Animal Farm - George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegorical novella that critiques power, corruption, and political systems. Here are ten key lessons from the book:

1. Power Corrupts – Leaders who gain unchecked power often become corrupt, even if they started with good intentions.

2. Equality Is Difficult to Maintain – While the animals initially seek equality, the pigs gradually establish themselves as a ruling class, showing how social hierarchies can emerge.

3. Propaganda Manipulates the Masses – Squealer, the pig, represents how those in power use propaganda to control and deceive people.

4. Education Is a Tool of Control – The uneducated animals are easily manipulated, highlighting the importance of knowledge in resisting oppression.

5. Fear Maintains Dictatorships – Napoleon uses threats, violence, and fear (through the dogs) to silence opposition and maintain control.

6. Revolutions Can Be Hijacked – The original rebellion against human rule is replaced by another form of tyranny, showing how revolutions can be betrayed.

7. Blind Loyalty Is Dangerous – Boxer’s blind devotion to Napoleon leads to his downfall, emphasizing the risks of following leaders unquestioningly.

8. History Can Be Rewritten – The pigs change the commandments on the barn wall, symbolizing how authoritarian regimes manipulate history to serve their interests.

9. Not All Leaders Have the People’s Best Interests at Heart – The pigs claim to work for the greater good but prioritize their own luxury and power.

10. Apathy Enables Oppression – The animals, despite noticing injustices, do little to resist, showing that oppression thrives when people remain passive.

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