Animal Farm By George Orwell
This book is all about "animalism" which is based on socialism in the time of Stalin. It all starts with a pigs dream to take over the farm. He dies, but his ideas and dreams of the farm being run by animals continues. The more the animals strive to reach this goal, the more power hungry they become and they will stop at nothing.The theme in this book is that the idealists from the Soviet Union were corrupting and they would stop at nothing. Stalin and his followers can be compared to Old Major and Napoleon. The rest of the animals are his followers and whatever he says to do they must do. This theme is significant because it shows the ideas of the Soviet Union in a different light. It shows what the conditions were like when people refused to follow or if they were becoming old and useless. They would sell them, even if it was their best friend. That meant nothing. All that matter was that the socialist ideas prevailed.
Socialism must succeed no matter what and it changes people for the worst. This is the overwhelming thought in this book. The first example of this is when the animals scare away Mr. Jones, the farmer. This demonstrates the theme because this is the first action that they took in their fight to take over. This shows that they were ready and were not going to let anything stop them. They wanted to carry out the plans the Old Major never got to because of his death. The second example is when Snowball is chased away from the farm by Napoleon and his puppies that he was "educating." He then took command and stated that there would be no more meetings. The only ones to make decisions would be the pigs. This showed the fact that all animals were not equal and it began to show who would be the power hungry ones. Napoleon then decided to purge the farm of anyone that may be followers of Snowball. He doesn't want anyone who does not follow him wholeheartedly. So he looks for the ones who are not loyal and they are killed. The last example of the theme is the fact that Napoleon sold his friend who was sick just for money to get whiskey. This shows that the leaders would not even let their feelings get in the way of furthering themselves in the socialist or "animialist" community.
This theme can be shown in many historical contexts. The most obvious one is the Russian Revolution. With Stalin and his men taking over and installing the socialist beliefs in people. The other historical event this could be tied with is the Holocaust and Hitler. In the book Napoleon started making things up about Snowball that weren't true. He told people that he was bad and that he was the one who destroyed the windmill. He then went on a hunt to find everyone on the farm that supported Snowball. They were then killed. This is similar to what Hitler did to the Jews. He blamed them for the War that had happened and everything else in the world that they lived in. He then began to "purge" the world of the Jews. He began to tell people that they were to blame for everything and that they deserved to die. This is what Napoleon did to Snowball. It can also be connected to Stalin and his way of living. Stalin was a socialist and he believed that there were certain people that deserved to be in power. He also thought that if you were going to succeed nothing could stop you. Not friendship or anything. In history Stalin started out as a secretary general of the communist party. This is similar to Old Major and Napoleon. They were first part of the group who were loyal to the humans. They gratefully served them. But then they turned on them and decided to take over. This is similar to Stalin because he manipulated people to let him be the only one in power. He then decided that he didn't like the Communist party and wanted to get rid of them. So he captured whoever belonged to that party and either they died in prison or they were killed. The last connection between this book and Stalin was that fact that he stopped at nothing. He was willing to kill the people that he knew and were possibly friends with just to get what he wanted. He wanted to be a part of socialism and nothing anyone could do was going to stop that. This theme is significant in history because Stalin and Hitler were 2 of the most powerful people in this time as were the pigs on the farm. We need to learn about our past to realize how we got to where we are today and this was a big part of it.
So in the end the hunger for power in the socialist or "animalist" community overtook everyone and they were not the same. They got what they wanted no matter who they hurt in the process. The importance of this theme in the book is because it seemed to be based on true events and you need to understand what happened. The importance of this theme in history is because the socialist way of life was not a good one. This has been demonstrated by many people in history including Hitler and Stalin. This book was very effective in showing the theme. It had very good examples and real life connections. I also thought that it was very interesting and it keep you asking questions and wanting to read more. In the end of the book it was said that "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." This is very true even in our society today. We all are "equal" but it seems that some can get away with more. It is also said in the end that the other animals could no longer recognize who were pigs and who were humans because they all looked like pigs, greedy and ruthless and will stop at nothing.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Valley Forge Letter
February 12, 1778
Dearest Elizabeth,
I am sorry that I haven't written sooner. I hope I have not caused you to worry. How are you? I hope that you are well. How is our new daughter? She has been the constant thought on my mind ever since I received your letter. I miss you terribly and the thought of coming home to you is what is keeping me alive.
