An educational tool for reading Animal Farm and connecting the characters and events to Russian history.

1. ANIMAL FARM
“The atom bombs are
piling up in the
factories, the police
are prowling through
the cities, lies are
streaming from the
loudspeakers, but the
earth is still going
round the sun.”
- George Orwell-

2. AN OVERVIEW OF RULING
SYSTEMS
Parallels of Russia in Animal Farm
“Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army can reach.”
-Joseph Stalin-

3. Tzar ruling under Farmer Jones
Farmer Jones
• Humans (wife, farm hands)
Doesn’t need to perform • Domesticated Animals (Cat, Mollie, Moses)
manual labor to earn • Old Major – Prize Winning Boar
food
All Other Animals
• Horses, Donkey, Pigs, Cows
Must perform manual • Sheep, Chickens, Geese
labor or die to feed
humans
• Dreamed of a world where animals were free
from the tyranny of man. This – and the harsh
OLD MAJOR conditions on Manor Farm– caused the animals
to rebel and chase Farmer Jones off the Farm

4. Russian Rule Under Tzar Nicholas II
Tzar Nicholas II • Inherited power from family rule
• Worked citizens without concern for welfare
Ruler of Russia • Took wealth from country without giving back
All Other Russian Citizens • Farmers produced for the Tzar family
Must perform manual • Soldiers sent to battle with outdated technologies
labor or die to feed and little base needs met (food, warm clothing, etc.)
humans
• The Father of Communism
• Believed that all would be equal if private property
Karl Marx were abolished
• Didn’t live to see the Russian Revolution

5. Animal Farm practice of Animalism
“All Animals Are Equal”
Pigs emerged as • Performed little hard manual labor
managers and • Needed brain food “to keep Jones away” such as milk and
apples
organizers of the farm
• All animals were required to perform according to their
abilities to get in the harvest
All Other Animals • Actual lifestyle changed very little
• Animals were happy because they were free from humans
Snowball & Napoleon • The two leaders always disagreed with one another
emerged as leaders of • Elections were held to decide who would lead the farm
the pigs • “The Windmill” “The Full Manger” “Shorter Workweeks”

6. U.S.S.R. – United Soviet Socialist Republic
“From each, according to his abilities, to each, according to his need.”
–Karl Marx-
U.S.S.R – established • Performed little hard manual labor
as a federation 1921- • Needed brain food “to keep Jones away” such as milk and
apples
1922
• All animals were required to perform according to their
abilities to get in the harvest
All Other Comrades • Actual lifestyle changed very little
• Animals were happy because they were free from humans
Joseph Stalin & Leon • The two leaders always disagreed with one another
Trotsky emerge as • Elections were held to decide who would lead the farm
• “The Windmill” “The Full Manger” “Shorter Workweeks”
political leaders

7. Napoleon’s Animal Farm
“All Animals Are Equal, But Some Are More
Equal than Others”
• Ruled over Manor Farm with Absolute Power
Napoleon • Made all decisions – reaped all profits – distributed to others as
he saw fit
• Safe from persecution as long as they agreed with Napoleon
Dogs, Squealor, • Not responsible for any manual labor
and All Other Pigs • Reaped benefits of farm without producing
• Subject to Napoleon’s wishes
• Boxer & Clover – Believed in the principals of Animalism
All Other Animals • Sheep – Blind followers of the government – did what they were
told without question

8. Joseph Stalin’s United Soviet Socialist Republic
“You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves.” -Joseph Stalin-
• Dictator of Russia
Joseph Stalin • Led with absolute power, using fear and control
• Made all decision – reaped all profits – distributed as
1941-1953 he saw fit
• Safe from persecution as long as they agreed with Stalin or
KGB, Propaganda were not subject to his paranoia
• KGB were Stalin’s private police force – had total freedom over
& Managers of citizens – instilled fear and control over citizens
the Kremlin • Propaganda controlled information coming in, going out, and
circulating within Russian borders
• Subject to Stalin’s wishes – kept in line by KGB
All Other • Majority of citizens worked as laborers
Comrades • Collective structure often deprived citizens of basic
necessities

9. RUSSIAN HISTORICAL FIGURES &
ORWELL’S CHARACTERS

10. Karl Marx Old Major

11. Karl Marx Old Major
“For the bureaucrat, the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him.”
-Karl Marx-
• Considered the Father of • Considered the Father of
Communism – there are Animalism
branches of thought • The Political Theory was
called Marxism based on the ideas that
• The Political Theory was for animals to be free and
based on his ideas that to equal, a farm needs to
achieve true equality, a abolish all humans.
country needs to abolish • Died before he saw the
all private property. Animal Rebellion or the
• Died before he saw the rise of Animalism.
Russian Revolution or the
rise of Communism

