Animal Farm
George Orwell’s novella Animal Farm is undoubtedly one of his most iconic works, alongside the lengthier 1984, and opens with the prize pig Major rallying farm animals against human “tyranny” that concludes with the song “Beasts of England.” After Major’s death, his followers draft a series of seven commandments all animals are to obey, and yield a great harvest without the aid of their former human master Mr. Jones. News of the animalian insurrection spreads across the county where Animal Farm is located, with men and the animals fighting a few battles throughout the text.
However, not all are fully supportive of the new order, among them being the horse Mollie, despite the pig leader Napoleon’s insistence that all animals are equal. Although their labor borders on slavery at times, the animals are largely content in their work, with occasional natural occurrences hindering their efforts such as rain, and the destruction of a critical windmill, with the humans making the pig Snowball the scapegoat in its downfall. Executions of insurgents among the animals occur, “Beasts of England” becomes a taboo tune, and the seven commandments receive frequent amendment, with the pigs and humans indistinguishable in the end.
All in all, Orwell’s novella is an enjoyable treatise on the pitfalls of political revolutions and the potential for their leaders and followers to forget their roots, and is sure to appeal to readers such as those in the furry fandom who really appreciate intelligent animal characters. Granted, that it’s inarguably an iconic work doesn’t mean it’s infallible, since one can easily forget which species specific characters belong to without reference of the worldwide web, but otherwise, Animal Farm very much proves that volume is scarcely an important factor in the enjoyability of literature, and is definitely a bucket-list book.