The Georgia weather is nothing like what I have experienced here. The rain is colder and seems to fall on me like bad memories. The first few weeks of camp was hard because we had to sleep on the ground. When it snowed, which it did often, we had to tuck our guns between our legs so that the powder did not get wet. We had nothing but our jackets and had no blankets or shelter. I wish I had brought one of those wonderful homemade quilts that you make so well. But there is good news. We now have huts that 12 men have to share. These are not clean and they do not keep out the draft, but it is better than sleeping in the snow.
But the weather is not our main concern. Sickness has been looming over our heads and we cannot seem to beat it. Dysentery and typhus are the diseases that are our enemies now. Dr. Boto Otto opened a hospital 10 miles away from camp. The sickest of our men are taken there but most times we cannot afford the trip. It is too far of a journey with the conditions being as they are.
When I enlisted, I was honored by the fact that I would be protecting the colonies I lived in. But now I want to come home. People are getting tired. We do not have supplies because Gen. Thomas Mifflin has not been doing his job. He did not organize supplies to be brought in. But Gen. Nathanel Greene is in charge of that now and things are beginning to look up as much as they can. He has been repairing roads and we even now have a bakery thanks to him. This has boosted moral but we still are broken from all the ground and battles that we have lost. I think that from this experience, I will not enlist again.
Well my love, I must depart from you now. I have many duties that need to be done. Tell my family that I miss them and think of them often. Tell our sweet little girl that daddy loves her and give her a kiss for me. I will be home soon. You have all of my love.
Yours forever,
Daniel
Dearest Elizabeth,
I am sorry that I haven't written sooner. I hope I have not caused you to worry. How are you? I hope that you are well. How is our new daughter? She has been the constant thought on my mind ever since I received your letter. I miss you terribly and the thought of coming home to you is what is keeping me alive.
The Georgia weather is nothing like what I have experienced here. The rain is colder and seems to fall on me like bad memories. The first few weeks of camp was hard because we had to sleep on the ground. When it snowed, which it did often, we had to tuck our guns between our legs so that the powder did not get wet. We had nothing but our jackets and had no blankets or shelter. I wish I had brought one of those wonderful homemade quilts that you make so well. But there is good news. We now have huts that 12 men have to share. These are not clean and they do not keep out the draft, but it is better than sleeping in the snow.
But the weather is not our main concern. Sickness has been looming over our heads and we cannot seem to beat it. Dysentery and typhus are the diseases that are our enemies now. Dr. Boto Otto opened a hospital 10 miles away from camp. The sickest of our men are taken there but most times we cannot afford the trip. It is too far of a journey with the conditions being as they are.
When I enlisted, I was honored by the fact that I would be protecting the colonies I lived in. But now I want to come home. People are getting tired. We do not have supplies because Gen. Thomas Mifflin has not been doing his job. He did not organize supplies to be brought in. But Gen. Nathanel Greene is in charge of that now and things are beginning to look up as much as they can. He has been repairing roads and we even now have a bakery thanks to him. This has boosted moral but we still are broken from all the ground and battles that we have lost. I think that from this experience, I will not enlist again.
Well my love, I must depart from you now. I have many duties that need to be done. Tell my family that I miss them and think of them often. Tell our sweet little girl that daddy loves her and give her a kiss for me. I will be home soon. You have all of my love.
