十分钟看懂乔治·奥威尔的《动物庄园》
《动物庄园》（Animal Farm）
[英] 乔治·奥威尔（George Orwell）
（1903年6月25日－1950年1月21日）
【关键词】
政治；寓言；反乌托邦；自由；平等
【内容简介】
一个农庄的动物不堪人类主人的压迫，在猪的带领下起来反抗，赶走了农庄主，牲畜们实现了“当家作主”的愿望，农场更名为“动物庄园”，奉行“所有动物一律平等”；之后，两只处于领导地位的猪为了权力而互相倾轧，胜利者一方宣布另一方是叛徒、内奸。此后，获取了领导权的猪拥有了越来越大的权力，成为新的特权阶级；动物们稍有不满，便会招致血腥的清洗：农庄的理想被修正为“有的动物较之其他动物更为平等”，动物们又恢复到从前的悲惨状况。
农场里的一头猪老少校（Old Major）在提出了“人类剥削牲畜，牲畜须革命”的理论之后死去，若干天后，农场里掀起了一场由猪领导的革命，原来的剥削者——农场主斯密斯被赶走，牲畜们实现了“当家作主”的愿望，尝到了革命果实的甘美，农场更名为“动物庄园”并且制定了庄园的宪法──七诫。
但不久领导革命的猪们发生了分裂，一头猪雪球被宣布为革命的敌人，此后，获取了领导权的猪拿破仑拥有了越来越大的权力和越来越多的特别待遇，逐渐脱离了其他动物，最终蜕变成为和人类完全一样的牲畜剥削者，动物庄园的名字也被放弃。
农场的一群动物成功地进行了一场“革命”，将压榨他们的人类东家赶出农场，建立起一个平等的动物社会。然而，动物领袖，那些聪明的猪们最终却篡夺了革命的果实，成为比人类东家更加独裁和极权的统治者。
该作被公认为反乌托邦政治讽喻寓言。
Summary of Animal Farm
From Wikipedia
[Animal Farm is an allegorical and dystopian novella by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union.]
Old Major, the old boar on the Manor Farm, summons the animals on the farm together for a meeting, during which he refers to humans as "enemies" and teaches the animals a revolutionary song called Beasts of England. When Major dies, two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, assume command and consider it a duty to prepare for the Rebellion. The animals revolt and drive the drunken and irresponsible farmer Mr. Jones from the farm, renaming it "Animal Farm". They adopt Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of which is, "All animals are equal."
Snowball teaches the animals to read and write, while Napoleon educates young puppies on the principles of Animalism. Food is plentiful, and the farm runs smoothly. The pigs elevate themselves to positions of leadership and set aside special food items, ostensibly for their personal health.
Some time later, several men attack Animal Farm. Jones and his men are making an attempt to recapture the farm, aided by several other farmers who are terrified of similar animal revolts. Snowball, who has been studying the battles of Julius Caesar in anticipation of such a fight, orders the animals to retreat, then attacks the men and beats them back. Snowball's popularity soars and this event is proclaimed "The Battle of the Cowshed" and celebrated annually with the firing of a gun along with the anniversary of the Revolution.
Napoleon and Snowball struggle for preeminence. When Snowball announces his plans to build a windmill, Napoleon has his dogs chase Snowball away and declares himself leader of Animal Farm.
Napoleon enacts changes to the governance structure of the farm, replacing meetings with a committee of pigs who will run the farm. Through a young pig named Squealer, Napoleon claims credit for the windmill idea. The animals work harder with the promise of easier lives with the windmill. When the animals find the windmill collapsed after a violent storm, Napoleon and Squealer convince the animals that Snowball is trying to sabotage their project. Once Snowball becomes a scapegoat, Napoleon begins to purge the farm with his dogs, killing animals he accuses of consorting with his old rival. When some animals recall the Battle of the Cowshed, Napoleon (who was nowhere to be found during the battle) frequently smears Snowball as a collaborator of Jones, while falsely representing himself as the hero of the battle. Beasts of England is replaced with an anthem glorifying Napoleon, who appears to be adopting the lifestyle of a man. The animals remain convinced that they are better off than they were under Mr. Jones.
Mr. Frederick, one of the neighbouring farmers, attacks the farm, using blasting powder to blow up the restored windmill. Though the animals win the battle, they do so at great cost, as many, including Boxer the workhorse, are wounded. Despite his injuries, Boxer continues working harder and harder, until he collapses while working on the windmill. Napoleon sends for a van to take Boxer to the veterinary surgeon, explaining that better care can be given there. Benjamin, the cynical donkey who "could read as well as any pig", notices that the van belongs to a knacker, and attempts a futile rescue. Squealer quickly assures the animals that the van had been purchased from the knacker by an animal hospital and the previous owner's signboard had not been repainted. In a subsequent report, Squealer reports sadly to the animals that Boxer died peacefully at the animal hospital; the pigs hold a festival one day after Boxer's death to further praise the glories of Animal Farm and have the animals work harder by taking on Boxer's ways. In unrelated news, Napoleon and his inner circle are simultaneously found to have acquired money to buy whisky for themselves. (In 1940s England, one way for farms to get cash was to sell large animals to a knacker, who would kill the animal and boil its remains into animal glue.)
Years pass, and the windmill is rebuilt along with construction of another windmill, which makes the farm a good amount of income. However, the concepts which Snowball discussed, of animal stalls with running water and lighting are forgotten, with Napoleon advocating that the happiest animals live simple lives. Besides Boxer, many of the animals who participated in the Revolution are dead, as well as Jones, who died in another part of England. The pigs start to resemble humans, as they walk upright, carry whips, and wear clothes. The Seven Commandments are abridged to a single phrase: "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others". Napoleon holds a dinner party for the pigs and local farmers, with whom he celebrates a new alliance. He abolishes the practice of the revolutionary traditions and restores the name "The Manor Farm". As the animals look from pigs to humans, they realise they can no longer distinguish between the two. (856 words)
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