Now that you have read far enough into the novel, you know that Old Major plays a crucial, yet short-lived role in the book. However, the man Old Major represents, Vladimir Lenin, lived quite a few years after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia which took place in 1917. Skim through the following link and identify any similarities you notice between the two. Next, talk about Orwell’s decisions as a writer to first include Old Major but have him die off in the first scene. Also, what significance do you think inclusion of the Battle Song holds for the readers? And . . . anything else you’d like to discuss. I think this is an awesome group, and as long as you set the bar high for yourselves, you should have a deeply enriched experience with the novel.
I’m really excited!
January 8, 2009 at 6:25 pm
In the novel, Old Major dies quickly but he is important in the book. He started the revolution of the Manor farm animals and tried to make the land of animals. Lenin died right after the revolution but he led the Bolshevik revolution.
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January 8, 2009 at 6:40 pm
What are we comparing?
January 8, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Orwell’s decision to include old major and have him die off immediately might represent the importance of vlad lenin in leading a rebellion against the government, but how the others were equally important in the process of rebelling. Including the war song may be a message to the readers that overcoming the stress from the government in a severe and controlling way so that instead of having a communist environment it would be much more socialist.
January 8, 2009 at 6:52 pm
The first thing I noticed from the link is that all the streets are full and Lenin draws quite a crowd. This is the same with major all the animals show up and it is clear that major is a respected official and that this meeting is a big deal. Also at the end of Lenin’s speech he says “Long live the socialist revolution!’ I believe this is much like the animal revolution. In Lenin’s speeches and documents it seems as though he is standing up for common man. I see that in old major also, major is standing up for the common animal he even stands up for the rats. Lenin is a very eloquent man and i believe Old Major is a very eloquent pig.
January 8, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Alex I think you’re absolutely right! Old major is a key character in the rebellion against the farmer just as Lenin was important in leading the rebellion against the government.
January 8, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I agree with eric on all counts. Major draws as much superiority and attention to himself(in a good way) as lenin drew to himself.
January 8, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I don’t know exactly why Orwell would kill Major off, but i believe it is because there was no further use for him and it seemed like he died for the revolution. Major was a very big part of the novel, he started the revolution in the first place and he was really the mastermind behind the whole thing. In a way i believe that snowball and Napoleon took his place for a reason. Snowball and Napoleon are always fighting and disagreeing about everything they can. But if Major was there, there would be a voice of reason and some of the conflicts that happen in the book would go away. I also believe things would happen a lot differently if Major was still alive. The farm would be run a different way, because he envisioned a farm that was equal and he might not like the way it was being run by the two pigs.
January 8, 2009 at 7:03 pm
That is a very good point Emily. Major and Lenin were big parts in both of there rebellions. But it seems both of there ideas were distorted by there followers. In animal farm major wants every animal to be equal but that message is later morphed into statuses by the new head pigs.
January 8, 2009 at 8:21 pm
How far into the book are you?
January 8, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Well, both Major and Lenin were the leaders of their respective rebellions They both had good ideas about a perfect society where all people were equal. They both had others twist their ideas until some people (the leaders) still said that everything was equal, but some people/animals were more equal than the others.
I don’t really know why Orwell killed Major off, but I would guess that he did it because Major’s only real role was to put the whole rebellion idea in the animal’s heads. Then he died so that Snowball and Napoleon became leaders and later twisted his ideas of equality. If Major hadn’t died the plot really wouldn’t go like it does, and some of the bad decisions made by the two pigs could have been avoided or at the very least not been quite as bad. I think that if Major had stayed and not died, then the rebellion would have worked out better than it did.
January 8, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I totally agree with Eric on the fact that if Major hadn’t died then he would have been a voice of reason and stopped the dissagreements. Maybe he would have even gotten Snowball and Napoleon to get along and work towards a common goal instead of twisting eachother’s words and constantly fighting.
I also agree with Emily in saying that both Old Major and Lenin drew attention to themselves in a good way rather than a bad one.
Who would Squealer represent? Just curious.
January 8, 2009 at 9:15 pm
May be Major was useless after the declamation of animal land or our great Mr. Orwell kicked Major out of the book to make epic battle(?) between Snowball and Napoleon because if Major was alive in the book during the battle, Major would be little bit annoying.
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January 8, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I agree with eric in the picture lenin is giving a speech and that drew a crowd and in the book old major draws all the animals.
Emily goood detail.
Marina i like urs the most because of the length and detail.
this was kinda a hard section for me but u guys filled me in thanks!!
January 8, 2009 at 10:46 pm
I almost forgot, i have no clue why old major died so early in the book eventhough though lenin died also during the bolchvic revolution.
January 9, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Isn’t there a question tonight?