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Animal Farm Question About Orwell

Hi all, hope you're well. I have a question about Orwell. When Orwell uses irony in 'Animal Farm', is he mocking the stupidity of the working class? I wasn't sure whether 'mock' is too strong of a word or not. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! :smile:
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Cote1
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What is the particular context?
Original post by Cote1
What is the particular context?

The pigs manipulating the more simple and uneducated animals is parallel to the Russian Revolution where Stalin and people like Molotov with him (the pigs) convinced the lower working class (the animals, who represent the proletariats) that they were helping them, when in fact they were in pursuit of power.
Original post by FerreroRocher06
The pigs manipulating the more simple and uneducated animals is parallel to the Russian Revolution where Stalin and people like Molotov with him (the pigs) convinced the lower working class (the animals, who represent the proletariats) that they were helping them, when in fact they were in pursuit of power.

He highlights/emphasises/illustrates the susceptibility of the working class (to the manipulative ideas of Stalin etc..)??

Imo, Orwell makes the other animals really stupid to create a clear juxtaposition between them andn the pigs, adding into the ultimate ending of the story.
(edited 2 years ago)
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Possibly 'mock' may be a little strong. Personally, I would not necessarily say that Orwell mocks the stupidity of the animals although I can see that there is an argument that he does. From what I recall, Orwell does highlight the ignorance and lack of education of the animals (working class) to show how the intelligent, educated pigs exploit this. This arguably shows the importance of education. He shows how the animals' inability to remember events clearly is exploited and made use of by the pigs. The fact that most of the animals are illiterate is also used by the pigs who take advantage of this. The animals' ignorance is used against them.
They are also unquestioning and do not really challenge the pigs. Boxer's blind loyalty is not valued by the pigs or repaid and the ultimate tragedy (for me...poor Boxer) is what the pigs do to him at the end.
(edited 2 years ago)
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I remember in the novella there was dramatic irony when the animals see the pigs standing at the end and the words of the commandment changed again. The animals' ignorance contributes to this as they have not seen clearly the events which have led to this final example of the pigs' corruption.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by Cote1
Boxer's blind loyalty is not valued by the pigs or repaid and the ultimate tragedy (for me...poor Boxer) is what the pigs do to him at the end.

I shed a tear for poor Boxer
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Original post by Bookworm_88
I shed a tear for poor Boxer

I actually can't bear to read that part again.
Original post by Cote1
I actually can't bear to read that part again.

Honestlyyyy, when Clover tries to run after boxer :afraid:
Reply 9
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Original post by Bookworm_88
Honestlyyyy, when Clover tries to run after boxer :afraid:

😥😥😥😥

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