The inevitable end-point of centralized political/ideological control: "All animals are equal. But some are more equal than others." Boxer's death - compelling.
I haven't read this since high school. I'm sure it was quite interesting in high school - but (as often when I think of books read back then) - I wonder what I then thought of it. I pretty much read it in an information vacuum. Now - nigh 40 years later - have had the benefit of much more reading about Russia, Communism, the Spanish Civil War, political environment when this was written in the 1940s. Maybe I get half of Orwell's allusions now? What percentage did I get in high school (when I wouldn't have even known about Leon Trotsky)? What percentage if I read this again in 20 years?
Another thing I hadn't realized was the extent of Orwell's commitment to socialism - given the nature of the book, I would have assumed he opposed. But the foreword to this edition indicates that he was then a true believer - had fought in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Soviet-supported government against the Nazi (fascist)-supported rebels - but left after seeing the murderous nature of the Russian "support." Animal Farm was supposed to debunk the myth of the Russian version of socialism, to help prospects in other socialist systems.
Good . Short. Effective.
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