Have you guys ever read Animal Farm - an allegory of the failed Russian revolution of 1917 by George Orwell - before?
Here is the essay that I've made based on the prompt, "Do you think this work is still relevant now? Why/Why not?"
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An allegorical novella by George Orwell which entitled Animal Farm has
given me so much fun and worthwhile knowledge during the reading venture. By
reading this allegory of the Russian Revolution, I can easily understand the
way that revolutions can and have gone wrong, due to the misuse and corruption
of those in power. Throughout the reading, I do believe and sure that this
novel of George Orwell has its own relevancy with what is actually happening
with the world nowadays, especially with something related to politics and
corruption in the individuals who have power.
The novel remains relevant to the society
nowadays as we still can see how some still cannot hold power properly – always
have the temptation to misuse it. In the novel, I can clearly see how Napoleon
had taken the advantages of being a leader by eliminating Snowball from the
farm as he thought Snowball as its rival that might overtook his power in any
time. Napoleon also put blame on Snowball when the farm suffered a setback. In
today’s context, I can relate this to any number of dictators around the world.
The simplest instance that I can relate to is the government of my own country
which have severely misused the power over the population and the privileges
that they have just for the sake of their own selves. They executed all of
those person who tried to overthrow their power and those who tried to tell the
true stories behind their corruptions in leading the country. They have the
authority to eliminate every people who put difficulties on their way, thinking
them as the obstacles that are needed to be avoided in order to defend their
privileges. This has proven the relevancy of Animal Farm in portraying the
dictator such as Napoleon that can somehow be related to today’s governs in
most countries including my own country, Malaysia.
I do believe that Animal Farm is undoubtedly
relevant now due to the fact that the corruptions are still on-going in people
with privileges – not necessarily politicians. Once a person has the taste of
power in his hand, the tendency of him to become corrupted is slightly higher
than a person who does not have the power at all. It is portrayed in the Animal
Farm when Squealer had told the farm citizens that the pigs needed more milks
and apples in order to sustain themselves as they are said to be the most
hardworking animal in ensuring the management of Animal Farm was smooth. To
relate it with the world nowadays, I can see some individuals are giving false
promises to the other group of individuals in attempt to get benefits from them
on the other hand. Usually, in a democratic country, the leader would be chosen
based on the choice of the population themselves. Some of the leaders would
take the chances for granted by promoting false promises, just for seeking
attentions of the people to vote for them. In the end, they do not even take
responsibility for whatever promises that they had made. The corruptions like
these are still happening and that is why Animal Farm is utterly relevant to
the world today.
To sum it up, I strongly think that the work of
George Orwell entitled Animal Farm is still relevant now due to the situations
that are currently taking places in the world nowadays are likely related to
things that are happening in most parts of the story.
