In today's world, should a person's position insociety be determined by wealth, power and education alone? InAnimal Farm, George Orwell examines this question byparalleling the way society functions with a fictitious farmgoverned by animals. By using the different animals as thepeople in society, he seeks to show the reader how people arepositioned within society.

    Thestory is about a farm governed by animals. The owner is knownfor mistreating his animals and is unable to run the farmeffectively. While the farmer sleeps, the animals discussplans to revolt against him. In the spring, the animals launchtheir attack. They cause a loud enough disturbance to draw thepeople from the farmhouse, then chase them off the farm. Theanimals decide to form their own government where all share inthe work based on their ability. The members must swearallegiance to the rulers, the pigs, since they are consideredintelligent. The pigs learn the skills of man includingfarming, reading, writing and architecture. With these skills,they teach other animals. They create a nation of animals withlaws for all inhabitants. Although the animals are successfulat managing crops and constructing buildings, there areproblems: a power struggle ensues between two ruling pigs.

Although fiction isn't my first choice of reading, Ienjoyed this book. It was interesting how Orwell used theanimals to make a statement about politics and society.Although the book was published in 1945, many of those socialand political issues (such as inequalities among people andsociety's class structure) are still relevant. If you arelooking for a book that is clever and blends controversy withfiction, I suggest you pick up George Orwell's Animal Farm.You will probably enjoy it as much as I did.