Animal Farm | Analysis
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2024
- George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a fascinating book often perceived as a criticism of socialism because of its critical depiction of the USSR. However, as you may already know, the book is a bit more nuanced than this. Animal Farm is a tale of emancipation, freedom, equality and, as an antithesis to these: capitalism.
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0:00 Introduction
7:18 How Animal Farm Praises Socialism
19:03 How The Revolution Failed
45:36 Conclusion
#arthistory #art #animalfarm
I think the audiobook narrated by Ralph Cosham did the story justice. The best performance of a "Classic" I've listened to yet.
It's worth the listen for anyone who wants to revisit this book.
I'm glad I found this comment again. I have an unused credit this month from audible and was going to get it but blanked on which book it was. 😅
I've never read it before, so this should be cool. Thanks!
Being British, I was never taught about Animal Farm when I was in school. Socialism and communism were rarely touched on in school for me. When I first read the book I immediately recognized how pro socialist it was and recognized, within my interpretation at the time, the link between Napoleon and Stalin as well as dogs and police. It was immensely surprising for me to find out that people thought it was a pro-capitalist book. It was dumbfounding. Capitalists will use any words or art for its own self preservation, even if those words or art were created in direct opposition to it.
EDIT: A few other Brits have mentioned reading Animal Farm in school, so it might me more of a generational or school by school basis thing.
Atbthe end it literally says they can't differentiate humans from pgs ffs!
Exactly, even as I read it I could tell it was a leftist critiquing leftist belief, it’s still relevant and as a leftist who wants to improve the left this book is amazing
@@wyattcole5452political ideologies dont revolve around “right-left” politics. its a socialist book critiquing exactly that
might be an english thing, it’s quite common in high school english in scotland
@@mattmack7102 It could also just have been my school and the time I was being educated.
The portrayal of the dogs is especially interesting considering Orwell’s personal history as a colonial police officer.
"When he says you may drown in the bathtub, he's right. But that doesn't mean you should stop taking baths.... stinky"
Gave me a little chuckle. I'm not gonna lie, lol.
When i read the end bit about how the pigs looked human, i interpreted it as the idea of communism morphing into something it wasn't meant to be. Top tier novel, top tier pig nose.
No, communism was never achieved in the book. At the end the pigs simply became what the humans were at the beginning (that is to say they became a ruling class that exploits the working class for their own benefit) and because of that the animals couldn't differentiate between the two. The point is that communism cannot ever work because of the fact that we live in a world where evil exists and selfish people will never cease to usurp power.
The fact these don’t get more views is confusing to me they are so well made
same
This book or the video of it is junk. It's purported to tell the story from an animals perspective but still dictated by human. Its conclusion has no value.
George Orwell failed.
It might have been suppressed
Shadow banning
Wierd considering youtube put this as the first result for the search "animal farm analysis"
I read Animal farm on my own in year six (British school system) and we didn’t cover it in my school, but my sister did it in year 9; they taught it as a critique on capitalism and how socialism can be coopted or go awry if not done correctly, teaching us context of Orwell’s political views and the allegory for Russia’s political sphere at the time. Idk about other schools but i feel lucky that we both received this teaching unlike some schools that completely misinterpret it, and am grateful that you’re gifting others with the opportunity to see this book clearly again. I love your channel btw!🤍
Funny how it's a lecture (lecture is a mandatory book to read) in Polish education system because of well, our country's story with "socialism"
This channel is one of the richest on this platform. I hope you won't get tired of explaining great art, political concepts and ideas anytime soon, comrade.
This channel is literally pure propaganda😂
This video just gave me the idea of a live action Animal Farm movie where every character is played by a human actor in terrible animal costumes
so like a play? or the live action Cats movie lol
I would love this XD
Seems like every student film ever made, I recently saw someone make reverse metamorphosis so your idea seems very doable
That’s crazy I’m South African and it’s always been taught as a political allegory on communism and socialism. Learning people were taught it’s anti communist is sooo wild.
