Question 1 Animal Farm

*What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?

Animal farm mainly depicts human hypocrisies, selfishness and class stratification. According to the book, pigs are portrayed as human beings which look out only for one's own interests. They develop class tyranny and establish class structure. In the novel, animals expel Mr. Jones from the farm and later the social status is internally divided even though their common enemy (human) is eliminated. This clearly shows that animals form a class structure themselves, although they all promised equality before the Rebellion. Napoleon drove out Snowball and becomes the leader of the Animal Farm. He gradually changes the seven commandments for his own benefit and oppresses other animals. These actions relates to the theme of hypocrisy and selfishness. The theme delivers a message that there will always be a discrimination between social classes and the force it brings to the community (or society) threats the democracy and freedom (which resulted in totalitarianism of Napoleon in the case of Animal Farm).

'A man's desire for power leads to where a classless society is impossible.' This theme is important to teenagers because it indicates and teaches teenagers how to live in this community. Sooner or later teenagers will also become an adult, and they will be the ones leading and representing their own country. It is important to open teenager’s eyes through knowing how the dictatorship could corrupt the society and cause harm to the citizens allowing them to sacrifice. I hope that nowadays teenagers do not make those kinds of mistakes by acting like pigs. Instead of that, I expect teenagers will respect each other and make an equal society that lasts forever.