Animal Farm by George Orwell (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Animal Farm with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of Animal Farm by George Orwell, a tale about an animal revolution on a farm and its consequences. While the premise may appear simple at first, a closer reading of the text reveals that Orwell’s book is actually a stinging satire of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the government which then came to power. Due to the political context at the time the book was written, Orwell had great difficulty finding a publisher willing to potentially upset the peace between the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom. The book was eventually published in August 1945 and was universally acclaimed, even featuring in The Times’ List of the 100 Best Novels. Orwell was an English writer born in British India. He was an outspoken critic of social injustice and totalitarianism, and is considered one of the finest British writers of all time.

Find out everything you need to know about Animal Farm in a fraction of the time!

This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Oct 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9782806294913

Book preview

English writer

Born in Motihari (British India) in 1903.

Died in London in 1950.

Notable works:

Homage to Catalonia (1938), non-fiction

Animal Farm (1945), novel

1984 (1949), novel

George Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair) was an English writer born in Motihari (British India) in 1903. After studying in England, he returned to India and joined the Imperial Police in Burma. He resigned in 1928 and decided to become a writer. He then spent several years drifting from Paris to London, where he lived alongside some of the poorest members of society (Down and Out in Paris and London, 1933). After this, he had several different jobs (bookseller, teacher, columnist) before signing up for the Spanish Civil War against fascism (Homage to Catalonia, 1938).

During the Second World War, he dedicated himself to journalism and wrote some of his most famous novels, including Animal Farm (1945) and 1984 (1949). Orwell died from tuberculosis in London in 1950.

A critique of political power

Genre: allegorical novel

Reference edition: Orwell, G. (1993) Animal Farm. London: Everyman.

1st edition: 1945

Themes: utopia, communism, totalitarianism, equality, power

Animal Farm, published in 1945, is an allegorical novel which tells the