Okay, let's talk about "Animal Farm". Seriously, what *was* Animal Farm about? If you're asking that, maybe you had to read it for school and felt confused, or maybe you just heard the title thrown around. It's one of those books everyone *says* is important, but the actual point can feel slippery. I remember reading it as a teenager and thinking, "Wait, this is just a story about angry farm animals?" It took me years – and honestly, seeing some real-world politics play out – to truly get what George Orwell was screaming about. Let's break it down without the academic jargon.

The Basic Setup: Animals vs. Humans

Imagine a farm run by a lazy, drunk farmer named Mr. Jones. The animals are overworked, underfed, and miserable. An old, wise pig named Old Major has a dream. He gathers everyone and delivers this fiery speech about how humans are parasites. His big idea? Animals do all the work, humans steal the profits. If animals kick out the humans, they can run the farm themselves and live in prosperity and equality. He teaches them a revolutionary song called "Beasts of England." It’s incredibly stirring. Honestly, reading that part, you kinda want to join the rebellion yourself!

Old Major dies shortly after, but his ideas stick. Two younger pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, take charge. They're smart, they organize. One night, when Jones forgets to feed them (again), the animals snap. They chase Jones, his wife, and his farmhands off Manor Farm. It’s a total victory! They rename the place "Animal Farm" and paint the core principles of Old Major's vision on the barn wall as the Seven Commandments. The main one was: "All animals are equal." Feels good, right?

The Seven Commandments (The Original Plan)

The Dream Starts Cracking: Power Changes Everything

This is where understanding what Animal Farm was really about kicks in. It wasn't just about the rebellion; it was about what happens *after* the revolution. The pigs, being the smartest, naturally take on leadership roles. Snowball focuses on plans for a windmill to generate electricity and make life easier. Napoleon focuses on training puppies in secret. Disagreements get nasty.

Napoleon uses his secretly-trained attack dogs (those puppies, now grown) to chase Snowball off the farm. He's gone. Just like that. Napoleon takes sole control. And here’s the creepiest part: the Commandments start changing.

First, it's small. The pigs move into the farmhouse. But wait, wasn't sleeping in a bed forbidden? Suddenly, the commandment reads: "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets." See the tweak? Boxer, the incredibly strong and loyal horse, who works harder than anyone and lives by his mottos ("I will work harder!" and "Napoleon is always right!"), questions it. Squealer, Napoleon's smooth-talking propaganda pig, twists it: "You don't think we pigs sleep in beds? It's absolutely necessary for our important brainwork! Comrade Napoleon needs proper rest to lead!" Boxer, trusting soul, accepts it.

Bit by bit, the rules bend:

• Pigs start drinking whiskey? Commandment changes to: "No animal shall drink alcohol to excess."
• Pigs start trading with humans? They claim it was always necessary, blaming Snowball for past problems.
• Animals being executed? Commandment changes to: "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause."

I found this part genuinely chilling. It's not a loud coup; it's death by a thousand tiny edits to the truth. The animals *know* things were different before, but Squealer constantly rewrites history, and the sheep drown out doubts with mindless chanting of simplified slogans like "Four legs good, two legs bad!" which later gets changed to suit the pigs' new alliances.

The Final Betrayal: When Pigs Walk on Two Legs

Years pass. Boxer works himself to literal exhaustion. Instead of the comfortable retirement he was promised, Napoleon sells him to the glue factory for money to buy more whiskey. The other animals are told he died peacefully in a hospital – another lie swallowed.

The final, stomach-dropping scene? The pigs start walking on their hind legs. They carry whips. They wear clothes taken from Mr. Jones. They invite human farmers over for dinner. The other animals peer through the farmhouse window. Inside, pigs and humans are playing cards, arguing, cheating... they look identical. The faces blur.

The Seven Commandments? Erased. Replaced by a single slogan painted on the barn wall:

That line. I remember putting the book down and just staring at the wall. It’s the chilling, brilliant summary of what Animal Farm was about. The farm is renamed back to "Manor Farm." The revolution is dead. The pigs have become the humans they overthrew. Worse, even.

Digging Deeper: What Animal Farm Was *Really* About (The Allegory)

Okay, so it's a story about pigs taking over. Big deal? Absolutely massive deal. George Orwell wrote "Animal Farm" as a direct, savage allegory for the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of Stalin's brutal dictatorship. He wrote it during World War II, but publishers initially refused it because the Soviet Union was an ally against Hitler. It finally came out in 1945, right after the war ended.

Understanding this context is crucial to grasping what Animal Farm was about:

Orwell wasn't attacking the *idea* of revolution or equality. He desperately believed in democratic socialism. What he exposed was how **ideals get corrupted by unchecked power and ruthless ambition**. He saw how Stalinism betrayed every promise of the revolution, creating a new tyranny far worse than the old one. Napoleon's purges mirror Stalin's Great Purge. The constant rewriting of history? That was standard Soviet practice. Boxer's fate reflects how the working class were exploited and discarded.

Some people miss this and think the book is just anti-communist. It's not. It's anti-totalitarian. It shows how *any* revolution, driven by ideals of equality, can be hijacked by a power-hungry elite who manipulate language, fear, and ignorance to create a new hierarchy. That's why "what was Animal Farm about" remains so relevant.

