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What are the advantages of adopting the animal fable as the instrument of this criticism of totalitarianism ?

George Orwell has adopted allegorical style of his criticism. Allegory, as a literary style is not new for poets and writers. When a theme presents two or more meanings, it comes in the category of allegory. In this literary style, the writer adopts either the means of symbolism or those of personification. In the neo-classical age in English literature, very few writers attempted this form. In modern times, Eugene O’ Neil’s dramas are the best allegorical works. In the field of poetry and drama, allegory has been an outstanding element but in the field of fiction, very few novelists could show their courage in this style. Kamala Markandey’s ‘Possession’ is a fine novel as it deals with the allegory of the freedom of India. In the allegory, the characters do not possess individualstic trait but they stand as symbols either of some class or of some object.

If we talk about, ‘Animal Farm’, we find that it is full of improbabilities. When we read it, we cannot raise any question. against the improbability of the novel. When Jones is expelled by the animals farm, we do not think why Jones did not take the police help. We do not think how animals are capable of building the windmill. In the beginning of the novel, when Old Major delivers his long speech, we are forced to enter a fairy land where animals are expected to behave like human beings. Animals become masters themselves after the revolution. Now they have no need to obey Jones. The readers enjoy the scene. Among the animals pigs are considered intellectuals. That is why, they are asked to supervise the work of other animals. In the later part of the novel, we observe the Battle of Cowshed’ in which animals attack the men of Jones. The author presents the incident very vividly and tells us how a boy was attacked by Boxer. We also find that animals did not attack with modern weapons, but they do it with horns and hoofs. Even the flag which is chosen by the animals contains hoofs and horns as a monogram. The writer does not lose the realism of imaginative world and he returns from that land only when is able to find the conclusion.

If we go through the history of English literature, we find that animal fables are not new or unique form for presentation of political satire. Even it is considered the best form for this purpose. Even Chaucer, the first writer, based his ‘Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ on fairy tale because in that book, he aimed at political satire. James Thurber also ridiculed the social and political problems through a fairy tale.

Though the novelist could not produce humour that was provided by Charles Dickens, yet his humour is of special kind. Such humour was possible only through the fairy tales characters like Mollie. Squealer and Benjamin produce a special kind of humour. When animals begin learning, the atmosphere becomes very humourous. For example, Boxer could learn four words. The novelist remarks that the pigs learnt all the alphabets while other animals I could not do so. The writer has revealed the fact the pigs are more intelligent than other animals. Benjamin is a donkey and he always remains silent. He is compared with intellectual class. It appears that the writer thinks that donkeys possess sharp understanding in comparison to other animals.

Thus, George Orwell has produced a special kind of humour which was possible only with the presentation of animal fables. In short it may be said that ‘Animal Farm’ is a very interesting animal fable. Orwell’s attempt on fairy tale was not made for the first time but before him and after him, many other writers attempted an animal fable and fairy tales. So, this attempt of the writer had made a very important background for the writers who tried to discuss social problems in their works. This form of writing as always much suited the themes. So, Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ has been regarded as one of the most outstanding and the most interesting fairy tale of its kind in English literature.