The definition of fable: “a short allegorical narrative
making a moral point, traditionally by means of animal characters who speak and
act like human beings” (Emery). However, in the book Animal Farm,the animals don’t just act like people, they are actual people. I am comparing the once well known and
highly intelligent man, Karl Marx, to the simple and minor role of Major the
pig in Animal Farm by George
Orwell.
Let’s start with how these two think: “Now, comrades, what
is the nature of this life of ours?”(Animal
Farm 28). Here Major can be seen questioning the way of
life. Likewise, Karl Marx “…soon found
himself having to consider communist theory”
(Wolff). Both thought something was wrong in life and it needed to be changed.
Unfortunately, nothing changed until after their deaths. The rebellion on the farm started after Major
died because the revolution was kind of Major’s death wish. Karl Marx died and
then his economic and political ideas gained rapid acceptance in the socialist
movement (Kreis).
This leads to their actual deaths. “Old major died peacefully in his
sleep”, taken from Animal Farm on
page 35 relates quite a bit to how Karl Marx fell asleep in his armchair and
died a few minutes later (Kreis). A peaceful death fits perfectly with their
personalities.
Both were highly thought of in life and even after their
deaths. Frederick Engels wrote about Marx: “And he fought with a passion, a
tenacity and a success such as few could rival” (Lepore). Karl Marx was a very
respected man in life. George Orwell
also shows this in Animal Farm: “Old
Major was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose
an hour’s sleep in order to hear what he had to say” (25).
“A new revolution is possible only in consequence of a new
crisis", quoted from Karl Marx himself.
(Kreis) Yet in Animal
Farm the animals rebel against an old problem. Another quote from Mr. Marx,
“From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs” (Network).The animals worked as much as they
are able to, but the pigs didn’t work at all, instead they just accorded to
their wants.
This particular book creates a simply and slightly
questionable fable. Also, it hints and
weaves in little details that help you realize that the book is actually all
about real people. George Orwell had to
be revealing enough with his characters so they can understand what he was
really trying to say. He just about had
Major exactly like Karl Marx except for a few little details here and there. Karl Marx and Major could be twins, but even
twins have their differences.
Bibliography
Emery, David. "fable- definition of fable."
2012. About.com Urban Legends. 28 3 2012
<http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/glossary/g/fable.htm>.
Kreis, Steven. "Karl Marx, 1818-1883." 2000.
The History Guide. 19 March 2012
<http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/marx.html>.
Lepore, Mike. "Engels' burial speech." 1993.
The Death of Karl Marx. 19 3 2012
<http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1883/death/burial.htm>.
Network, BookRags Media. "Karl Marx Quotes."
2001-2012. Brainy Quote. 19 3 2012
<http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/karlmarx136396.html>.
Wolff, Jonathan. "Karl Marx." 2010. Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 19 3 2012 <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/#1>.
