Animal Farm – Snowball Vs Trotsky Essay

Have you ever read Animal Farm and thought about the comparison between a character and a person from the Russian Revolution? In the novel Animal Farm, the author George Orwell writes a story about overworked and mistreated animals of Farmer Jones’ who rise up in rebellion and set out to create their own farm of freedom and equality. In 1917, the sufferings of the Russian people began a revolution to bring about communism and take control of the government. The revolution in Animal Farm has a lot of similarities in common with the real-life Russian Revolution.An idealistic pig named Snowball represents Trotsky, a communist of the Russian Revolution, because of both their leadership in the revolution, both truly wanted a better society, both of them helped with the revolution, and both were exiled.

Snowball and Trotsky were both leaders of the revolution and presented similar leadership qualities. Trotsky was a leader in the Russian Civil War and Snowball was a leader in The Battle of Cowshed. However, they had opposed against the ideas of Stalin and Napoleon.The both of them had the idea of trying to do things for the benefit of others. For example, Snowball wanted the rebellion to spread and he wanted to send out “more and more pigeons to stir up rebellion among the animals on other farms” (Orwell 51). Snowball is kind of a dreamer and likes to imagine achievements that can spread all the way across England for other animals’ benefit.As for Trotsky, he “played a leading role in the Bolsheviks seizure of power conquering most of petrograd before Lenin’s triumphant return” (History.

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om), showing a similarity in leadership because they both presented strong leadership qualities during the revolutions. Some think that the character Snowball in Animal Farm does not represent a historical figure from the Russian Revolution because they think he represents Vladimir Lenin instead because he led the Bolshevik party.However, this is not true because Snowball did not lead the Revolution, it was more of Napoleon who had all the power and Snowball just put his ideals. In addition, Trotsky and Snowball are similar because they both strived for the right cause to bring about a better society.George Orwell states, “Snowball did not deny that to build it would be a difficult business…

And thereafter, he declared, so much labour would be saved that the animals would only need to work three days a week” (50). Snowball was willing to sacrifice his time to bring better living conditions for the animals on the farm. According to Trotsky. net, “Trotsky wanted a world wide communist revolution” (Nitin Paryani). However, Stalin was opposing against Trotsky’s ideas of expansion because he wanted to stay in control and protect Soviet union from the outside world.Therefore, Snowball wanted everyone to be equal and wanted the farm to be a communist just like Trotsky. Snowball and Trotsky didn’t wanted these ideals only for themselves but for the good of humanity in society.

Although, at times it might’ve been portrayed in the book that Snowball was doing things for himself, he was actually doing it for the advantage of others. Furthermore, Trotsky and Snowball helped significantly during the revolution. For example Trotsky, “As commissar of war in the new Soviet government, he helped defeat forces opposed to Bolshevik control” (Biography.

om) which made him significantly important.Snowball helped with The Battle of Cowshed when they were attacked by Farmer Jones and his men. Orwell states that,“Snowball, who had studied an old book of Julius Caesar’s campaigns which he had found in the farmhouse, was in charge of the defensive operations” (40) showing how Snowball was helpful and prepared for the battle. Trotsky was the leader of the Red Army and civil war. Snowball commanded in revolt against the farmers when they tried to take the farm back.The both of them did everything in their power to contribute during the Revolution. However, even though they had someone opposed to them which was Stalin and Napoleon who pulled them back, they did not abolish to make a difference during the revolution. Although sometimes his various committees failed throughout the book, he still attempted to present them, and that reveals how Snowball still wanted to better the animals’ lives.

Near the end of the revolution, both Trotsky and Snowball lost their leadership and were exiled.Apparently, “Joseph Stalin emerged as victor, while Trotsky was removed from all positions of power and later exiled. He remained the leader of the an anti-Stalinist abroad until his assassination by a Stalinist agent” (Robert V. Daniels).

Stalin used his power to oppose against Trotsky, and exiled and killed him for his own personal gain like Napoleon did. Snowball’s exile started by “..

. nine enormous dogs… They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws” (Orwell 53).Snowball became a threat to Napoleon so he used his dogs to run him off, similar to which Stalin ran off Trotsky. This similarity shows how both Napoleon and Stalin used them until their benefit.

Once they felt they were in control, they had to exile their opposition. When Trotsky and Snowball lost their leadership, Stalin and Napoleon gained their power. In conclusion, a pig named Snowball, from Animal Farm, is a representation of a historical figure from the Russian Revolution, Trotsky. Trotsky and Snowball share many similarities in the revolutions.

They both have similar qualities of leadership, they both truly wanted a better society, both helped and were a success during the revolution, and they both were exiled. Although, some may disagree and believe that Snowball represents Lenin, but that is not accurate enough to be true. Stalin and Napoleon both used their power to emerge as victor against Trotsky and Snowball. Therefore, in Animal Farm, Snowball is largely based on Leon Trotsky and how they both fought for not only their freedom, but for the freedom of everyone outside the country and farm.