Question

What happens when the pigs invite human farmers to the farm?

• A. The animals rebel again
• B. The pigs start wearing clothes and acting like humans
• C. The animals cheer as the pigs throw a big party
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The pigs start wearing clothes and acting like humans

Significant Events in Animal Farm: The Pigs' Transformation

• This specific event takes place at the climax and conclusion of George Orwell's allegorical novel, Animal Farm. It signifies the complete and utter corruption of the pigs and their transformation into the very oppressors they initially rebelled against.
• The pigs, particularly Napoleon and Squealer, invite human farmers, including Mr. Pilkington, for a dinner party, showcasing their new 'human-like' lifestyle.
• The act of the pigs wearing clothes and walking on two legs directly violates the original Seven Commandments of Animalism, specifically the commandments: "No animal shall wear clothes" and "Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy". This illustrates their abandonment of the revolutionary ideals.
• This scene highlights the central theme of corruption of power. The pigs, who started as liberators, have become indistinguishable from the tyrannical humans they overthrew. The final observation by the other animals is that they could no longer tell the difference between the pigs and the men.
• The transformation of the pigs is a powerful symbol of the betrayal of revolutionary principles. The Animalism they established, based on equality and freedom, has been completely perverted into a totalitarian regime.
• Historical Allegory: This scene allegorically represents the Tehran Conference of 1943, where Allied leaders (representing the human farmers) met with Joseph Stalin (represented by Napoleon). It symbolizes the moment the Soviet Union, having supposedly liberated its people, became aligned with capitalist powers, effectively abandoning its initial communist ideals.
• The novel, Animal Farm, published in 1945, is a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, and the pigs, in general, represent the Bolsheviks.
• George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) wrote Animal Farm as a critique of totalitarian regimes, particularly highlighting the dangers of propaganda, manipulation, and the abuse of power.
• The final, altered commandment, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others," perfectly encapsulates the hypocrisy and elitism that the pigs embody in this concluding scene.