Animal Farm

May 1, 2011
 
Author's Note: For book club we recently finished Animal Farm.  This was my final piece for the book.  Instead of the usual essay that you can see on my Animal Farm page, I decided to use some technology and make a Vuvox.  Please leave feedback.  



April 26, 2011 

Author's Note: I felt like doing something different than the usual essay response since those can get boring.  This is a poem relating to the ending of Animal Farm by George Orwell.  I wanted to include climatic and repetitive syntactic devices in this poem.  Though it's sad, it's quite true. 
 
A sad ending
With death and mourn
Tragedy and forgetfulness
Growing old and gray
Frail and worrisome

Falling apart
With rules not reasonable
Evil takes over
Leaving everything, but
Happiness, fun, life

Not only are lives lost
Not only is work destroyed
Not only is trust abandoned
Nothing good can stay

Where they say everyone is "equal"
But everything has gone wrong


April 16, 2011 

Author's Note: Over our spring break, we were assigned to read chapters seven and eight and do a response.  As I have been working on, I would like to reduce my be-verbs by 30% in this response as well.  I know that I did a summary in the middle paragraphs, but it was to back up my thesis. 

The Seven Commandments

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No anial shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.

Imagine if you could not read, but your friend can.  You have heard your school rules and stories that someone had told you.  Then one day you hear something different than what you were told the other day.  Not having the ability to read, you cannot look at it for yourself, Will you trust your friend to read you the actual statement?  Similarly in Animal Farm, Muriel, the white goat, had the capability to read better than others.  When someone questioned the Seven Commandments she would read them to that animal, but she would add a twist making them think incorrectly.  It's because people trust each other that they will compromise what they think is right for what others say.

For example, Clover had seen the pigs sleeping on beds.  She thought that there was a commandment against beds.  Since Clover could not read the commandments she asked Muriel to read the commandment about the beds, but Muriel said, " No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets."  Squealer had walked by agreeing with Muriel saying that Clover didn't remember the last two words.  They had given false information, but since Clover could not read she didn't know so she believed what Muriel had recited.  Why would someone do that?

The way Muriel and Squealer took advantage of Clover seems similar to a person with the gift of seeing leading someone who's blind in the wrong direction.  They shouldn't have lied to Clover.  Sometimes people will change something to protect someone else, but in the end, they will find that there could be larger consequences than telling the truth.  When a person trusts you, will you tell them the truth or make them compromise to something else?

April 13, 2011

Author's Note: Our Lit. Club was assigned to do any type of response to Animal Farm by George Orwell.  In this response, I am working on decreasing be-verbs by 30% and including a syntactic device.  Please leave me feedback at the bottom. 

When the Russian Revolution had taken place between 1917 to 1919 Karl Marx began communism.  That meant that no matter what profession a person had during that time, everyone got paid the same and shared everything.  Animal Farm happens to be based off of the Russian Revolution, and Animal Farm's Karl Marx, Old Major, begins communism at the farm.  In that case all of the animals get the same serving of food.  Though communism may sound like an excellent plan when everyone's equal and shares everything, it can also be unfair and cause some controversy. 

Communism has its advantages and disadvantages.  On the farm, Boxer, a strong cart-horse, works very hard and gets more accomplished than any other animal, which follows his motto, "I will work harder!"  Though Boxer works extremely hard, there will be no reward or higher pay.  In the Russian Revolution, one man may be a surgeon while another man picks up the garbage, both would get paid the same amount.  Do you think that can be fair to them?  Some who are less fortunate may think that communism can be great for everyone because they might get more than they used to.  On the other hand, the wealthy people might think it's a horrible idea knowing that all of their money will be given away and they will need to share. 

Honestly, I would not like communism.  It's not reasonable to some people who will work more, give more, or do more than others.  The animals should get paid a realistic amount for their service and so should a person.  Somebody could be slacking off while another is sweating hard doing double work, yet in the end same is given.  Communism isn't fair and it will not benefit our country.