ChaseHicks

Mrs.Milarch
October30,2014
5thblock

CriticalLensEssay

AnimalFarmisaperfectexampleofallfourcriticallenses.Allfourlensesareperfectly
portrayedthroughoutthebook.AlthoughMarxismisthebiggestlenseinthisbook,Feminist,
Archetypaltheory,andEcoTheorydoplayrolesinthisnovel.OldMajor,Theprizedboar,isthe
maincharacterandheistheonewhostirsthepotinthissociety.Hemakesalldecisionsforthe
animalfarmcommunityandplaystheroleoftheprotectortotheanimals.
MarxismisabigpartofAnimalFarm.Theanimalsconstantlycomplainabouthowthe
humansarecontinuouslyexploitingthemandusingthemtogetworkdonebutnotreturningthe
favorwithfoodorgoodtreatment.OldMajortalksabouthowtheanimalssocialrolesarenot
whattheyshouldbe.Theanimalsareworkedalltheirlivesandthenwhentheycannolonger
work,theyareslaughteredformeat.Theyarethebottomofthechainatthefarm.OldMajor
makesagoodpointabouthowtheanimalsareunderestimatedandoverused.OldMajorendsup
gatheringalltheanimalsandportrayingunityintheuprisingoftheanimals.OldMajordoeshas
everyrighttoinsistonarebellionoftheanimals,butalltheotheranimalsarequestioninghis
decisionsandideas.TheanimalsdorealizethattheirlivesarenotasgoodastheythinkonceOld
Majorpointsouttheweakspotscausedbytheowners.Theirwholelives,theownerofthefarm
hascausedconflictfortheanimals,whetheritsnotbeingtreatedwellorjustworkertoohard.A
Marxisthatesthisbook,thisiseverythingtheydontwant.AMarxistwantsunityandlow

conflictinabookssociety.AfterNapoleontakesover,theunitygoesoutthedoorandallthats
leftwiththecommunityisconflictbetweentheloweranimalsandnapoleon.
Therelationshipbetweenthehumansandtheanimalsisabsurd.Thehumansare
completelycontrollingtheanimalslivesandtoanEcoTheorist,thatisnotacceptable
whatsoever.Thehumansdowhattheywantwiththeanimalswiththewanttoandmostofthe
timethatisnotgood.AnEcoTheoristislookingforwardtotheoverthrowofthehumansdueto
thelackofrespecttowardstheanimals.Thehumansinanimaltaketheanimalsforgranted.They
donotrepaytheanimalswhatsoever.AnEcoTheoristlovesthefactthattheanimalsgotbackat
thehumansanddidwhatsright.AnEcoTheoristwantstoseegoodfarmswithsuccess.That
meanshappyanimals,welltreatedanimals,respectfulowners,andresponsibleowners.They
thriveoffthesuccessofofnaturesandanimals.
FeminisminAnimalFarmisntthemostobviouslense,buttherearekeypointsinthis
novel.Mollie,thehorse,isusedasatokenminoritytoplayalmostanonexistentsocialrole.She
haslittleauthority.FeministshatethefactthatMolliewasthrowntothesideandnoneofher
commentsorideasweretakenseriously.Afeministalsodoesntliketheinequalitybetween
Napoleonandalltheotheranimals.Afeministwouldliketoseeeveryonehavethesamelevelof
socialroles,theywouldntwantsomeonetobeabovetherestofthecommunity.AnimalFarmis
obviouslyapatriarchalduetothefactthatalltheleadersweremalesMr.Jones,Napoleon,and
OldMajor.AFeministwouldnotlikethisbookduetotheinequalitiesbetweenthemalesand
femalesandthelackoffemalerolesintheanimalsociety.
AnArchetypistwouldnoticethetexttoworldexamples,fromtherebellionthatthe
animalsinduced.TherebellionissimilartotheRussianrevolt.AnimalFarmisconnectedto

thoughtsofcommunismandJosephStalin.AnArchetypistwouldalsonoticethecommontheme
ofthepatriarchalsociety.Alotofbookslikethisismalebasedandnotgivenanyfemaleroles
hencetheonesomewhatimportantfemalehorseoutoftensofanimals.Napoleon,amalepig,is
asymbolforJosephStalin.Thewayheleadstheanimalstobelievehewillbeagoodleaderand
thenhegoesagainstwhathesaidhewoulddo.
AnimalFarmisagreatbook,ithasgoodpointsonallofthecriticallenses.Although,
Marxismdominatedthisbook,EcoTheoryalsoplayedabigrole.Youcantoverlookacritical
lensebasedonhowtheexampleslead.Youmustlookatallthelensethroughoutthewholebook
becausewhenyoustopusingall,youarentreadingthisbookcorrectly.