There are people who fled from Socialist countries, who read animal farm and see the similarities between the regimes they lived under and what's described in the book...
Orwell was a Socialist, who was critical of Socialism and Animal Farm is a critique of the Soviet Union. He never switched to the right wing and became a free marketeer, maybe with more time he would have, but his critique of Socialism is still valid. Socialism is totalitarianism disguised as "fairness".
@@TearThatRedFlagDown I fucked upp with what I said in this comment before I changed it to this
@@SwedishDrunkard5963 And I just have to say that you're an uneducated midwit. I'm not biased, I'm just really well read and understand this subject better than you do.
You read Das kapital? Cool story bro, I read way more books by actual economists and not by quacks like Marx.
I don't feel like repeating myself, but Socialism DEMANDS abolishment of property rights and a centrally controlled economy, that is the definition of Socialism. The whole point of a system like this is to make people dependent on the government, there is no "democracy" here, only totalitarianism.
If you take away property rights and then proceed to centralise economic control, that's inherently giving up any way in which you can function independently from the government. And any left wing "thought" basically amounts to "make government go infinite", meaning that you left wingers are totalitarians by your very nature.
What actual freedom loving people wanna do, is have far less government and to be as independent of the government as possible.
You want to actually improve the quality of life of a large amount of people? Cut down on government and bureaucracy.
Your "democratic Socialism" is nothing more than having people slowly vote their way into totalitarianism. Go educate yourself or something, worthless, drooling imbecile.
...and a lie. Don’t believe everything you are told. “Covid 19 was a natural transmission and not Gain of Function”.
@@TearThatRedFlagDownif you believe Orwell would become a Laissez-faire Capitalist 46:38
I like how he is branching out from art to ideologies and literature. Keep it up! I want to hear him talk about literature, but his art talks is also interesting.
I always saw the story as a critique of both governing structures and a warning that revolution will always leave a power vacuum seeking a new tyrant to fill it. We read it in early highschool so around 13-15 years old, and even then my main take away was people are incapable of self governing without a clear leader and naturally subservient people will allow or even push some to lead them, rather than take on any burden of their own.
I critiqued it the same. No government is perfect. And you always have a wide swath of people who want someone governing them, or essentially “taking care” of them. Self sufficient people want small government that’s easier to keep from tyranny.
This book or the video of it is junk. It's purported to tell the story from an animals perspective but still dictated by human. Its conclusion has no value.
George Orwell failed.
I urge everyone to read this also by Orwell. Written during a German air raid in London, where Orwell was staying. “The Lion and the Unicorn.” 🙌
This book or the video of it is junk. It's purported to tell the story from an animals perspective but still dictated by human. Its conclusion has no value.
George Orwell failed.
I don’t really care for politics or books but you mr canvas never fail to peak my interest on any topic! You got me really into art history and I want to thank you for that ❤
Whites when they realize that their disappearance is a necessary step in order to achieve a better society: "uhh i don't really care about politics, art is NOT political"
if you dont care for politics how the hell do you vote?
@@modestrocker1 i’m not old enough to vote but I care enough for politics, that I know which party I would go for
@@titltic4907 If you "don't really care for politics" then how did you come to this knowledge of knowing which party to vote for? It doesn't sound as carefully considered as such an important thing should be. Explore the world of politics before you make up your mind. It's as interesting as any other subject. For that matter, you should never make up your mind though. There's always more to learn and there's always things you're wrong about. If you ever reach the point where you think you understand enough then you've stopped growing as a person. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing" -Socrates
@@lukesmith9455 I know about politics, and I know which politics I agree with I just don’t find myself super interested in politics if that makes sense I am educated on the politics in my country though
As someone who was homeschooled and read this book without any sort of commentary, it's batshit insane to me that schools present this book as anti-communist. I never took it as such, more of a commentary on how power corrupts even when someone has the best of intentions
Napoleon never had the best intentions, though. Snowball had the best intentions, and he also had all the brilliant plans. Napoleon piggybacked (no pun intended) off of Snowball's brilliance and abused it all. Napoleon only ever cared about having power for himself. If anything, I'd interpret it as 'not everyone that is part of a change or revolution is actually a good person.' Moreover, it's always worth noting that people who have only ever known suppression - while they can be motivated and open to change - will always elect and fall for similar suppressive regimes. The human psych is a feeble thing. Sometimes, especially in the West, we take right to self-deterimination and free will for granted. Majority of the people on this planet have only ever known suppression, and they will blindly choose it again - even if not intentionally. It's like Stockholm syndrome, but on a country-wide scale.
