adminElliot Ziwira @ The Book Store
Dr Johnson cited in Pollard (1970:2) defines satire as “a poem in which wickedness is censured.” Satire, however, is not only confined to verse as it also extents to prose and drama.
It is a kind of policeman able to rule and restore by restraining the righteous and condemning the wicked as maintained by Swift (1704, 1728).
According to Swift: “Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders generally discover everybody’s face but their own . . .” The satirist is “usually conscious of follies and vices of his fellows and he cannot stop himself from showing that he is.”
As the guardian of ideals, he functions as a preacher who is always at “truth’s defence”.
His tools are “tones of the satirist spectrum; wit, ridicule, irony, sarcasm, cynicism, the sardonic and inventive,” (Studies in literary modes, 1946:32).
By ridiculing humanity’s follies and vices, the satirist is able to generate humour as humanity is given a chance to laugh at itself.
Through the exposure of folly and the castigation of vice, Man is held accountable for his selfish nature which is tantamount to destruction.
The folkloric tradition has effectively popularised satire through its use of animal characters in poking at Man’s foibles as he struggles for dominance in a world that he least understands. In his toils, he does not only become a champion at his own game, but he also becomes a victim.
The fable, allegory and parable also draw from the satirist spectrum as humour is used to camouflage the underlying meaning, which can only be deciphered through close analysis.
The story can be read from both the connotative and denotative ends depending on one’s purpose of reading. The explicit meaning creates humour and is meant for entertainment, and the implicit one draws its essence from didacticism.
One of the greatest satires to have emerged from the 20th Century is George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” (1945).
As an allegory, the book can be read from two angles which places it on the same pedestal as Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” and John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress”.
Using simple and conversational language, Orwell explores the follies and vices inherent in Man using animals. He examines the deceitful nature of man, his oppressive inclinations and the ancient old voyeur inherent in him which is excited by trauma, using domesticated animals.
At the locutionary level, “Animal Farm” is about animals at Manor Farm owned by a rather callous and irresponsible farmer Mr Jones. Because of the nature of their existence the animals are inspired by Old Major, a respected pig, to stage a rebellion.
A rather spontaneous revolution ensues and the animals find themselves their own masters.
Through the leadership of the pigs, production at the farm, which is now, renamed Animal Farm is put in motion. Spurred on by the spirit of Animalism, the animals struggle to improve their lot in the absence of tyrannical human beings.
They set out their seven commandments to guide them against oppressive tendencies which they have seen in Mr Jones.
These commandments were: Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy/whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend/No animal shall wear clothes/No animal shall sleep in a bed/No animal shall drink alcohol/ No animal shall kill any other animal/All animals are equal.
In their joy the animals espy a Utopia, where they would live in freedom without having to worry about oppression or lack as they have become masters of their destiny. However, the power struggles between two of the pigs, Napoleon and Snowball makes it impossible for the two to agree on anything.
During the weekly debates which encourage transparency and unity, the animals are always torn between Napoleon’s firm outlook and Snowball’s eloquence.
The contentious issue of the windmill did not help matters. Things get to a head after the Battle of the Cowshed, when Mr Jones attempts to recapture his farm but fails.
The scheming Napoleon who has built a cult around himself through his awe inspiring bodyguard in the form of vicious dogs, expels Snowball from the farm and begins his purges against his enemies; real or imagined. Using the eloquent Squealer, who “could turn black into white” as his cog in the propaganda machinery, Napoleon hoodwinks the other animals into believing that they are better off than they were in Jones time.
Because of their short memories and the fear of Jones’ return, the animals accept their condition as rations are reduced on a daily basis and working hours are increased. Most of the animals are portrayed as stupid as they are all brawn and no brains.
Boxer, the carthorse, is presented as a loyal and hard-working animal whose two maxims are: “I will work harder” and “Comrade Napoleon is always right.” Like Clover, his companion, he cannot read beyond the fourth letter of the alphabet.
True to the saying that: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, Napoleon abandons the ideology that has led to a successful revolution and concentrates power unto himself much to the chagrin of the other animals whose only hope lies in the Sugar Candy Mountain espoused by Moses, the Raven where all animals go after their death.
The fear of reprisals and Squealer’s persuasive jargon keeps the pigs in leadership as the revolution is hijacked by the minority against the majority. As the rations for the other animals dwindle, toiling hours increased and fear mounts, the pigs have their mash mixed with milk, have a pint of beer per day, have apples preserved for them and only supervise others’ work.
The animals’ situation does not improve and will never improve as observed by the cynic donkey Benjamin, who is a paragon of wisdom and yet he speaks less as he believes that the recipe for existence in a corrupt world is the negation of values. He believes that “life would go on as it had always gone on-that is badly.”
He would simply say; “Donkeys live a long time. Has anyone of you ever seen a dead donkey?”
As death, fear and hunger pervade the atmosphere on Animal Farm; Napoleon consolidates his power by seeking pacts with human beings in and around Willingdon much to the surprise of his other comrades. The commandments were changed to justify the travesty that has become of the revolution until only one remains: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Sadly, Boxer, who is an epitome of hard work and loyalty, is sold to a horse slaughterer when his great strength dies with age and overwork.
The pigs become synonymous with man as they oppress their comrades.
At the inspection tour of the farm by human beings-the animals’ sworn enemies-at the instigation of Napoleon, Mr Pilkington of Foxwood Farm observes that: “The lower animals at Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the country.”
Napoleon proclaims to the human beings that the farm is collectively owned by the pigs, that the animals should stop calling each other comrade and that the name “Animal Farm” had been abolished in favour of the original name, “Manor Farm”.
Feeling betrayed by their leaders, the animals find it impossible to distinguish between man and animal as they realise that oppression is species free, and blind to kin and kith.
It also dawns on them that there are no permanent friends in life, neither are there perennial foes as the truth always changes.
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