Propaganda in George Orwell's animal farm : an allegorical and satirical study

Abstract EN

Animal Farm has been called George Qrwell's most ferocious propaganda (Voorhees, 1961 : 87).

Orwell was quick to admit that he was a propagandist.

In fact, in 1940, during a BBC radio discussion, he maintains that" every artist is a propagandist in the sense that he is trying, directly or indirectly, to impose a vision of life that seems to him desirable (Orwell & Angus, 1968 : 41).

But, Orwell hates political propaganda which deliberately falsifies reality, especially the hypocritical kind used solely for the purpose of keeping totalitarian regimes in power.

During the 1930s and 1940s he was repelled by the propaganda machines of dictators like Hitler and Stalin (Colmer, 1978 : 183).

It is this variety of propaganda that Orwell satirizes in Animal Farm, a novel that presents his vision of life.

Yet, George Orwell's Animal Farm is a story of pure propaganda.

Propaganda is a recurring theme and technique seen and used by characters in the book, as well as the author.

Animal Farm is an allegory that focuses on the communist revolution in Russia.

Being an allegory, events in the book accurately depict actual events in history that actually relate to propaganda (Clader, 1987 : 16).

Propaganda is a central element to the plot of Animal Farm (henceforth, AF).

Propaganda is used by various methods in the book.

These methods vary depending on who uses them.

Characters in the book use them according to who they are? Orwell also uses propaganda, simply by writing this book.

This book clearly shows his views on communism and events that took place in history.

As previously stated, the entire book represents his political views on historic events.