The Representation of Leon Trotsky in Orwell's Animal Farm

Animal Farm represents Orwell’s portrayal of the Russian revolution in 1917, the relationship between Stalin and Leon Trotsky and how it became a dictatorship under Joseph Stalin. Many characters from Animal Farm are modelled on the dominant figures of the Russian revolution. Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, who was exiled from Russia in 1929 by Joseph Stalin. Similarly, Snowball was expelled from Animal Farm by Napoleon.

Snowball, one the pigs in charge, represents Leon Trotsky, who played a key role in the revolution and was exiled by Stalin in 1929. Joseph Stalin is represented by Napoleon, who similarly exiled Snowball in the novel. Snowballs expulsion from Animal Farm follows the meeting where the animals vote for either Snowball’s idea of building a windmill to allow for a “three-day week” and more recreation time, or Napoleons plan to build a “full manger” which all the working-class animals would eat from. Napoleon realised that there was “no doubt” that “the vote would go [to Snowball]” and signalled for his attack dogs to chase him out of the Animal Farm to be “seen no more.” Likewise, Leon Trotsky was exiled by his opposition in power, Joseph Stalin. Snowball’s plan to build the windmill reflect Trotsky’s wish of industrialising Russia, and his desire of taking Karl Marx’s theories of communism and turning them into practise. Trotsky was exiled after a power struggle against the rise of bureaucratic collectivism in in the Soviet Union. Where the surplus and profits of production are distributed between the elite class, rather than the working class. We see hints of bureaucratic collectivism when Napoleon states his idea of “the full manger” which would allow better control over food proportions, and make it easier to keep more for himself. 

Orwell uses his novel to show how literature can be used to depict real life events. He uses anthropomorphism to make themes easier to understand, and sends a message through the simplicity of the situation created in the novel.