Saturday, September 11, 2010
Chapter 1 (by Kyle)
The beginning of this novel actually intrigued me and got me interested in the plot. It really gives you an idea of how animals would be if they had the mental capabilities and the emotional feelings of a human being. I quickly noticed a major theme developing that the Introduction/Preface took note of. The first chapter had a lot to do with one of the animals on the farm, a pig named Major, telling the other farm animals of his belief that they were being treated extremely unfairly by Man. Major is considered the leader of the farm, and is very well respected. He is also very old and near death and would like to share his vision with his fellow farm animals before he is gone. He mentions how Man is the root of all evil, and how there was never a reason for Man to ever be in control over the animals. This is where the theme mentioned before the book comes in; that all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Considering that these animals are mentally and emotionally similar to humans, one could say they are equal in that aspect. However, in this case, the humans have made themselves more equal than the animals, who happen to think and feel no different than any human. Animal Farm's introduction of this theme makes me wonder how the animals will deal with this issue, and if they will ever fulfill Major's dream of animals overruling the humans. And in this story's case, are animals and humans equal, or should the humans still have more power?
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Well first of all, I have no idea how animals could be that educated. If the humans aren't educating them, and if all they do is work all day, how is a pig able to speak the way Major did? I guess we kind of have to suspend our belief and just take it with the story.
ReplyDeleteI thought your questions at the end were really interesting; I don't really think that you can determine if the animals and humans are equal, because in one sense, they have no education or way of speaking to humans, or communicate in a sophisticated way like most humans can. But then again, as the Major states, humans are the only species that can not produce things in the way animals can. They can not pull a plow or lay eggs or be used for their meat.
So I guess I would answer your question and say that no, humans and animals are not equal, because in most ways humans should be inferior to animals. If it wasn't for our ability to communicate, we wouldn't really have an advantage over the animals, they would have the advantage over us.
Guys, really, the interest of this book is not about the equality between men and animals. It is a criticism of communism and dictatorships, as you would understand it if you read the whole book... For exemple "Old major is a figure of Marx, Napoleon of Stalin.... I will let you think about it.
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