Why It Still Matters: Beyond Russia

Here's the scary part: you don't need to know Russian history for "Animal Farm" to resonate. Its power lies in showing universal patterns of power abuse. Those patterns pop up everywhere:

• Language as a Weapon: Squealer doesn't lie outright *all* the time. He twists words, uses confusing jargon ("tactics", "readjustments"), simplifies complex issues into catchy slogans, and constantly revises the past. Sound familiar? Think of political spin, misleading headlines, or even corporate doublespeak. "Downsizing" instead of "mass firings". "Enhanced interrogation" instead of... well, you know.
• Creating Enemies & Fear: Napoleon always needs a scapegoat. Snowball becomes the universal villain for everything that goes wrong. This unites the animals against a common (often fabricated) threat, distracting them from Napoleon's failures and power grabs.
• The Cult of Personality: Napoleon becomes untouchable. Poems are written about his brilliance. His portrait is everywhere. Criticizing him is unthinkable. Again, echoes throughout history and even in some workplaces or organizations.
• Rewriting History: The animals *know* the Commandments changed. They *remember* Snowball's bravery. But Squealer insists they're misremembering, calls them disloyal, and alters the physical records. Controlling the past controls the present.
• The Slow Slide: The corruption isn't instant. It's tiny concessions ("just sheets on the bed"), small lies ("it's necessary for the farm"), eroded principles ("well, maybe *some* trade with humans is okay"). Before you know it, the original dream is unrecognizable. Complacency is dangerous.

Reading it now, as an adult, I see "what Animal Farm was about" isn't just a history lesson. It's a manual for spotting manipulation tactics that are *still* used by those seeking power. It teaches you to question the language people in authority use, to check the facts yourself, and to be wary of anyone who promises utopia but demands absolute obedience.

Common Questions People Ask About Animal Farm

Q: Was Animal Farm based on a true story?

A: Not literally, no pigs took over a real farm! But it's a very direct allegory for the Russian Revolution and Stalin's rise to power. Orwell based the characters and events closely on real historical figures and incidents.

Q: What's the main message of Animal Farm?

A: Its core message is a warning: revolutions driven by ideals of equality can easily be corrupted into brutal dictatorships when seized by unscrupulous leaders who manipulate truth, spread fear, and concentrate power. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The phrase "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" perfectly encapsulates the hypocrisy of such regimes.

Q: Why did Napoleon hate Snowball?

A: It was pure power struggle. Napoleon (Stalin) craved absolute control. Snowball (Trotsky) was intelligent, popular, and had different ideas (like the windmill). Napoleon saw him as a threat. By eliminating Snowball and blaming all problems on him, Napoleon consolidated power and created a useful scapegoat.

Q: What does Boxer represent? Why is his fate so tragic?

A: Boxer represents the loyal, hardworking, but ultimately exploited working class (proletariat). He believes in the revolution's ideals and trusts the leaders (Napoleon/Squealer) completely. His mottos ("I will work harder!", "Napoleon is always right!") show his dedication. His betrayal – worked to exhaustion and then sold for glue instead of receiving his promised retirement – is the ultimate tragedy. He symbolizes how the very people who build the revolution are often sacrificed by the new ruling class.

Q: Is Animal Farm just about Communism?

A: While it directly targets Stalinism, its themes are much broader. It's a critique of totalitarianism, corruption, propaganda, and the abuse of power *in general*. The mechanisms Orwell describes – manipulation of language, cults of personality, scapegoating, rewriting history – can be seen in various authoritarian regimes, regardless of their stated ideology. Its warning is timeless.

Q: Why is the book called "Animal Farm"?

A> The original name was "Manor Farm," representing Tsarist Russia. After the rebellion, the animals rename it "Animal Farm," symbolizing the new society run by and for animals (workers). At the end, when the pigs fully become like humans, they revert it to "Manor Farm," showing the revolution's complete reversal.

Q: How long is Animal Farm? Is it hard to read?

A> It's quite short! Typically around 100-120 pages depending on the edition. Orwell's style is very clear and straightforward. It's famously accessible, which is why it's often taught in schools. The allegory adds depth, but the surface story of the animals is easy to follow. Don't let its size fool you though – its impact is huge.

Q: What did Orwell want readers to learn from Animal Farm?

A> Orwell desperately wanted people to see through propaganda and understand how totalitarian regimes seize and maintain power by manipulating language and history. He wanted people to be vigilant, skeptical of authority, and to recognize the warning signs of corruption inherent in any concentration of power. He believed in the ideals of socialism but abhorred the brutal distortion of those ideals under Stalin.

My Take: Why You Should Read It (Or Reread It)

Look, I won't pretend it's a happy book. It's brutal, cynical, and leaves you feeling pretty bleak. The first time I finished it, I felt a bit hollow. But honestly? That's the point. It *should* make you uncomfortable. It should make you angry about Boxer. It should make you furious at Squealer's lies.

Understanding what Animal Farm was about isn't just an academic exercise. It's a toolkit for critical thinking in the real world. Next time you hear a politician simplify a complex issue into a catchy slogan, or a leader blame all problems on a single scapegoat, or see history being subtly rewritten... you'll hear the sheep bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad!" in the back of your mind. You'll remember Squealer's oily justifications. You'll see the ghost of Boxer, betrayed.

That's Orwell's genius. He took a complex political tragedy and turned it into a story so simple a child can understand it, yet so profound it stays with you forever. It shows how easily noble dreams can turn into nightmares when power goes unchecked and people stop questioning. So yeah, what was Animal Farm about? It was about us. It was about power. It was about how easily freedom can be lost, one compromised principle at a time. And that’s something we can never afford to forget.