Many people gave up on 'Animal Farm' in school. But it's a worthy revisit for lapsed readers

The rigid teaching of the classics often makes students lose interest. Here's why you should re-read Orwell's masterpiece

Literature classes in Bangladeshi schools rarely generate the intended enthusiasm from their young audience. Instead of teaching them about the deeper meanings of texts, schools often emphasise wordy and impractical prose.  

Not everyone is an English enthusiast, and arty and overblown lectures lead to a lack of interest. This means that students do not get to properly experience the rich meaning of these texts.  

One victim of such lousy literature classes is Animal Farm by George Orwell. Its marketing as a 'fairy story' may mislead people to believe that it is a children's book, but the story has widespread historical and political significance. Unfortunately, schools often make the mistake of introducing it to students before they have a solid grasp on these fundamentals, leaving many to discard it mentally before they have a fighting chance when grappling with the text.

Animal Farm is a satirical retelling of the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, poking at the real-life historical event that led to an autocratic Russian state through a story about a revolt staged by the animals at 'Manor Farm'.      

At the start of the book, one of the farm's oldest and most respected pigs tells all the animals about a dream he had about their freedom – about a world where they are their own independent animals, free of the severe mistreatment by their proprietor. 

After the death of the boar and another final episode of mistreatment, the animals rebel against the farm proprietor, banishing him and his workers. 

Initially, all is well. But, as we turn the book's pages, the relationships between the animals shift as their new political system develops. We are shown their internal dynamics, conflict and hierarchical struggle, where certain animals get preferential treatment.               

As the years pass, the old ways start to creep back in, and the pigs replace the humans at the top of the hierarchy. In the end, Animal Farm returns to its old title, Manor Farm.

In the final scene, the pigs even sit with the humans and play cards while the rest of the animals are forced to look on from the outside. As the animals watch, they think those inside - pig and human - have become indistinguishable. 

The irony of that final beat is palpable. The revolutionaries have turned into the oppressors, going so far as to ally with them in their pursuit of power. The old enemies have reconciled, and the oppressed remain the downtrodden. 

This allegorical retelling of a revolution on another continent might lead students to immediately dismiss Animal Farm as a 'boring classic'. But, unlike other stuffy books that present unrealistic and unrelatable situations from fictional towns in fictional Europe centuries ago, Animal Farm thrives because of its grounded tone. The prose is brisk and uncomplicated, making it easily accessible to all levels of readers.  

And most importantly, Animal Farm connects directly to the world where we live. The parallels between the politics of the time and our current landscape are clear. 

The story can also be an eye-opening entry for students into thinking about how society works, how it is structured, and questions of justice and fairness in its functioning. Crucially, Orwell isn't overly preachy. He makes an argument but does not overplay his hand and tell readers what to think. Instead, his exploration of power, greed, and corruption helps us connect the story to our experiences.

Its symbolic nature also offers depth, unlike many other works of literature. Every read can lead you to new interpretations. After all, the more you learn and understand about the wider world, the more meaning you can derive from the efficient 90-page read.

For readers who developed a distaste for the book due to its untimely introduction in school, please give it a chance. It's short, easy, and exciting. At worst, you'll come away with a few wasted hours. At best, it'll give you ideas to ponder for a lifetime. 

 This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.