Yours forever,
Daniel
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Essay #2
As colonists we must stand up for ourselves. We must be able to defend our colonies and be sure that we are in a good position to protect ourselves. When we moved to this land we were sure that we would have a better life so we must strive to obtain that goal. As a group of colonies if anyone tries to hinder our growth then we must do something about it. Since trying to work this out is not going to work. We must fight. We must defend what is rightfully ours! Why let them control us when we are the ones that have built up this colony and established a name for ourselves? We must break down this wall that is holding us back. Britain must know that we are not a force to be reckoned with. They must be defeated!!!
There are many reasons that the British need to be taken down. The first is the taxation. Why must they tax us on everything. It is becoming harder and harder to live. They are taxing sugar which we use in everyday life. They are also taxing molasses and also paper. Why are they doing this. They feel the need to control how we live. Why should we allow them this? When we can no longer pay the taxes that they are putting on everything, how will we survive? We cannot live on bread and water very long. We are hungry for freedom! We must seize this opportunity now while we can. Men do you want your children to grow up in a world where you must pay a tax on everything? Do you want them to have to sell their house because they cannot survive? NO, we must not live like that!
Right now our future is looking grim. We will be living in the shadow of British forever. We, as a whole, must stand up and be in charge of our future. We must take over to make sure that what we want to happen will happen. America could be a beautiful, free country. We are stronger than people think and we must demonstrate that. We as an America can lead our own country, we can take charge and make things happen. This is why we must show the world what we can do. We must fight Britain and show them that we are a force to be reckoned with.
There are many reasons that the British need to be taken down. The first is the taxation. Why must they tax us on everything. It is becoming harder and harder to live. They are taxing sugar which we use in everyday life. They are also taxing molasses and also paper. Why are they doing this. They feel the need to control how we live. Why should we allow them this? When we can no longer pay the taxes that they are putting on everything, how will we survive? We cannot live on bread and water very long. We are hungry for freedom! We must seize this opportunity now while we can. Men do you want your children to grow up in a world where you must pay a tax on everything? Do you want them to have to sell their house because they cannot survive? NO, we must not live like that!
Right now our future is looking grim. We will be living in the shadow of British forever. We, as a whole, must stand up and be in charge of our future. We must take over to make sure that what we want to happen will happen. America could be a beautiful, free country. We are stronger than people think and we must demonstrate that. We as an America can lead our own country, we can take charge and make things happen. This is why we must show the world what we can do. We must fight Britain and show them that we are a force to be reckoned with.
Essay #1
Although it was a tragic event the Boston Massacre was the fault of the soldiers . The British soldiers should not have shot into a group of people that were out of control. They should have been able to control them other than having to shoot them. When the shot was fired and the rest of the British soldiers took that as an invitation to fire on everyone, including young boys. That behavior cannot be condoned.
The British soldiers are to blame for this terrible event. Although the people were getting a little excited but the British should have been able to control the people. They shouldn't have had to fire shots and kill innocent people. This act that was committed showed the heartless, and brutality of the British soldiers. They did not think twice about shooting into a crowd of people that included grandfathers, fathers, brothers and sons.
These soldiers that committed this awful crime should be put in jail for at least 2 years. We cannot let the act of killing people slide. They must pay for the actions that they committed. I feel that although the people should not have been in the square at that time, the british should not have shot into the crowd. The king must punish people for the crimes that they commit or else everyone will start to try illegal things. So these acts must be punished.
The British soldiers are to blame for this terrible event. Although the people were getting a little excited but the British should have been able to control the people. They shouldn't have had to fire shots and kill innocent people. This act that was committed showed the heartless, and brutality of the British soldiers. They did not think twice about shooting into a crowd of people that included grandfathers, fathers, brothers and sons.
These soldiers that committed this awful crime should be put in jail for at least 2 years. We cannot let the act of killing people slide. They must pay for the actions that they committed. I feel that although the people should not have been in the square at that time, the british should not have shot into the crowd. The king must punish people for the crimes that they commit or else everyone will start to try illegal things. So these acts must be punished.
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