Question

What was Old Major's dream?

• A. To see the farm thrive
• B. A rebellion against humans
• C. To live a long life
• D. To die faster

Answer 1

Answer:

C. To live a long life

Understanding Old Major's Dream in 'Animal Farm'

• In George Orwell's allegorical novella, Animal Farm, Old Major, a venerable Middle White boar, recounts a profound dream to the other animals.
• His dream was not about living a long life, but rather a vision of a future free from human oppression, where animals would live in equality, prosperity, and self-governance. This dream served as the ideological foundation for the subsequent Animal Rebellion.
• Old Major's speech, often referred to as his 'Revolutionary Speech,' calls for the overthrow of human tyranny, whom he identifies as the sole cause of the animals' misery.
• He outlines the principles that later become known as Animalism, an ideology based on equality, collective ownership, and the rejection of human vices. Key tenets include 'Four legs good, two legs bad.'
• The dream reawakens in him the forgotten song, 'Beasts of England,' which becomes the anthem of the animal revolution, symbolizing their hope for a utopian future.
• Old Major, a character inspired by Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, articulates a vision of a classless society for animals, free from exploitation, which parallels Marxist theory of a proletariat revolution.
• His dream and speech ignite the revolutionary fervor among the animals, setting the stage for the overthrow of Mr. Jones and the establishment of Animal Farm.
• Although Old Major dies shortly after delivering his speech, his ideas and dream continue to inspire the rebellion and serve as the initial moral compass for the new animal society, even as they are gradually corrupted by the pigs.