Animal Farm: #8

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Entry of my choice: Agree or Disagree?

The truest happiness, he[Napolean] said, lay in working hard and living frugally. (p.128)

I totally disagree with this quote. Yes, “working hard” is a good quality of a worker. Yes, “living frugally” is a good quality that a person should possess. Working hard to make a living is fantastic, but does doing so make you happy? Working hard can mean ten hours of non-stop telephone dealing, eight hours of cleaning, and even seven hours of garbage truck driving. Would these make you happy? I say no. Being thrifty with your money is good, but if you live frugally, you can’t always have what you want. For example, you want a new pair of jeans, but you instead decide to wear your five years old jeans one more year. Does this make you happy? Not getting what you want: is this your happiness? I don’t think so. In my opinion, just being with people you love is happiness.
I loved being with my grandpa. He was awesome to me. He’s smile was so relaxing and warm. I loved his old-time jokes. Oh, how he taught me how to ride a bicycle! I miss him so much. Unfortunately, he passed away. I thought that I couldn’t live without him. It was like part of me was missing. Just remembering of those times when I was with my grandpa, I could resemble every piece of my happiness with him. Another part of my happiness comes from my family. I can’t wait until I come home on weekends. My family members are so amazing to me. I wouldn’t feel my existence without them. When I come home, I am so happy that I get hyper.
For lovers, I guess your happiness comes from each other. Parents’ happiness from their sons and daughters and sons and daughters’ from their parents, I believe. What can be better than being with people you love?

Animal Farm: #7

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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.

Because all the events in the story happened in the Animal Farm, I would say the Animal Farm was the most memorable place. It was the place where the animals won their victories against different groups of farmers. It was also the place where those faithful animals died for other animals. I was devastated and depressed when Squealer sold poor Boxer for dirty money. I imagined impotent Boxer lying on the dry hays without any energy to move, only his mind concentrated on finishing the windmill. If I were Squealer, I would’ve sent him off to veterinarian hospital, get his mighty health back, and let him work again. Wouldn’t that be a better deal for Squealer? I mean Boxer had the strength and power of about five animals put together! What was Squealer thinking! Another place in the Animal Farm that I was never able to forget was where the seven commandments were written. I was guessing that the walls were fragile. I can’t imagine pigs going up a ladder to write all the commandments down. I was speechless to all the additional words Squealer added after the original commandments. Those words were strong enough to monopolize over the whole farm. One of the disturbing places I remembered was Jones house. The corrupted pigs slept on beds and drank alcohol. Not only did they use human stuff, but also tried to be one. Squealer walked on hind legs! I was so angry thinking of those vicious pigs lying on cozy beds while other animals worked strenuously.

Animal Farm: #6

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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
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.” (p. 43)

After reading this quote, I was speechless. I was outraged by the foolish act of humans. In our modern society, there are crimes everywhere we go. Killing and murdering are some of the major ones. These commandments told me of how humans are seen at animal’s point of view: an alcoholic, a murderer, and an unfair monster. Because humans are what animals actually think they are, I think that humans should consider changing their iniquitous image to a righteous image. Humans are worse than animals!
After reading the first two commandments, I thought that animals must have had a bad influence from humans to have such rules. What could humans have done to be enemies of animals? Putting the food supply reason on the side, I thought about other reasons. The rest of the commandments told me everything. In the book, the farmer was drunk all the time when the animals saw him. Because he was drunk, Mr. Jones often forgot to feed his animals. Every time he got money from selling his farm products, he used it for his alcohol enjoyment. Because selling pigs was what Jones did for their living, the animals thought of him as a murderer, separating family members of animals. I thought that the last commandment was made because humans treated the animals unfairly. For example, I hypothesized that the pigs were fed more because Jones wanted to sell them for money.
Because humans showed sinful images to animals, animals have been influenced by creating rules to prevent what humans have done to them from happening. Us, humans should work on being on the “good” list of animals. No more killing! No more alcohols!

Animal Farm: #5

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What is the mood of this novel? Do you find this novel saddens you in any way? Why?

This book had several moods. In the beginning, the mood was vengeful, full of anger. The animals were trying to overthrow Mr. Jones, who was the owner of the Manor Farm, for he was not being a good farmer. Mr. Jones was an alcoholic, who drank every night before he came to his farm, and always forgot to feed his animals. He had no sympathy for his poor animals what-so-ever. After the animals’ revenge, for a moment, the mood was peaceful, yet hard-working. The animals under the “smart” pigs’ control, seemed to work even harder. They ate plenty of food, but soon, their life was back to back-breaking labor again. During the process of making the windmill, the animals were quite pressured with hard work they had to do. There was tension in the atmosphere. The animals had work after another with a goal to accomplish the windmill. They wanted to show it off to humans and receive those electrical things the pigs promised(such as heating). Towards the end of the story, the mood was very depressing. During the fight with Frederick and his followers, many animals were killed. Two geese, a cow, and three sheep were killed; many other animals were wounded, too. On the contrary to the depression that the animals were going through, Squealer, one of the pig leaders, wanted to celebrate their victory. I mean, some of the animals lost their close friends and family members! Come on! What was even more depressing was when Squealer sent Boxer, the loyal horse, to Horse Slaughter’s. The animals moaned for Boxer. It’s was unbelievable…

Animal Farm: #4

http://www.turnerlearning.com/tntlearning/animalfarm/medialit.html

What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?
The climax of this novel is when Napolean kicked Snowball out of the farm. While Snowball was giving his speech about why he should be the leader, Napolean chased Snowball with his vicious dogs. In his heart, Napolean was afraid that majority of the votes would go to Snowball. He wanted himself to win so he could order the animals what to do. He wanted to monopolize the animals farm. I think this was the beginning of the "human" acts of corrupt pigs. Napolean disobeyed sixth and seventh commandments. He almost killed Snowball and treated him with no respect. Napolean was selfish and wanted everything his way. After this event was when everything got worse. The commandments changed based on the advantages of pigs. The pigs allowed themselves to drink alcohol, sleep on human beds, and eat more food than laboring animals.
I felt horrible for the poor animals in the farm. I pitied the corrupt pigs for not having anything else to do but make animals suffer. If I were Napolean, I would have tried to negotiate with Snowball on ideas. I wouldn't have even tried to pick a leader among all the animals because I know that leader power can make me a selfish, corrupt person.