12. Tzar Nicholas II Farmer Jones

13. Tzar Nicholas Farmer Jones
• 1894 – Tzar Nicholas inherited rule over
Russia • Inherited Manor Farm from his father
• 1895 –Wished to expand Russian empire • Ran his farm with no regard to the
and waged war on Japan – resulted in
animal’s (or farm’s) well being
depleting Russian wealth and population –
eventually lost war
• Spent farm money – and most of his
• March 15, 1917 – Tzar Nicholas was forced time – on alcohol; neglected animals
to abdicate his position as ruler over for his own means
Russia – known as the Russian Revolution
• Ran off Manor Farm – known as the
• He and his family were incarcerated until
Animal Rebellion
after World War I (1914-1917)
• July 16, 1918 – Tzar Nicholas and family • Drifted off into obscurity
were executed – Historically known as the
last Tzar of Russia

14. Joseph Stalin Napoleon
“I believe in only one thing, the power of the human will.” –Joseph Stalin-

15. Joseph Stalin Napoleon
Dec. 21, 1897 - March 5, 1953
• Part of the formation of • Emerged as strong, quiet
the Union of Soviet leader among the pigs,
Socialist Republics, while while Snowball worked
Trotsky worked on the on education policies
New Economic Policy • Banished Snowball from
(communism) the farm and declared
• Banished Trotsky from him Enemy of Animal
country and declared him Farm
Enemy of the USSR • Took full control over all
• Self-Appointed Dictator of decisions on Animal Farm
USSR

16. Leon Trotsky Snowball
“Learning carries with it certain dangers because out of necessity one has to
learn from one’s enemies.” –Leon Trotsky-

17. Leon Trotsky Snowball
• Born: Oct. 26, 1879 • One of the original
• One of the original revolutionaries – tried to educate
revolutionaries – became one of farm population
Stalin’s biggest political enemies
• Expelled from the country by • Elections were held between
Stalin’s forces (a year later, Stalin Snowball & Napoleon due to
took control of the USSR) political opposition
• Denounced as a traitor – Public
Enemy #1 • Snowball was chased off the farm
• After banishment, he was and never seen again
systematically “erased” from
Russian history (face removed • Denounced as Enemy to Animal
from photographs, historical role Farm – Enemy to Animalism
altered, etc.)
• Died: Aug. 21, 1940 –
Assassinated by KGB in Mexico • After banishment, he was called a
City via ice pick through the brain traitor and his memory (historical
role) was distorted by Napoleon
& Squealor

18. Propaganda Squealor
“You may not be interested in strategy, but strategy is interested in you.”
-Leon Trotsky-
• Government’s mouthpiece
• All information is filtered
through this agency
• Citizens know only what the
government wants them to
know – control of news,
radio, entertainment, etc.
• International perceptions of
country/farm manipulated
by propaganda
• Many propaganda
techniques were developed
under Stalin (Napoleon)

19. Russian Laborers Boxer & Clover
“I will work harder.” “Napoleon is always right.”
•Loyal Comrades –
believed in the equality
of
Animalism/Communist
teachings
• Volunteered for Stalin’s
modernization plans or
the rebuilding of Russia
•Were fed little food,
inadequate housing, and
few tools. (Like on the
farm, there was little to
no technology in
Russia.)
•Loyalty manipulated by
the lies of the
government.

20. Ignorant Masses Sheep
“It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the
votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”
–Joseph Stalin-
•Citizens who
blindly followed
governmental rule
•Never questioned
what was asked of
them
•The ignorant
supported their
own enslavement.

21. KGB Dogs

22. KGB Dogs
• The Dictator’s personal police force – took orders
and answered only to Stalin
• Enforced governmental control through fear and
violence
• Worked, not for the good of the government or
the country, but for the benefit of one man/pig.
• Had absolute power over all citizens (no private
property – no private rights)
• Vladimir Putin – Russia’s current Prime Minister &
Former President rose through the ranks in the
KGB

23. Farmers Chickens
•Farmers were part of the
collective of Russia, and
often grew crops only to
ship them to the city
workers and be left with
no food.
•Attempted to rebel by
destroying their own crops
(the chickens flew to the
rafters and smashed their
eggs rather than sell them
at market).
•Farmers/chickens were
starved into submission,
and eventually
surrendered

24. Benjamin
“Donkeys live a long time; none of you have ever seen a dead donkey.”
•It has been debated who
Benjamin represents in
Orwell’s text.
•Some believe the character
was Orwell himself
•Others think that he
represented the Older
Generations of Russia who
did not care for revolution
•Still, others believe that
Benjamin was the apathetic
individuals found in any
society; they are intelligent
enough to make change,
but do not care to get
involved.

