Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegorical novella that tells the story of a group of farm animals who revolt against their human owner, Mr. Jones, aspiring to create an egalitarian society. Inspired by the ideas of Old Major, an elderly boar, the animals successfully overthrow Jones and take over the farm, renaming it Animal Farm.

Initially, the animals work together under the leadership of the pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, to establish a society based on the principles of Animalism, which includes the commandment, “All animals are equal.” However, as power consolidates, Napoleon uses his cunning and the threat of violence to oust Snowball and take control.

Under Napoleon’s rule, the farm’s original ideals are corrupted. The pigs begin to enjoy special privileges and alter the commandments to justify their actions, with the final commandment reading, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” The other animals, especially the hardworking horse Boxer, suffer greatly as the pigs become more oppressive.

In the end, the pigs become indistinguishable from humans, engaging in trade and socializing with neighboring farmers, showing that the revolution has only replaced one form of tyranny with another. Orwell’s novella serves as a critique of totalitarian regimes and the corrupting influence of power.