摘 要

1. Introduction 1

1.1 A brief introduction to the author 1

1.2 A brief introduction to the novel 1

2. Literature Review 3

2.1 Definition of metaphor 3

2.1 Previous study on the analysis of Animal Farm...............................................3

3. A Critical Analysis of Metaphors Used in Animal Farm 5

3.1 Metaphors in characters 5

3.1.1 Pigs 5

3.1.2 Horses amp; donkeys 7

3.1.3 Dogs 8

3.2 Metaphors in objects 9

3.2.1 The windmill 9

3.2.2 The farmhouse 9

4. Conclusion 11

参考文献 13

致谢 14

Abstract

Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is one of the most representative anti-utopian works, where the author expresses his great hatred towards totalitarianism by employing a wide range of rhetorical devices.

It tells a story about revolution. The animals joined together and successfully broke the chains saddled by human beings. Consequently, they gained the freedom, driving the humans out of the farm. Nevertheless, the fruit of success was soon turned into a brutal competition for power and then the history repeated. Those who were once ruled became the dictators again.

This paper will mainly focus on one of the rhetorical devices, namely, the metaphor, to reveal how the author exposes the ugliness of humanity through, thus presenting the readers a reflective perspective to know more about this work. By doing so, readers can develop a critical thinking towards the beauty and ugliness of humanity. More specifically, Chapter One is the introduction part which will give a brief description of the writer, George Orwell, and an overall description of the work. Chapter three is literature review where domestic and international researches concerning Animal are to be illustrated. Then the specific analysis of metaphors among characters and objects will be thoroughly discussed accordingly in Chapter Three. Eventually, Chapter Four is the conclusion part which will summarize the main ideas and point out the existing defect as well.

Keywords: George Orwell; Animal Farm; Metaphor

中文摘要

《动物农场》是乔治·奥威尔最具代表性的反乌托邦作品之一，作者运用各种修辞手段极大地表达了对于极权主义的仇恨。

这部作品讲述了一个关于革命的故事。动物们结合在一起，成功地打破了人类的锁链。结果，他们获得了自由，把人类赶出了农场。然而，成功的果实很快就变成了对权力的残酷竞争，然后历史又一次重演。那些曾经被统治的人又变成了独裁者。

本文将着重探讨其中一种修辞手段，即隐喻，来揭示作者如何揭露人性的丑陋，从而为读者提供一种反思的视角来深层次地了解这部作品。借此使读者以批判的思维去看待人性之美丑。具体而言第一章为简介部分，介绍作者奥威尔以及《动物庄园》这部作品。第二章为文献综述，主要介绍国内外关于《动物庄园》隐喻的相关研究。第三章将具体分析《动物庄园》里的角色隐喻和物体隐喻。第四章为总结部分，将概括全文所述内容并指出研究中相关的不足。

关键词：乔治•奥威尔；动物农场；隐喻

Introduction

1.1 A brief introduction to the author

George Orwell (1903-1950) is an English writer and journalist who has made great contributions to English literature by inventing a good many works, among which Animal Farm and 1984 are considered as the most representative ones. He lived during the war time, and it never occurred to him that he would take his pen to depict a novel under the perspective of animals to expose the hypocrisy and darkness of society until he went to Spain where he participated in the civil war during 1936 and 1939. At the battlefield, he had gone through many hard experiences which, years later, were written into his famous novel: Animal Farm. It is generally believed that this work alludes to USSR government. Despite the fact that he had never been to Soviet Union, he knew the iron policy and bloody oppression that the government adopted to keep its people obedient. Therefore, these factors made him create this marvelous work.

George Orwell is a marvelous writer in literature and many researchers have made considerable analyses about his works, whereas there are comparably fewer concerning papers and works to focus on Animal Farm. Therefore, this paper, to some extent, will fill the lacuna and provide an alternative understanding for the readers.

1.2 A brief introduction to the novel

Animal Farm, written between 1943 and 1944, is considered as one of the most representative works of anti-utopia, for its wide employment of various rhetorical devices, namely, irony, exaggeration, simile and metaphor, among which metaphor is the sharpest weapon, to criticize the brutal dictatorship of Soviet Union.