Animal Farm and Stolen Bacillus Essay Example
Animal Farm and Stolen Bacillus Essay Example

Animal Farm and Stolen Bacillus Essay Example

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  • Pages: 7 (1881 words)
  • Published: September 22, 2017
  • Type: Autobiography
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The acclaimed author H. G. Wells, whose lifespan ranged from 1866 to 1946, is celebrated for his iconic works such as 'Time Machine', 'The Invisible Man' and 'The Stolen Bacillus'. His literature blended elements of fantasy with science fiction. Born in Bromley, Kent as the youngest sibling among three boys, Wells had to start working at a young age of thirteen due to an injury his father sustained during a professional cricket match. Despite this setback, he sought comfort in books at the library where his mother was employed as a housekeeper and clandestinely nurtured his passion for reading. Eventually, Wells secured a scholarship that allowed him to study science at Imperial College in London.

With a profound interest in social justice, he became part of 'The Fabian Society', aiming for a fairer society. George Orwell, born in 1903, adopted the pseudonym Eric

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Arthur Blair. In 1945, he penned 'Animal Farm' to articulate his sustained skepticism towards authoritarian regimes. His disenchantment from participating in the Spanish Civil War further molded his doubtful stance on communism and had an impact on his written works. As a result, much of his literature is grounded in his personal viewpoints, convictions, and life experiences.

Both Wells and Orwell shared the desire for a better society and employed similar techniques to convey their messages. In their respective novels, they utilized allegories to symbolize individuals in the actual world. Orwell crafted a straightforward tale of animals seizing control of a farm, ensuring that objections would be minimized due to its seemingly innocuous nature. However, true insight can only be gained through deeper analysis of the text. Orwell aimed for a more equitable society

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understanding that violence or revolution would not achieve this goal. Similarly, Wells recognized this need and employed satire in his narrative to effectively convey his point.

The author aimed to illustrate that individuals should not fear those who attempt to bring about change through violence, as it is ultimately ineffective. Additionally, the author encouraged readers to confront such individuals. The author recognized that satire could be employed to mock individuals without singling anyone out for criticism. Although desiring revolution, the author advocated for a peaceful approach, understanding that violence achieves nothing. The author demonstrated this perspective through the character of the anarchist, whose plan tragically failed. 'Animal Farm' is a literary work intended to reveal the reality of the Russian Revolution.

When the book ended, the Second World War had just concluded. Within the book, there is a particular moment in which Napoleon, the leader, contemplates selling a stack of timber to one of his neighboring animals. This scene symbolizes Stalin and his dilemma of choosing whether to align himself with Hitler, represented by Mr. Frederick, or Churchill, represented by Mr. Pilkington. When Stalin ultimately decides to join forces with Hitler and subsequently gets betrayed, Mr. Frederick's act of providing Napoleon with counterfeit money in exchange for the timber exemplifies this event. In 'Animal Farm,' Napoleon, who attains power through various means, serves as the representation of Stalin.

One method that Napoleon employs is leveraging enemies to prevent the animals from rebelling against him. This ensures their compliance and trust in his authority. A specific illustration of this tactic arises when the pigs take to sleeping in the farmhouse beds. To convince the animals to allow this,

Squealer resorts to blackmail, warning them that inadequate sleep would hinder the completion of necessary 'paperwork.' As a final plea, he appeals to their shared aversion to the return of Jones by asking, 'Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?' Consequently, as no animal desires Jones' resurgence, they all acquiesce and allow the pigs to have their way.

Stalin employed a similar technique by convincing the Russian population that they wouldn't want the Tsar to regain power. He effectively manipulated the past to suit his own interests. Stalin told the animals that Snowball had spread rumors about being awarded 'Animal Hero, First Class'. Although some animals may have remembered Snowball receiving the award, the absence of written evidence prevented them from proving anything, leaving them no choice but to believe what they were told. This highlights the significance of education in everyone's lives.

Napoleon utilized his authority to fulfill his personal interests. One instance of this was when he and the pigs allotted themselves an allocation of alcohol and additional food. Napoleon was aware that the animals were not intelligent enough to recall the conditions prior to the rebellion, thus he manipulated this knowledge for his own benefit. Previously, they were frequently hungry, slept on straw, drank from the pool, worked in the fields; in winter they suffered from the cold, and in summer they were plagued by flies.

Orwell reveals that the older animals occasionally pondered about the past, uncertain if life was better or worse when Jones was ousted. With no written records available, they lacked evidence to support any claims of improvement, aside from Squealer's provided figures and statistics. This demonstrates Orwell's belief

that a more equitable society cannot be achieved through violence. Similarly, Wells conveys a similar message in his work, where an anarchist steals bacteria and attempts to poison the world.