Animal Farm: #3

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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?

Napolean
Napolean is the pig that monopolizes animal farm. He is a also a dictator who holds power over all the animals in the animal farm. The only thing that he contributes to the whole windmill project is his helpless words. He always tells animal what-to-do and what-not-to-do. He gives everybody little food after doing back-breaking labor. Napolean himself in the other hand enjoys alcohol and "human" food. He is I mean, IT is a digusting, malicious pork chop trying to act like Mr. Universe. I hate Napolean. What he does to animals is inexplicable. He makes poor impotent animals build windmill over and over again. He has no feelings. While the animals work endlessly, Napolean eats, talks, sleeps, and drinks. What Napolean reveals about the universal human experience is that dictatorship is detrimental to the society or the world and that it can even lead to people's death.


Boxer
Boxer was the light in the animal farm before he was sent off to glue factory. He was a loyal and diligent horse that reperesented all the good qualities of a leader. He took a huge role in building windmill. He brought up humongous stones up the hill and scattered them into to pieces. He never gave up; instead, he kept on telling himself to do better. The only flaw that Boxer had was that he supported whatever Napolean said. He gave his respect to Napolean and followed his orders. If he knew what Napolean was doing wrong, I'm pretty sure that he would have stopped him. Sometimes, being a good listener isn't good. Despite he's flaw, Boxer was my favorite because I liked what he believed in: not to give up but to try to bring better result. I hate to give up what I do. Like Boxer, I try my best to bring a satisfying, effective result. What Boxer reveals about universal human experience is that respecting his master's orders are good, but sometimes it is necessary to disobey them.

Squealer
Squealer is another corrupt pig that works under Napolean. He is the "secretory". He writes the rules/commendments on the wall. When the animals get suspicious of Squealer, he just responds by saying that it's in the rule. He controls the animals through language. He secretly changes the commendments as the days pass to gain even more power. For example in the story, seventh commandment changes: "all animals are equal" to "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others". I hate Squealer as much as I hate Napolean. Squealer resons his foolish acts through words. He makes the animals feel stupid through his two skills: writing ands reading skills. He alters the commandments every night to take advantage of himself. Toward the end of the story, he becomes a "human". What Squealer reveals about universal human experience is that a good leader does not make rules that will satisfy his own needs.

Animal Farm: #2

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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"?

North Korea's situation right now relates to the novel very well. In Animal Farm, there was no government, but there was a sense of dictatorship and communism. Napolean, malicious pig, ruled all the animals in the farm. Squealor, who was like the secretary of Napolean, helped him make commandments. Commandments had more advantage to the pigs than other animals. Napolean slept on "human" beds while other animals slept in the cold farm. The laboring animals barely had food. The animals shared their food equally among themselves. The "dictator" or Napolean had plenty of food too eat. He had the best shelter, best food, and most power. The animals couldn't disobey Napolean for he was the brain of the farm.
North Korea government has a mixture of communism and dictatorship of one man. Kim Jong Il who is the president of North Korea, dictates the country. Everyone gets paid equally regarding their amount of work. Like Napolean, Kim Jong Il makes all the important decisions. He's the "man". Kim Jong Il gets all the respect from people.
Napolean and Kim Jong Il, both are dictators who take advantage of their power for themselves. There are many people in North Korea who are starving because of poverty. In Animal Farm, animals sometimes couldn't eat because there weren't any more food. They had to do back-breaking work in return for food as small as a corn. People and animals suffer because of there two people. Napolean and Kim Jong Il, both have power over the lives of their people. They are dangerous.

Animal Farm: #1

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What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?
The major theme in this novel is that language has power to control over people. In Animal Farm, Napoelan, the ruler of the animal farm, alternated the seven commandments. The animals were to follow the seven commandments like humans following their country's laws. When they disobey the commanments, the consequences were either you get kicked out or killed. Those vicious words in the commandments controlled the aniamals. The words told the animals what-to-do and what-not-to-do. They also decided who should be hated and loved. Language ruled over the animals more than Napoleean did. Toward the end of the story when Napolean and Squealor were changing the commandments secretly, the animals were confused. They didn't know what to do so they just went for the commandment and stared at the wall. Squealor and Napolean changed the commandments so that they will give more rights to them(Napolean and other pigs). For example, the sixth commandment, "No animal shall kill any other animal" changed to "No animals shall kill any other animal without cause". Because of the last two words added to the original commandment, Boxer died. When Boxer had no strength left for him to work, she was sent to Glue Factory. Napolean used the new commandment to kill Boxer.


This theme is very important to teenagers living in 2007 because teenagers use curse to show their power. S0me teenagers use abusive language to show that they are powerful. "Big kids" use harsh words to scare away little kids. Language helps us communicate, but they should be used pure hearts. Teenageers should know that one word from their mouth can affect many other people living around them. Language can equal to death at its extreme.