Dystopia is a literary genre that questions the possibility of overcoming the conditions of society and finding a path to justice. This genre often uses fantastical elements to show how alternative worlds may differ from ours and how changes can lead to greater justice. One of the most significant works of anti-utopia is George Orwell’s Animal Farm. It is based on the example of animal life on a farm, who try to overcome forced labor and violence and restore justice. Throughout Animal Farm, Orwell uses dystopian features of constant control, technology, censorship and opposition to convey the theme of criticizing society, and promoting justice.
One of the main features of Orwell’s anti-utopia in Animal Farm is the idea of constant and perpetual control. One example can be seen in how the pigs establish themselves as the ruling class on the farm and use their power to maintain constant control over the other animals. It is stated that the pigs take over the management of the farm and begin making all of the decisions, such as when to harvest the crops and how to distribute the food. They also establish the “Sunday Meetings,” where “the tale of confessions and executions went on” (Orwell 67). This constant control over the other animals reinforces the pigs’ power and authority and sets the stage for even more oppressive measures as the story progresses.
Another critical aspect of Orwell’s anti-utopia is using technology to increase control over the animals can be seen in the use of propaganda. The pigs use their superior knowledge of language to create and disseminate propaganda, which promotes their ideology and controls the thoughts and behaviors of the other animals. It is stated that the pigs “had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes” (Orwell 69). It demonstrates how the pigs use technology, in this case, their language knowledge, to increase control over the other animals on the farm.
Another essential feature of Orwell’s anti-utopia here is the crude and senseless censorship the government ruthlessly applies against people. In Animal Farm, one example can be seen in how the pigs suppress free speech and independent thought on the farm. The pigs “enforced a new commandment: ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others’” (Orwell 103). This absurd and contradictory commandment quashes any dissent or questioning of the pigs’ authority, highlighting the censorship’s senseless nature. The pigs also use violence and intimidation to prevent any criticism or opposition, as seen in the example of the executions mentioned earlier.
The fourth feature of Orwell’s anti-utopia in Animal Farm is the idea of opposition. Orwell uses this idea to show how the opposition between power and ordinary people leads to their spiritual and physical exhaustion. Orwell shows how power and authority can be used to deny freedom and individuality. For example, the monarchy and dictatorship in Animal Farm show how power opposes ordinary people, leading to their suppression and exhaustion.
In conclusion, it can be said that Orwell uses many of the main features of constant control, technology, censorship and opposition in Animal Farm to convey his main idea of criticizing society. He uses these ideas to clarify the problems arising from the superiority of power over individuality and freedom. It helps to understand what Orwell wanted to convey to the readers and shows how authority can be used to deny freedom and individuality.
Work Cited
Orwell, George. Animal farm. Oxford University Press, 2021.