Animal Farm

Question:

Answers:

1. 
   malibrarian Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   The struggle between these two characters is symbolic of the situation between Joseph Stalin (Napoleon) and Leon Trotsky (Snowball), who was banished from the Soviet Union by Stalin, just like Snowball is banished from the farm by Napoleon, who uses Snowball as a scapegoat for the supposed problems that are happening on the farm.

   This is from the eNotes article on Leon Trotsky:

   "Ironically, his success as commissar of war contributed to his political defeat at the hands of Joseph Stalin. It is true that Trotsky’s doctrine of permanent revolution was unrealistic, for Soviet Russia was in no condition to challenge the leading capitalist powers. His fellow members in the Politburo were also aware of historical precedents and feared the emergence of a Russian Napoleon who might strangle their revolution. Trotsky, far more than Stalin, appeared to fit that unwelcome mold. His political end came quickly. In 1927, he was expelled from the Communist Party, and in 1929, he was expelled from the Soviet Union."

   Check the links below, including the historical article on Leon Trotsky.  Good luck!

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/animal

   http://www.enotes.com/animal/snowball

   http://www.enotes.com/salem-history/leon-trotsky-4632404011

   Rate answer:

    

   • Flag as inappropriate

   Posted by malibrarian on Sunday March 16, 2008 at 10:42 AM
   
   

You can now ask questions directly from Facebook, add the Ask a Teacher App from eNotes!