Entry 8: My choice

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* entry of your choice

Comparing Fahrenheit 451 and Animal Farm:
If you ask me to choose my favorite book between Fahrenheit 451 and Animal Farm, I would choose Animal Farm. The reason is because I had more interest reading Animal Farm than Fahrenheit 451. It true that I can apply the theme and the meanings of the books to the world, but Animal Farm seduced me in a different way and showed me a lot of similarities that is happening currently and that happened in the past. Fahrenheit 451 is kind of unrealistic and wasn’t my type but it was fairly interesting and was able to compare to the current world. While I was working on my blog, I was able to see the world in different perspectives and point of views. I wouldn’t be able to change the dystopian world, but I’m sure that I would be aware of the fact that is going around me. It was great to have an opportunity to learn differently by using my opinions to explain the book and the society instead of just reading, memorizing vocabularies, and taking AR quizzes. I am proud of myself to see two finished blogs by scrolling up my mouse up and down. I recommend the future freshmen to make a blog like this and feel satisfied of their works that they have done.

Entry 7: Settings

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* are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? or disturbing? or memorable? describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.

I believe that everyone who read the book, Animal Farm, will pick the Farm as the most memorable setting. The reason is because everything happened in this place and it was really the only setting that showed in the book. From where the owner mistreated the animals, till where the animals were destructing themselves happened in this small community. The victory of Mr. Jones was the beginning of changes. Secondly, Napoleon came along and started to rule of the farm. Many animals were dying innocently by being against the government or being faithful. Snowball, who is the true opinion in my point of view, stood up but was banished. The completion of the windmill and the suffering that the animals had to go through happened in that small community of the farm. If we compare this community to the world, I believe that where is no difference. Rebellions and revolution happens, leaders kill innocent people for their own power, and destruct the world by developing the cities. If we compare the world and the community from the novel, it can come down to a conclusion that we are all animals. Animals who are so greedy, self-centered and egotistic. Even this whole world is not running by a communist country, we are living in a biased world. We are living in a corrupted world where the leaders, who are supposed to be depended and responsible, are destructing the place where we are living in.

Entry 6: Passage

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* please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.

The seven commandments on the wall was the passage that I remembered the best. In my opinion, the commandments were made to criticize human because they were mistreated. For example, “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.” Because of Mr. Jones, the criteria of the rules were based on his negative images that were shown in front of the animals. In the other hand, I also found the commandments very useless. When no body is able to read, what is the point of following it? Also, the commandments constantly changed as time went by. The rules of the commandments were also ironic because the leader himself was going against all of those rules. Behind those commandments, hardships happen and suffering kills that animals. Behind those commandments, Napoleon continues to consolidate power and killing the animals who are against him. It was a dog eating dog society to keep the position that controls the power and digressing to the way of unrighteousness and corruption. “All animals are equal.” What is the true meaning of that rule? Being equal is that others have rights to say something like the leader and vocalize their opinion about the society. However, other leaders in the past ignored the fact and acted on their own. They killed innocent people unmercifully and kept their position. Later on, I’ve noticed when they are dead or over, they received a title of a horrible leader. Like, “Ivan the Terrible”, “Hitler the Jewish killer”, “Joseph Stalin the Stone”, “Kim Jung IL the madman”, and “Napoleon the dictator”.

Entry 5: Mood

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* what is the mood of this novel? do you find this novel saddens you in any way? why?

The story itself is very melancholy. From the beginning, the animals in the farm suffer from the horrible owner, Mr. Jones. He is an apathetic person who is drunk all the time. He didn’t take care of them, feed them nor gave them water to drink. Then, the animals overthrew him. After the coup d´ tat, the animals were glad that peace came into their barn. They started farming, got education, and it was a world that was perfect. The people came back to the farm and the whole circumstances begin to change. Napoleon, the pig, became the leader of the farm and the freedom that the animal used to have, was vanishing. The greed inside of Napoleon made the animals suffer. When the animals were building the windmill to show off that they have an ability to take care of themselves, it was obvious that their ambition was great to develop the farm. However, the process of building it was a challenge to many of the animals. In the book, there is a quote saying, ““There are always bad things following after good things. Plus, life itself is always depressing.”” I think it is so true based on this novel or maybe, it is the reality. The sadness of corruptions is filling the world. Communism, development, and more are hurting the environment and the people. What is the most important thing in the world? Power? Respect? Or Money? The fights that happen in the animal farm can not be neglected when we compare it to our world.

Entry 4: Climax

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* what is the climax of this novel? what happens? how do the events of this novel make you feel?

It was hard to find the climax in this story. However, I think the part where Napoleon banishes Snowball from the farm is the climax by attacking him with Napoleon’s dogs. During the meeting in the barn, the competition between Napoleon and Snowball was getting bigger when Napoleon felt fear if Snowball would rule over him become a better leader. They kept disagree each other’s opinions and Snowball was debate of why he is a good leader and how he can improve the barn. It’s just like when Joseph Stalin banished Leon Trotsky. It’s kind of hilarious that pigs were thinking of generating the electricity for their comfort. After that, Squealer explains that Snowball is a traitor and Napoleon is making a huge sacrifice of himself for them.
The action of Napoleon didn’t surprise me at all because it was obvious that he was going to stop Snowball from getting bigger and gaining power. It reminded me again that the world where the animals are living and the world that we are living are equally corrupted. To get power and respect, one can do anything by hurting other people. The fact that this event actually happened in Soviet Union hurts me and makes me feel sorry for the people who have gone through those agonies.