This book or the video of it is junk. It's purported to tell the story from an animals perspective but still dictated by human. Its conclusion has no value.
George Orwell failed.
That would be the case of Snowball was corrupted by power. Which he was not.
@@burgernthemomrailer He was a little bit when he wasn't against stealing the milk for pigs...
BROOO I LITERALLY HAVE TO WRITE AN ESSAY ON ANIMAL FARM FOR MY ENGLISH EXAM IN 3 DAYS THIS VIDEO WILL BE SO HELPFUL THANK YOU SO MUCH
HOW DID IT GO??? DID U GET A GOOD GRADE???
When like ~11-12yo first read Animal Farm (translated into Polish, since I wasn't fluent enough to read in english yet) on my own, I got the same basic impressions of "all communism bad", thanks to Poland's unfortunate history with Soviet Union. However, as I grew and learned more about the world, and especially during the lockdown, I started understanding that capitalism is horrible and sees neurodivergent people like me either as unwanted burden or easly exploitable group and only now the actual themes of the book have really started to sink in.
Ps. I just remembered that I have fancy big edition of Animal farm with banger illustrations.
Poland seems to be one of the only former Socialist countries without a high degree of nostalgia for back then, although most link it to Catholic Church influence and the Walesa influence from the 80's being remembered vividly. People seemed to think they could get rid of Communist led government but keep social programmes, guaranteed employment etc, then shock therapy capitalism came. The vast majority of Hungarians and Serbs I spoke to when over there were pretty pro-Socialist, especially the older folks who lost an awful lot when the Communists were ousted.
Curious why you think capitalism is against neurodivergent people? Is it because you don’t work? Or somehow can’t work? I’m genuinely curious
@@lilalicata616 well, capitalism (especially libertarian capitalism) sees people as replaceable cogs in the machinery that benefits the very few. Disabled people of any kind are uhm... let's just say damaged cogs, which obviously are undesireable and therefor either should "get over their disability" or perish to make room for cogs of "better quality"
Obviously, this system is really bad
Why you think under socialism or communism or feudalism or anarchism anything would be different? Im pretty sure in our current system we have programs and all types of laws helping and protecting people with disabilities. You need to read more my friend.
Even back in the days of cavemen, you had to add something, produce something, do something for the group. Even when you’re alone, you must take care of yourself in order to survive.
Once again, brilliant! Well done. These videos and live streams are moving me to expressing observations and information while teaching classes on regenerative horticulture /agriculture. My contracts haven't been canceled yet... probably because those "in power" aren't paying attention, or if they are, they have no understanding of which I speak.... pedagogy is so powerful... Keep up the amazing work! (Love the "costume" and set design!!❤)
canvas upload real???
The Animal Farm game is pretty cool btw
Animal crossing
Love the way this was edited. Banger after banger. Keep em coming…
Or else…
Stinky
@@emilekub850 uh oh
"What a surprise. A look of terminal shock in your eyes. That things arent really what they seem. Nooooo this is not a bad dream. Pink Floyd "Animals" . Track : " Sheep". I enjoyed the low lit set, and your narration. WELL done .
