Big Brother Is Watching

Hello world! I am back so soon again writing. Although I had already finished the book when I wrote the half way point blog, here are my final thoughts about the work of Satire. I thought that Animal Farm by George Orwell was absolutely amazing. The text is no question a satire because of how hysterical of a novel it is. Orwell makes fun of the ideology of communism using animals. He explicates the idea that the animals who made a government and seven commandments were under the impression that everything they were doing was for the best interest of the animals on the farm. 

    I could not put down this book because it was not obviously funny; one had to understand what was going on in the book. The way Orwell depicts the pigs manipulating the lower class of animals as government officials do to people within society caused me such hysteria. Slowly as time goes on in the story, animals are being manipulated and because it is not all at once they do not realize what is going on. 

    Although, several people do not understand why and how Orwell's book is a comedy, also known as a satire, he is using animals to depict the life of humans. I think the comedy is explained just based on that aspect. The animals over time end up being involved in a monarchy. They think they have a say when in reality they do not. The pigs change the seven commandments to fit their desired way of life. This part alone in the book left me in awe because it is extremely true to society today.  Even though , United States citizens have the right to vote the government makes several decisions that have the mask of looking like they are for the people when in reality they are for their own hidden agendas. 

     The meaning of the work as whole was clear for me since the very beginning. Although people start together when an idea is created or started, as time goes on people start to form their own groups based on their opinions and beliefs. I would highly recommend reading this book if you disagree with the government or would just like an overall good laugh. Literature, a good work of literature, something worth merit is expected to be able to relate to all people. Animal farm, a satire about a bunch of animals that try and change their way of life relates to people in modern society today, those who are government officials corrupting the country or just the middle class and or lower class person. Anyway I'm sure I will be writing again soon enough! Always keep reading and being analytical. 

   P. S make sure to actually read this book. Most of my class had already read this in like the eighth grade but I still chose to read it. Animal Farm can truly be for anyone from seventh grade and up. Do not be afraid to read things that may not be as AP sophisticated as some of the other books your peers are reading! 

The crazy understanding of how animals relate to society

Hello world I am back with yet another somewhat insightful post! In class we had to pick a work of Satire to read on our down time, I chose Animal Farm, by George Orwell. This is our half way point post but in truth I have read the entire thing! I could not put this book down for a second it was thrilling. The way Orwell portrayed the animals as the people and officers during the Russian Revolution and the Stalin era is mind blowing. The two major characters; Snowball the pig who challenges Napoleon one who emerges as the leader after the revolution. Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin and Snowball depicts Leon Trotsky. The novel catches the reader’s attention because of how brilliant of a Satire it is. It is making fun of the time when people did not have rights and gad to follow people like Joseph Stalin or the leader of the Red Army. Throughout the story, at first I thought I was just reading about a bunch of animals on a farm who wanted freedom, however it goes much deeper than that. The animals, representing the lower class were brainwashed to think that everything they were doing was to help their cause of freedom. The animals were introduced to the problems of the Manor farm by Old Major, who passed away earlier in the story. He explained to them that the way they were living was not right and that the conditions and way of life they were currently living was not okay. For me, as I was reading I kept comparing it to modern day society even though it is based on the idea of communism. In the beginning all the animals are eager to learn, to vote and to be a part of the process of creating a new life for themselves. However, as the story continues, the pigs start to take over the farm and change everything that was created by the animals as a whole. It reminds me of our government today and society in general because although United States citizens have the right to vote , several decisions are made by a small group of government officials. Things were changed without question or concern for the lower class of animals on the farm. In addition, when changes were made, the animals were content because so many things had been changed in their lifetime they began to forget how things originally were on the Animal Farm. As generations passed on the history of their revolution was not forgotten but the details of what they stood for was. The small details in the novel is what caught my attention and caused me not to be able to put down the book , the animals had created a version of the seven commandments and each of them had been altered. The animals were always to walk on two legs, never to wear clothes, to sleep in a bed or drink alcohol. However, by the end of the story, the higher classes had found a way around each one of them and were able to make up excuses to explain to the other animals why the alterations were necessary when in reality they were just to benefit themselves. Those who took charge were not in charge for the better good of the farm and other animals but primarily to better themselves as many people in society are. I would highly recommend reading this wonderful book. Until next time!

 

 

 

 

 

Blinded by Revenge

Hey world I am back to tell you about a little game I like to call the blame game!  My AP Literature class just finished Shakespeare’s famous play Othello and there was a whole lot of the he said she said game, also known as the blame game. Iago ends up believing that Othello slept with his wife, Emilia causing him to despise the moor (Othello). Then to worsen the situation Othello chooses an old friend as his lieutenant instead of Iago who according to himself rightfully deserved the promotion. Iago was fed up with Othello and decided it would only be fair to get revenge. He produces an extremely evil plan that ends in the deaths of Desdemona, Emilia and Othello. In the end of the play Iago is left with blood on his hands. Thus the question arises, who was to blame Othello or Iago? After concluding reading the play and watching the film the answer is clear, Iago is to blame for the atrocities that take place at the end of the play. Iago was blinded by the revenge he was craving. He put the devious plan in place to purposely ruin Othello and Desdemona’s life. If Iago had truly believed that his wife had been unfaithful he should have confronted her, it takes two to tango. On the contrary, many would argue that it was Othello’s fault that the killings happened. They believe that Othello’s over confident and charming self, is what caused the end of the play. However, Othello did not plan to ruin his and his wife’s lives like Iago did. Although he did plan to kill Desdemona and carried that out, it was under the false pretensions that Othello had planted in his head. Does that then mean it was Othello’s fault for trusting Iago? The answer is no , Othello was wrong in killing Desdemona even though none of this would have occurred if Iago had not started the rumors and had not followed through on his plan. Iago is ultimately the culprit behind every event in the play. He tricks Roderigo into believing that he could help him win Desdemona , only to use him to kill and then kill him in the end to keep quiet. In addition, he turns his wife into an accomplice when she takes Desdemona’s handkerchief for him. Iago uses people until he is done and does not need them anymore and either kills him or turns them against each other. He is a manipulative and very decisive character who only is concerned about himself. In modern society if someone was to murder another person they would not be able to say “someone made them”. The action was completed by someone and they have to face the consequences. In the film during the end of scene five Lodovico (kin of Desdemona’s) forces Iago on his knees at the end of Othello’s bed to show him the result of his plan. On the bed laid; Desdemona, Emilia and Othello. They all could have been spared if Iago had not been caught up in his life and let that aspect and jealously get the best of him. In the play he says to Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of jealously; It is the green eyed monster… (46)” this is ironic because in the end he (Iago) did let jealousy get the best of him. Shakespeare leaves the audience with the lesson that there will always be blame games in life but to look at what actions were carried out and by whom. The situation, the details and the background story do not matter when someone’s life is taken and or destroyed. Iago could have saved himself if only he did not blame every wrong in his life on Othello.