Word Out 2013

Guest review by William

Manor Farm is at war. After ousting the tyrannous
farmer, Mr. Jones, animals of the farm rejoice and proudly rename their farm
“Animal Farm”. Two pigs—Snowball and Napoleon—and the rest of the animals
establish a basic set of commandments on how they should live, leaving the farm
at peace. But when Napoleon sways a select group of animal into his ride for
power and humanistic lifestyle, order at Animal Farm is threatened. As Snowball
and his friends struggle to control the farm, Napoleon draws more and more
animal followers into his circle.

George Orwell is most notably famous for his novel 1984.
His other famous story, Animal Farm, is a tale of freedom and strife; a
fantasy that ties in with the real world. The novel connects to some of our
world’s political problems, past and the present (for example,
the situation in Egypt or Syria). Animal Farm is short and to the point. The author discusses themes such as war,
democracy, and freedom of speech. The novel reads like a fairy tale, yet when I
think about the characters carefully, they all had unique human qualities, which makes it very relatable. Orwell does an excellent job at making
politics a little less boring, as well as keeping the plot moving.
If you need something short on your reading list (95 pages approximately) then this is your book. It teaches
you that power can’t be handled that easily.