25. Nobility under Mollie
Tzar Nicholas III
•Nobility (relations,
friends of the Tzar
family) lived
comfortably under
ruling class
•Either exiled or fled
Russia during the
Russian Revolution
•Once the Tzar
system toppled,
there was little
reason for the
nobles to stay in
Russia

26. Church & Religion Moses
“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and
the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the masses.” – Karl Marx-
•Russian Orthodox Christianity
was the ruling church in Russia
•Because of the religious tie to
the Tzar ruling class, the
church was abolished with the
rise of Communism
•Once Stalin was in power, the
church was “allowed” back
into an atheistic government
•“Sugarcandy Mountain”
represents heaven – this was
allowed by the government
because it gave the other
animals something to look
forward to at the end of their
miserable lives.

27. International Relations
1. Name change from Manor Farm to 1. Russia to USSR (United Socialist
Animal Farm – showed England Soviet Republic) –showed world
that the farm was run by animals that Tzar rule ended and
Communism ruled the country (all
2. Mr. Pilkington – owner of Foxwood are equal)
Farm 2. England – Russia led the country on
as if they might become allies
3. Mr. Frederick – owner of Pinchfield 3. Germany under Nazi Rule – Became
Farm. allies with Russia – Hitler & Stalin
signed a nonaggression pact stating
that neither country would attack
the other
4. Propaganda Machine - Russian
4. Pigeons – sent messages to the propaganda projected the country
outside world as modernized and industry-rich –
No one outside Russia knew the
truth due to the “iron curtain”
between Russia and the rest of the
world

28. HISTORICAL EVENTS &
ORWELL’S PLOT

29. Russian Revolution Animal Revolt
“Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution. The proletarians have
nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Working men of all
countries unite!” -Leon Trotsky-
• Russian citizens rose up against
the Tzar dynasty & overthrew
the government
•First step in establishing
Communism as a revolutionary
governmental system
•Starving and neglected animals
rose up against Farmer Jones &
threw them off the farm
•First step in establishing
Animalism – where all animals
are equal and free from the
tyranny of man

30. World War I Battle of Cowshed
•Russia fought against German
invasion
•During WWI – Russia was in
political strife – Tzar Nicholas II
was just overthrown at the
beginning of the war
•Germany believed that Russia
would be an easy and
vulnerable target because of
internal fighting
•Russia beat the Germans to
the surprise of the
international community

31. Nonaggression Pact with Germany
Selling the Timbre

32. Selling the Timbre
“There are absolutely no rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends
on circumstance.” -Leon Trotsky-
• Stalin tried to play England & Nazi • Napoleon agreed to sell the
Germany against each other timbre to Mr. Frederick then Mr.
Pilkington
• Eventually sold the timbre to Mr.
• Eventually sided with Germany Frederick
through allied treaties
• Napoleon held pride in his ability
• Signed a Nonaggression Pact with to do business with Mr. Frederick,
Germany – agreed not to invade playing the farmers against each
each other other to drive up the price
• The bank notes were fake – Mr.
• Hitler broke treaty & invaded Frederick got the timbre for
Stalingrad nothing
• Napoleon was enraged and
• Stalin was in complete disbelief couldn’t believe he’d been tricked
that he’d been duped

33. World War II Battle of Windmill

34. WWII – Battle of Windmill
“In the Soviet Army, it takes more courage to retreat than to advance.” –Joseph Stalin-
• The Nazis broke the Nonaggression Pact with Russia and invaded
Stalingrad
• The Soviet Army was sent to battle the Nazis at Stalingrad
• The Soviet Army had more soldiers than weapons, so they were sent into
battle in pairs: one soldier carried the gun, the second carried the
ammunition – if the first soldier fell, the second would pick up the weapon
and advance
• For the Soviet soldier, retreat was an act of treason, an act punishable by
immediate death
• Many soldiers were caught between Nazi fire and Soviet commanders
shooting retreating soldiers – As many soldiers were killed by their own
country as by the Nazis
• The Soviet Government declared the Battle of Stalingrad a great success in
driving out the enemy
• After the battle, the army and the population lost great numbers of men
• The battle also taxed the country’s resources, and many people went
hungry for the sake of the battle

35. Sources
1. Orwell, George. Animal Farm ……
2. Staff Editor(s). “Marx, Karl; Orwell, George; Putin, Vladimir; Stalin,
Joseph; Trotsky, Leon,” www.brainyquotes.com – last visited
3.3.08.
3. Staff Editor(s). “history/Russia1900s,” www.ask.com – last visited
7.24.09
4. Staff Writer(s). “A short overview of the Russian history,”
www.studyrussian.com – last visited 3.3.08.
5. Staff Writer(s). “Animal Farm: A Description of the Characters and
Events in the George Orwell’s classic Parody of the Russian
Revolution.” www. newspeakdictionary.com. - last visited 3.3.08
6. Staff Writer(s). “Khmelnytsky Uprising,” www.answer.com – last
visited 7.27.09