The planned objectives of the protagonist do not come to fruition, and Wells emphasizes the concept that a just society cannot be attained through violent means. Napoleon and the anarchist are both motivated by persuasive speeches. Snowball is influenced by Old Major at the onset of the novel 'Animal Farm', and the anarchist is impacted by the bacteriologist in 'Stolen Bacillus'. Old Major's speech is particularly exhilarating as he discusses revolution, freedom, and abundance of sustenance, stating, ".... the produce of labour would be our own. Almost overnight we could become rich and free".

The anarchist is inspired by the bacteriologist's work on 'cholera' as they discuss its effects. The bacteriologist enlightens the anarchist on the potential devastation that could occur by breaking a small tube of it into the water supply, prompting the anarchist to steal the tube. Unbeknownst to him, the bacteriologist demonstrates the anarchist's potential power. Moreover, the bacteriologist shows the anarchist the bacterium and expresses his personal desire to kill and stain every single one of them in the universe.

Encouraging the anarchist and instilling more reason and confidence in him, the individual who puts forward his own ideas also plays a role akin to Old Major's influence on Napoleon. However, Napoleon's plan undergoes evolution over time, possibly due to a lack of clarity in his objectives before the speech. In contrast, the anarchist possessed a clear vision and remained steadfast in his pursuit, with the bacteriologist only serving to bolster his resolve. Both

authors employ satire as a means of critique, utilizing ridicule or contempt.

Orwell uses satire in 'Animal Farm' to expose the silliness of Stalin and the Russians, similar to how he portrayed the anarchist in 'Stolen Bacillus'. The Stalinist regime is revealed when Napoleon compels animals to confess to crimes they did not commit: "The three hens who had been ringleaders in the attempted rebellion over the eggs now came forward and stated that Snowball had appeared to them in a dream and incited them to disobey Napoleon's orders." Furthermore, a goose admits to hiding and eating six ears of corn from the previous year's harvest during the night.

Orwell and Wells both employ satire in their respective works. In Orwell's Animal Farm, the dogs symbolize Stalin's agents, who ruthlessly executed anyone they suspected of betrayal, resulting in a heap of corpses at Napoleon's feet. Orwell mocks Stalin for using flimsy excuses to condemn people to death. Similarly, in Wells' story "The Stolen Bacillus," the bacteriologist taunts the anarchist by revealing that the harmless bacteria he unleashed only caused minor disruptions, such as turning a kitten and three puppies partially blue. When the bacteriologist says he could make "things look blue for this civilized city," he alludes to both the city's melancholy and a literal hue of blue, employing a clever double meaning. Wells seeks to dispel fear of anarchists in his audience.

The effects of Old Major's speech and the bacteriologist's speech resulted in individuals assuming positions of power. However, upon obtaining power, these individuals proceeded to exploit it. The anarchist aimed at causing global destruction, while Napoleon sought to dominate the farm and collaborate with humans.

Napoleon frequently exercised his authority to fulfill his desires, especially when it involved interactions with humans. When My Whymper allied with Napoleon, the latter desired to acquire food for himself and the other pigs.

When Mr. Whymper reached an agreement with the pigs regarding the collection of eggs, it was stated that the animals would contribute a stack of hay and a portion of the wheat crop from the current year. However, despite giving their produce, the animals did not receive any portion of the profits. Squealer addressed the issue of rations by explaining that a readjustment had been deemed necessary. As a result, the pigs enjoyed more food and privileges, such as wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays. Additionally, there were provisions such as lamp oil, candles, sugar for Napoleon's personal use, and even dog biscuits. However, later in the year, money became scarce after the windmill collapsed.

Once more, the animals endured hardship when a heap of hay and some of their potato harvest were sold. The egg contract was also expanded to six hundred per week. It became apparent that the pigs were well-fed as they started gaining weight. Matters took a turn for the worse when it came to light that every pig received half a pint of beer daily, with Napoleon himself consuming half a gallon. As the book drew towards its conclusion, Napoleon's misuse of authority was demonstrated vividly during Mr. Pilkington and his men's visit to the farm where they engaged in merry drinking and laughter with the pigs.

In his oration, Mr Pilkington made remarks about the animals on the farm doing more labor and getting lesser food

than any other creatures in the nation. He furthermore praised the pigs for their meager portions, extended working schedules, and absence of indulgence at Animal Farm. These measures implemented by Napoleon had a dual objective: to make the animals toil for more hours with less sustenance and to encourage humans to visit the farm for commercial discussions.

The bacteriologist's speech had consequences that further emboldened the anarchist, providing him with an additional motivation to proceed with his plan. While it is possible that the anarchist would have proceeded regardless of the speech, it undoubtedly supported him in his mission. By comparing and contrasting these two stories, it becomes evident that the authors' intent was to portray the foolishness of Stalin and anarchists, shedding light on their true nature.

Wells aimed to illustrate that anarchists should not be feared as they are foolish and their plans invariably fail due to their excessive confidence. Orwell sought to expose the true events of the Russian Revolution, driven by a fear of distorting the truth and the betrayal of its ideals. Successfully employing allegory, Orwell's approach was straightforward yet impactful. Both authors openly expressed their opinions and beliefs on these matters.

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