Entry 3: Main characters

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* who are the main characters in the novel? do you like them? why or why not? what is special about them? what do they reveal about the universal human experience?

Napoleon is a pig that comes out as the leader of Animal Farm. Napoleon is a model of Joseph Stalin, previous Russian dictator, who uses “military power”. He’s not the protagonist in this novel, but he is the main character. He educates the little puppies for his own goods, not for them, so they can later be his soldiers or followers. Just like Joseph Stalin, Napoleon is an apathetic character who has no feeling towards anyone. That is the reason why I dislike Napoleon. He uses all the animals for himself and doesn’t give any awards. If I were to give him another name, I would give, “Napoleon the Terrible”. Napoleon also represents other dictators in the world other than Joseph Stalin. Like, Fidal Castro in Cuba or Kim Jong IL in North Korea. He was a character who wants everything in his way even if he would put everyone in jeopardy.

Snowball is the pig who is against Napoleon for controlling the Animal. Snowball is the model of Leon Trotsky who was a leader of Red Army criticizing Joseph Stalin. In the novel, Snowball is very smart, passionate, and persuasive. I actually do like him in the book and I wish he was the leader of the animal farm. He tries the spread the Animalism and tries to improve the animal farm. However, I feel bad that his end isn’t that great. He’s a revolutionist in the novel and a character who craves for righteousness.

Boxer is a horse who is very naïve, devoted and loyal to Napoleon. He plays a great role of completing the windmill. His two mottoes are “I will work harder.” and “Napoleon is always right.” Both mottos can give characteristics of Boxer: he’s very diligent and positive to remind himself that he will work harder in any circumstances. However, he uses that mind to support Napoleon. Later in the novel, Boxer’s pitiful death at a glue factory makes me furious and sad. He was the character who tried to hold the animal farm together by serving and with all his heart.

Squealer is a pig who is one of the followers of Napoleon who brainwashes the animals in the farm by spreading Napoleon’s propaganda with language. He misuses the truth to gain power and survive in the political world. He wrote the seven commandments on the wall:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3. No animal shall wear clothes.

4. No animal shall sleep in bed.

5. No animal shall drink alcohol.

6. No animal shall kill any other animal.

7. All animals are equal.
(page 43)
Later, he changes one of the rules (rule#7). In the story, he brainwashed the animals by teaching them to say, “Four legs good, two legs better!” and “a bird’s wing . . . is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation.” I really don’t like in the story and feel bad for him that he could’ve used the gift of speaking in the good way. He’s a character who uses his gift in a wrong way for his own good.

Entry 2: Current situations

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* are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? what are they, and how do they relate? does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?

Many people use Kim Jung II, North Korean dictator, as an example to explain the dystopian world. However, I would like to tell you another dictator in Cuba, Fidel Castro. Once he was a person who was in a revolutionary group against Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. However, when he became the ruler of Cuba, Castro changed Cuba into a communist nation. Also, he became an ally with the Soviet Union and relied on their aids. The economy of Cuba went down and people of Cuba started to criticize and tried to run away to the United States. Even the citizens in the States hated him. The CIA planned to assassinate him by going across to the country. People were over working, facing food shortage and freedom. Fidel Castro has a fancy home, nice home, and a great lifestyle. Just like him, Napoleon was sleeping on a comfortable bed, eating great food and stayed in a protective house. Fidel Castro has killed and imprisoned many people who criticized him. Just like Joseph Stalin. The novel doesn’t really shed light on how current situations could be resolved or fixed. But, Fidel Castro is going through in his eighties and many people are looking forward to the end of communism.

Entry 1: Major theme

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

I think the theme of this novel shows the corrupted past in Soviet Union, and the usage of language as a tool to gain power. If you look at the politicians, they always lie but grantee that everything will be fine if we follow their ways. The governments use propaganda and great speeches for people to listen to them. That is how Squealer persuaded other animals to believe him. Who says that languages are for communication? It’s a weapon that can change people for eternity into the false stereotype. This theme is very important to a teenager living in 2007 because teenagers are surrounded by the voices of peer pressure, Media and the “obligations” from the society. They should be stable and seek the truth for their own safety and survival in this world. The society is corrupting the world by brainwashing the teenagers of what is right and what it wrong. If we are given some options and choices, then we have a right to use it and do what is right for us. We have our own voices and other people would have to listen and respect, instead neglecting it like Napoleon or should I say the leaders all over the world. Teenagers living in 2007 are the future members of the society. People would have to set up a good example for us the lead the world later on. I don’t want my future leader to be on his or her way to get power but really wanting people to be happy.