It's amazing to see how far this channel has come, I used to watch your videos on art back when I was in the 9th grade (thanks btw I got a really good grade in art)
Amazing! I've been following this channel for a long time now and I'm just so grateful to see how it has evolved and transform it self to this extent. In regards of the reading of Animal farm, boy, I was wrong since I was not looking at it as Capitalism propaganda but as a more pessimistic view of the outcomes of a revolution, that in the end would all always be pointless as human greed is intrinsic and inevitable, but the reading you made and the points you just clarified have convinced me of your thesis. I have always loved this book but only now I can truly say that I look at it as the guide that it should have always been, thank you so much!
an excellent video! very well presented and produced, as well as explained and explored :) i studied animal farm for my GCSEs (age 14-16) and we were primarily taught about it being an allegory of the russian revolution but did go into detail on orwell's socialist position and how the book had been co-opted by the very people it criticised - napoleon and jones. a really great read
He is not only a capitalist but also the Tzar. Importantly the opposite of communism in Russia was not only capitalism but monarchy. I feel especially Orwell as an Englishman, it should be accounted for that he was also speaking against monarchy.
I'm guessing most the budget for this video went into the costumes
Nah, that many canisters of copium broke their bank. The costumes were stolen.
With the brilliant minds on youtube, such as this gentleman, I am convinced that one may better educate himself here than in any school in North America. If only they can stand the endless toil of introspection and enjoy the act of seeking to know more than the finding.
I think I learned more in my 20 years on the internet than the 13 years I spent in school.
I swear it's funny to hear Canvas say "That's literally 1984." I don't know why but I love it!
how do you plan your essays? I'd like to write on similar topic that you talk about but I dont know how to do it. maybe you could make a video on it or redirect me towards someone/thing else?
Superb upload, your videos about art were great but I'm really happy to also see literature.
Orwell wrote two books that belong in the category of the most important books in the whole world and deserve all the time needed to be analyzed. Of course our current system doesn't teach people what it should, education is seriously flawed nowadays.
The extra production value is just 🌟🌟
Before "Animal Farm" there was "The Revolt of the Animals" by Władysław Reymont. And before "The Revolt of Animals" there were "Animal Riot" by Nikolai Kostomarov. Just like before "1984" and "Brave New World" there was the original dystopian novel "We" by brilliant Yevgeny Zamyatin. I like Orwell and his books.. but it bothers me that he's given all the credit for these satirical & dystopian tales when he's not the one who came up with those ideas and themes. Russians lived under those totalitarian regimes, and they created those tales as a natural response.. they are more authentic
And yet they're dead. Like a hope for ruzzian being anything more than a cesspool. And considering how much ruzzians wanted to wipe Ukrainian dignity, steal and pillage even today, I find them losing agency over their tale ..... quite fitting justice.
Russians write brilliant science fiction since they've always lived in this hellhole. Some relatives of mine lived in the Udssr and were not surprized by Russia's attack on Ukraine. Putin always knew how to keep his peasants shut, to give them breadcrumbs and make them be thankful for. Great Russian authors know this like the Strugazkis or Dereschuk or Glukhovsky, who got invited to jail A DAY after the invasion of Ukraine since his novels oppose Russian theocracy and dictatorship. Living in shit makes you dig up literal diamonds.
Socialist and communist are NOT synonymes.
Did he say that?
Yes they were until Lenin made them reflect different things. As I remember Marx has never thought of them as different.
@@johnmanole4779 Marx is, while a very important theorizer of it, not the father of socialism and communism, and before him the labels have been used in different and often overlapping ways.
Nowadays I'd say that most leftist use socialism to describe a society with socialized/worker owned economy, and communism is a moneyless, classless, stateless society with both socialized production and distribution by need. All communists are socialists, but not all socialists are communist.
Same difference.
@@KarlSnarks yes but for marx it was the same thing. They were synonymous and Lenin was just changing them for political reasons...or at least that's how I remember.
hands down my favorite book of all time
i really liked how you left in 'stinky' your topics are fascinating but can be so serious, it was refreshing and welcome to have an unexpected giggle.
19:57 This is Magnus Carlsen disguised as him guys, trust me it's Magnus.
This is what he does after he's done with Chess.
