Old Major: A prize-winning boar who inspires the rebellion with his vision of a society where animals rule themselves.

Napoleon: A large Berkshire boar who becomes the leader of the farm after the rebellion. He represents Joseph Stalin and embodies authoritarianism.

Snowball: A pig who challenges Napoleon for control of the farm and represents Leon Trotsky. He is intelligent and inventive.

Boxer: A loyal and hardworking cart-horse known for his motto, "I will work harder!" He represents the working class and is ultimately betrayed by the pigs.

Squealer: A persuasive and manipulative pig who serves as Napoleon's spokesperson. He represents propaganda and the manipulation of truth.

Benjamin: A cynical donkey who is skeptical about the revolution from the beginning. He represents the skeptical and disillusioned individuals in society.

Mollie: A vain and materialistic horse who is more concerned with ribbons and sugar than with the revolution. She represents the bourgeoisie or upper class who are indifferent to political change.

Mr. Jones: The drunken farmer who originally owns Manor Farm. He represents Tsar Nicholas II and symbolizes the oppressive ruling class.

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Totalitarianism and Corruption of Power
The novel depicts how the pigs, initially the leaders of the revolutionary animal republic, gradually become corrupted by power and establish a totalitarian dictatorship mirroring the oppressive human regime they had overthrown. This reflects Orwell's disillusionment with the Soviet Union under Stalin's rule.

Propaganda and Manipulation
The pigs, especially Squealer, use propaganda techniques like revisionism, false statistics, and manipulation of language (e.g. "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others") to control the other animals and distort reality to their benefit.

Class Struggle and Inequality
While the revolution aimed to create an egalitarian society, a new elite class of pigs emerges that oppresses the other animals, reflecting how the Russian Revolution failed to eliminate class distinctions.

Ideological Betrayal
The ideals of the revolution ("Animalism") are gradually betrayed and corrupted by the pigs as they adopt the same oppressive behaviors as the humans they overthrew, symbolizing the betrayal of the Russian Revolution's original goals.

Symbolism and Allegory
The characters and events in the novel are allegorical representations of key figures and events in the Russian Revolution, such as Napoleon representing Stalin, Snowball representing Trotsky, and the Battle of the Cowshed symbolizing the Russian Civil War.

In summary, Animal Farm serves as a powerful critique of the Russian Revolution's descent into totalitarian oppression under Stalin, exploring themes of power corruption, propaganda, class inequality, and ideological betrayal through its allegorical storytelling.

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"Animal Farm" was immediately recognized as a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution and the corruption of socialist ideals.

Readers and critics saw "Animal Farm" as a critique of totalitarian regimes, particularly Stalinist Russia. Orwell's portrayal of the pigs' rise to power and the eventual betrayal of the other animals mirrored the way Stalin betrayed the ideals of the revolution.

Beyond its political implications, "Animal Farm" was also appreciated for its literary qualities. Orwell's clear, direct prose and the effective use of a simple farmyard setting to convey complex political ideas were widely praised.

The book faced censorship and was banned in several countries with pro-Soviet governments. In the UK and the US, it initially faced some resistance due to its critical stance on an ally, but it soon gained widespread acceptance.

Overall, "Animal Farm" was seen as a powerful and poignant commentary on the nature of power and the corrupting influence of absolute authority. Its reception in 1945 set the stage for its enduring status as a classic of political literature.

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