The first time I read Animal Farm in high school I was astounded. The courage of the animals fighting against the humans, with the hogs as the forceful nature negotiating. (as a farmer's daughter, let me tell you that hogs cannot be trusted. Nasty natures.) The true heroes are the animals who are selfless in this struggle.
Then after some years, an animated version of the story appeared on TV. Pretty much the same as the book, this time I was furious at the hogs, as their true cruelty and deviousness comes to light. It is such a surprising book, especially given the time period, WW2 and pre-Cold War.
The narration is everything such a story would require. Allegorical, metaphorical, satirical, it is a veiled comparison to USSR. When the book is freely published, it was not well received in Socialist countries of the world, still isn't. The following paragraph is from Wikipedia, partial synopsis.
poorly-run Manor Farm near Willingdon, England, is ripened for rebellion from its animal populace by neglect at the hands of the irresponsible and alcoholic farmer, Mr. Jones.
One night, the exalted boar, Old Major, holds a conference, at which he calls for the overthrow of humans and teaches the animals a revolutionary song called "Beasts of England".
When Old Major dies, two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, assume command and stage a revolt, driving Mr. Jones off the farm and renaming the property "Animal Farm".
They adopt the Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of which is, "All animals are equal". The decree is painted in large letters on one side of the barn.
Snowball teaches the animals to read and write, while Napoleon educates young puppies on the principles of Animalism. Food is plentiful, and the farm runs smoothly. The pigs elevate themselves to positions of leadership and set aside special food items, ostensibly for their personal health.
Following an unsuccessful attempt by Mr. Jones and his associates to retake the farm (later dubbed the "Battle of the Cowshed"), Snowball announces his plans to modernize the farm by building a windmill. Napoleon disputes this idea, and matters come to head, which culminate in Napoleon's dogs chasing Snowball away and Napoleon declaring himself supreme commander."