Why does the video have only 39k views? Absolutely brilliant work all round
I just did a 'thesis'/capstone project that took the opposite approach to the death of the author-I went to an excerpt from Homage to Catalonia and making an Allegorical story of the May Days events, in addition to the Lil paper I had to write
Thisis 100% correct. The correlaries between the events in Animal Farm and the history of the early USSR are painfully obvious.
A brilliant analysis of a brilliant book!
Man, I missed the stream again. Well I’ll catch it next time. Your doing the good work explaining animal farm. We’ve probably all started talking about some form of left thought only to be immediately shut down by “AniMaL
fArM!!!!??” … so thx we appreciate it
I'm going to enjoy reading my Suntup edition of "Animal Farm" all the more. Great video.
I have to say as any African (Zimbabwean) when l first read animal farm l thought of my own country's revolution and how we fell into dictatorship after the liberation struggles l swear as a kid wen l read this book it perfectly encapsulated what Zimbabwe went through just goes to show how similar all Communist/ socialist revolution are be it Russian or southern africa regardless of culture and race
I strongly disagree with one of the starting points of your analysis, which drives many of your conclusions: that Jones is a capitalist.
I think very few would agree that Jones was a capitalist. He was a feudal lord (of course, we should follow the death of the author here, but isn't it obvious that Jones was the czar? Czarist Russia was a feudal state, although Stolypin's reforms tried to undo that, it was too close to the revolution). He applied force, actual physical force, force that exists in order to coerce someone to do something.
If Jones were a capitalist, he would let the animals migrate to other farms, seeking other jobs, and perhaps some animals would stay there, because for them, the Joneses were all the same, or because if they were out of work, then they would starve.
If Jones were a capitalist, he would (according to communists) lower wages and demanded to fire bad workers, he was not going to shoot them or kill them.
I understand that communists don't accept that. For communists, applied force by a feudal lord to a peasant, is the same as non applied force by a capitalist not to hire a person. But for most people that is not true.
And this is my critique to you: that you don't notify the viewer that Jones will be seen not as a capitalist, but as a non capitalist tyrant for most of the people, and that you belong in a very small group of people with that point of view.
Since Orwell truly believed that socialism was possible without violence, it is true that this book is not about the dichotomy of capitalism vs socialism. This was indeed a western propaganda issue.
I am very interested in your answer to my critique, if you have the time.
Thanks.
Love the social commentary behind the literature.
Great video! I just wish there were sources for the historical facts you mentioned at the beginning.
I read this book on my own in probably 6th grade, and I never, EVER understood the common interpretation of this book as anti-socialist/anti-communist. I was never taught it in school, so I thought my interpretation was incorrect because I didn’t understand the book when I read it. Guess not.
Nice video, you should do more book analysis/ review videos
Literally just read this yesterday…
The explanation and analysis was beautiful....i loved it... !! well thought and put together....
*VERY GOOD* thank you I really enjoyed that
haven’t read Animal Farm in many years, Orwell was one of my favorite writers so thank you for give me an excuse to revisit
I love the new setup, it's very reminiscent of Georg Rockall-Schmidt. All you need is a lava lamp!
I hate the bourgeoisie.
Brilliant work!🎉 🧐
hi. idk if it was you. i seen a tiktok about the first witch ever painted and i’m not sure i heard it right. she’s sitting on a throne of bodies and i can’t find the video or the artwork
thanks for making such a concentrated and comprehensive argument
I loved the essentialism angle. Amazing analysis. Thanks for the video.
Bravo! Excellent video. Glad I found your channel
I do think an addition of the many criticisms of Orwell and his many antisocialist actions and words later in life, among which his condonement for the CIA backed editing and subsequent publishing.
I recently read the novel, I really liked it
I refuse to use Patreon. Is there a different way? I've been wanting to know this for over a year now...
You can leave a super thanks for you chosen amount that can vary with each video if that is your preference. Look for the icon to the right of the "like" button
Superbly excellent analysis
Awesome book,,,I got the drift of this book in High School, yet I still went to war in Nam knowing it was wrong,, Peer pressure is another faulty human trait.....
