George Orwell's Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel
Illustrated by Jakub Politzer and Michael Purmensky; adapted by Christina Dumalasova and Katerina Horakova
Many thanks to
Gemini Books Group and NetGalley for making the new graphic novel adaptation of
George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm available for review. I was excited to find
this adaptation since it had been some time since I’ve read and taught this
allegorical work. In fact, I wish that this version had been around when I
taught the book to high school students since many of them were reluctant
readers who struggled a bit with Orwell’s British writing. Furthermore,
teaching a book that serves as an allegorical critique of government
philosophies in post-Revolution Russia and WWII Europe with farm animals
serving as the stand-ins for figures like Stalin, Lenin, and Trotsky didn’t
exactly catch with students who seemed to question the idea of animals talking
and rebelling more than the themes of power, disinformation, conformity,
exploitation, and control. Politzer’s and/or Purmensky’s illustrations help to
emphasize some of the ferocity of the pigs who gradually and brutally take
control of the farm. Furthermore, the stark, limited colors (mainly black and
white with some reds added to emphasize danger, violence, and death) help
readers identify key plot points and question the ways in which the pigs
exploit the other farm animals as they work and produce while the pigs begin to
take over. Although it’s been a while since I’ve read the original Animal Farm, I think that the adaptation by Christina Dumalasova and Katerina
Horakova captured the essence of Orwell’s critiques and highlighted the
eventual differences among the different animal groups. Furthermore, I couldn’t
help but think of Orwell’s other major novel, 1984, while reading this
adaptation, as we see how the pigs use the absence of information and the other
animals’ ignorance and willingness to believe to propagate their own beliefs
and ideas that are greatly for their own benefit. It also rings chillingly true
of the current state of affairs in the US where the government continues to
misinform the public with attempts to manipulate popular beliefs and support
for extrajudicial and violent policies. It’s amazing how relevant and powerful
this book is, which ultimately speaks to Orwell’s keen insight into some of the
worst of human nature, especially around areas like power and greed. However, I
think that this accessible, yet still incredibly powerful adaptation also speaks
to the importance of art and literature to continue to critique and challenge
in times of uncertainty and upheaval, where chaos and divisiveness can enable
bad actors with extreme self-interests to ascend to positions of power, and
where those in power can ultimately exploit and punish those without power. George Orwell’s Animal Farm: The Graphic Novel is an important reminder that
we all need to be aware and resist this opportunistic power grabs and continue
to question. It reminded me of a quote I recently encountered from Orwell’s 1984 “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It
was their final, most essential command.” We’ve witnessed this kind of propaganda
and control recently, and making this classic Orwell tale into a graphic novel
is a great way to engage more readers in learning about what is happening to continue
to question the information they encounter. Highly recommended!
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