George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Graphic Novel Adaptation

George Orwell was a socialist, who wrote the most insightful and devastating critique of socialism in the history of English literature. He was complicated. Nevertheless, reports the upcoming animated adaptation of Animal Farm will be reconceived as a satire of corporate capitalism is frankly Orwellian. It is like transmuting Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale into an indictment of radical feminism. Happily, this graphic novel adaptation gets Animal Farm right. Socialism is hypocritical, wasteful, oppressive, and often alarmingly violent in Christina Dumalasova & Katerina Horakova’s faithful adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, illustrated by Michael Purmensky, which goes on-sale this coming Tuesday.

If you do not the story of Animal Farm you truly need to read this graphic novel—or better yet, Orwell’s original novella. Regardless, it allegorically represents the Russian Revolution, when the animals of Manor Farm rise up against their abusive drunkard farmer, Mr. Jones.

Inspired by the venerable boar Old Major, the revolution initially appears to be a smashing success. However, once Old Major dies, a power struggle emerges, between two pigs, the earnest Snowball and the Machiavellian Napoleon. Frankly, Snowball might not fully realize he and Napoleon are rivals, until it is too late. Regardless, Napoleon and his sycophant pigs soon consolidate power, with the help of the attack dogs they raised from puppies.

Instead of finally enjoying some rest, the animals find themselves working even longer hours—except the pigs, of course. This seems to contradict the Revolutionary Laws painted on the barn wall, but every time the animals check, they find a mysterious new addendum to explain it away.

Honestly, Dumalasova and Horakova do both Orwell and readers full justice. Their adaptation brilliantly exposes the methods of totalitarian regimes, as well as the ruinous economic implications of socialism. Orwell always described himself as a “democratic socialist” with the emphasis on the democratic, but he constantly cautioned socialism without democratic safeguards would inevitably descend into totalitarianism. Seeing Orwell’s words so vividly illustrated can only inspire skepticism of and aversion to the crooked ideology it ruthlessly satirizes.

Indeed, socialism often gets called out throughout the graphic novel. It also fully explores the corrosive consequences of propaganda. Unlike the 1954 animated film, Purmensky’s animals are never cute. Yet, some, like tireless Boxer the horse, are invested with such dignity, the tragedy of their fates hits even harder.

Without question, Purmensky’s black-and-white illustrations aptly suit the story. Stylistically, he shares a kinship with the caricatures of Daumier and socially conscious realists, but his panels still retain a fable-like vibe.

This book inspires a fresh new appreciation for Orwell’s genius. Yet, it is still art, of a high order, in its own right. Very highly recommended, George Orwell’s Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel releases this Tuesday (3/3).