We Anarchists need to deal with the Euro-centric nature of Anarchism and how it takes from Indigenous societies without full understanding and without credit or even just recognition.
It should, now, be about Land Back and Decolonization of everything.
Dude this video is def getting suppressed bc it’s good man❤
Interestingly, 33:56 is very relatable to "experts" framing aspects of policy even in today's times.
I’m only 30secs in but if the CIA approaches me asking to buy the rights to my book about an “animal” uprising/revolution I would be extremely suspicious while I’m cashing my check
Well put together 👏🏿
This book in one line explanation...
"Do not cast pearls before Swine"...
In european education Animal farm wasn’t a part of capitalist propaganda. I read it with no expectations and got away the criticism of the power hungry not communism. This video helped me to understand my own thoughts deeper and you had great own insight.
Well I mean the "power hungry" and communism go hand and hand
i did a novel study project on this book a couple weeks ago
This is your best video so far!
I want a video essay compering 'animal farm' with 'the bee movie'
I seriously cannot get how anyobe would read this, knowing Orwell's books, and think "Jeez that lad loves capitalism, authority and nationalism". Unless you live in a country that thinks healthcare is no human right, of course, cause it's "communist".
Capitalism provided your cushy lifestyle that allows you to type stuff like this.
What mic is that he's using?
Shure SM7B :)
George Orwell being a communist or not, Animal Farm is one of the best examples why socialism and communism are doomed to fail every time.
This is brilliant as always
Hi!
did you read Jones Manoel? A Critical Read of Animal Farm.
what is your opinion?
Good analysis. I just watched some other guy's vid that missed the whole point
i love how you structured the video. you pointed out so logically why the book clearly promotes socialism and what you would need to believe in order to see it as anti-communist
its anti totalitarian
I mean the only value those ideologies have are for study. Commies don't like to admit it but Nazism and Communism are cut from the same cloth. Neither should be implemented or praised. Only studied
Great video
I love your channel! I have learned a lot watching your videos and I am always happy to hear your points of view. You are one of my favorite youtubers, and I love that you are expanding your topics. Saludos desde México 🌸
I like the yellow party hat, RuneScape reference
Could you do a video on the art made by Michael cheval.
I was doing stuff in the background just listening to this and when I finally looked at the actual video I get my boy with a pig snout and kings crown, had no clue this was who I was listening to 🤣. Great video though
I had a question about the interpretation of the ending if Orwell wasn't anti socialist 😅
But when you said the book criticizes Stalin specifically, the dots connected 😅
I remember rereading animal farm a few years ago and laughing at how much explicit hatred and disgust was there at capitalists in the book, and being shocked at how i could have missed it was a kid.
Like, Jesus Orwell. Keep your hate boner in your pants a little. We get it.
I brought the book exactly when this video was uploaded and i found out about this video 3 days later when i ended it ... I hate this coincidences
Yayyy I'm glad you did this
I love this book
Nobody denies that Orwell supported communism.
His criticism in the book was of how the Soviet Union implemented it and turned it away from what it was supposed to be.
Orwell’s mistake is that he didn’t realise that this was communism, or at least this is what it inevitably leads to.
Orwell was anti authoritarian at his heart, communism at large scale is inherently authoritarian, at the local level it doesn’t have to be, it can be done without a leader. At scale it leaves a power vacuum that will only ever be taken by the people you don’t want taking it.
So the author might not have been anti communism, he actually fought against racism in the Spanish civil war, but it doesn’t mean the book doesn’t actually criticise communism.
I need this book.
Sorry for an off-topic comment, but the singular form of "species" is "species". Same deal as with sheep. Not that it detracts from the main point of that section of the video in any way, but I did feel annoyed by it.
13:18 - fun Freudian slip joke, but you meant to say the Tsar.
Great video, Intro to ending, narration, explanation and backround, well made.
sent this to my english teacher and she liked it actually lmao
great video
I often don’t agree with some things you say but I still watch your videos because you are a talented creative mind. I love when channels dog deeper and make longer more detailed videos converting a certain subject.