing desire to conquer the human race by means of first taking over their own farm, the Manor Farm. After he dies, two younger pigs take over and lead a rebellion against the owners. They create "Animalism," which states  that all animals are equal. As the story progresses, you begin to notice the power struggle of these two very different leaders, who came up with "Animalism," until one of them is literally chased off of the newly named, "Animal Farm."

Once there is one leader, it becomes very much like a dictatorship and is based upon communism. I found it extremely interesting because I am fascinated with politics and other's perspectives on equality. As the story continues, Napoleon, the leader (the name was certainly not a coincidence), becomes more human-like, which was the forbidden crime at the beginning of Orwell's book. In order to not be perceived as a hypocrite, he does what many in government do: he manipulated the animals.

The ending is extremely interesting and it gives you a totally different perspective on even our own leaders. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone. Not only is it engrossing, it has such a powerful message of equality. It really made me contemplate where there may not be full equality in my own life, just because of the small selfish desires of success.

With a book consisting of so much symbolism, every reader has the ability to interpret it differently. In my case, one lesson I thought was important was to stand by your morals before standing by someone else's. If you can accomplish that, no Napoleon will ever be able to manipulate you.

Definitely go to your local library, Barnes and Noble, or download this to your reader! Its a quick read, perfect for a plane trip, a quiet  night in, or just something to skim through. There are more lessons than even list-able and it makes the perfect book for a Book Club!

May the wind be with you,
The Sailor in Pink OoXx