Animal Farm Group

Question:

casscass
casscass
Student
College - Sophomore

What are the amendments and their abuses to the seven commandments in Animal Farm?

Rate question:

Posted by casscass on Tuesday November 18, 2008 at 8:47 AM and tagged with animal farm, seven commandments, themes.

Answers:


  1. adrigon Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    As the commandments begin to chafe the ruling class, the amendments appear as extra words that most of the illiterate animals never notice. "No animal shall kill any other animal" is tempered by "without cause", in order to justify the slaughter of the dissedents. "No animal shall drink alcohol" grows the addendum "to excess" to excuse the pigs' abuse. Finally, the amendments become, simply "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others", which justifies every evil thing the pigs and dogs do.

    Sources:
    http://www.novelguide.com/animalfarm/toptenquotes.html

    Rate answer:

    Posted by adrigon on Wednesday November 19, 2008 at 12:27 AM


  2. timbrady Teacher
    College - Senior

    eNotes Editor

    The key point of changing  the commandments is that it demonstrates the malleability of "truth."  It is a nice demonstration of the Golden Rule:  "Who has the gold, makes the rules."  But I don't believe that the actual changing of the rules is what is most significant.  It is the reaction, or lack thereof, of the animals (people) to the changes.  They seem not to notice, or just to assume that they must have been wrong in their recollection of what was there.  This is an excellent preamble to "1984" where history is totally malleable and can be changed to whatever is convenient to the present government.  

    It is also an excellent demonstration of propaganda.  The pigs originally promise whatever they think the people want/need when they start the revolution in order to get their support.  After they have the support they need, their promises (embodied in the commandments) are changed or forgotten --- and, suprisingly, no one holds them accountable.

    Sound familiar?

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/1984/themes
    http://www.enotes.com/animal/historical-context
    http://www.enotes.com/animal/themes

    Rate answer:

    Posted by timbrady on Wednesday November 19, 2008 at 8:49 AM