摘 要

《动物农场》是英国著名小说家乔治·奥威尔的代表作之一，小说描述了一个庄园里的动物不堪虐待奋而起义，建立了自己当家做主的家园，却被领导者公猪们窃取革命果实，又沦为极权庄园的故事。作者运用多种修辞手法向读者曲折地影射和揭露极权世界的黑暗和腐败，批判了人类社会的诟病。本文借助叙事技巧来研究《动物农场》中的修辞手法，主要从象征，对比，讽刺三个方面来探讨修辞手法在作品中的运用以及所产生的效果，从而进一步展现该小说的主题以及其美学价值。

关键词：乔治·奥威尔；《动物农场》；象征；对比；讽刺

Contents

1. Introduction… 1
2. Demonstration… 2
   1. Symbolism 2
      1. Symbolic meanings of the characters 3
      2. Symbolic meanings of the settings 4
      3. Symbolic meanings of the plots 5
   2. Antithesis 6
      1. Animalism and authoritarianism 6
      2. Revolutionary leader and totalitarian dictator 7
      3. Subjective wishes and objective situations 8
   3. Irony 9
      1. Boars depicted as almighty heroes 9
      2. Animals’ dream doomed to be a utopia 11
3. Conclusion… 11

Works Cited… 13

Bibliography… 14

Rhetoric Devices in Animal Farm

Introduction

Known as “wintry conscience of a generation”(Meyers 6), George Orwell (1903-1940) is best known for his keen insight and sharp writing. During his short lifetime, Orwell wrote 15 novels and nearly every one is related to policy. Animal Farm and 1984 are his most famous works which aim at anti-totalitarianism.

Recognized as the dystopian political novel, Animal Farm tells a story about the rebellion in the Manor Farm owned by Mr. Jones, where animals are living a miserable, laborious and short life. The respected Old Major, an old boar, spreads his revolutionary spirit in an evening meeting and teaches animals an inspiring song, Beats of England. After Old Major’s death, boars lead other animals to overthrow the human control to build a self-sufficient home and proclaim the Seven Commandments to rename the farm “Animal Farm”. However, in the struggle between Napoleon and Snowball, two pre-eminent young boars among the boars, Snowball fails and is driven out by Napoleon and other boars. Napoleon robs the success of revolution. He takes advantage of the new system to benefit himself, sleeping on the bed, drinking milk, even killing other animals and trading with human beings while the other animals work laboriously and endure starvation. The Seven Commandments are changed and even abolished.

In a special style of animal fable, Orwell discloses the darkness and corruption

of totalitarian society. After witnessing the Spanish War and Anti-Fascist War, the author wrote this novel based on his own experiences. He meant to destroy “the Soviet myth” through Animal Farm. It took Orwell several months, from November, 1943 to February, 1944, to finish writing this novel, but it was rejected by nearly all publishers, even including T. S. Eliot at first because it was regarded as criticism on Trotskyist of Soviet allies in the war. Animal Farm did not come out until Fredric Warburg would like to publish it. On the publication of Animal Farm, Orwell and his book were under the attack of communist critics. However, by virtue of its fresh style and tender charm, Animal Farm has won the affection of millions upon

millions of readers.