Animal Farm is George Orwell's short novel about a farmyard revolution that goes wrong, first published in 1945. It is only a few chapters long and can be finished in an afternoon or two, yet it is one of the books people most often return to when they want to understand how power works. This page tells you what the book is about, why it still matters, and what you should know about its copyright before you download a PDF.
The story in a few lines
The animals of Manor Farm are tired of being worked hard and fed little by their owner, Mr Jones. Inspired by the dream of an old pig called Major, they drive Jones out and take over the farm. At first it works. The animals write down a set of rules, share the work and believe they are finally free and equal.
Then the pigs, led by Napoleon, begin to take charge. The rules get quietly rewritten, the pigs keep the best food for themselves, and any animal who complains is silenced. By the end, the line between the pigs and the humans they replaced has almost disappeared. (If you haven't read it yet, there is more to discover than this summary gives away.)
What is it really about?
On the surface it is a fable. Underneath, it is a satire of the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union under Stalin, with characters standing in for real figures and events. But it has lasted because its lessons are not tied to one country or one decade.
- How power corrupts. Those who start out fighting for fairness can end up protecting their own privileges.
- The use of propaganda. A character called Squealer shows how language can be twisted until people doubt what they remember.
- Silence and fear. The animals who notice something is wrong often don't speak, because speaking is dangerous.
- The cost of not asking questions. Many animals trust the leaders and don't check the rules for themselves.
Why do people still read it?
Because it is short, clear and very hard to forget. School and university students meet it on reading lists, and general readers pick it up because the story is simple enough to follow but sharp enough to argue about. Many readers say they notice something different each time they come back to it.
About George Orwell
George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, an English writer, journalist and essayist. He was born in 1903 in Motihari, in what was then British India, and died in 1950. He is best known for two books, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), and for essays that are admired for their plain, direct style and their suspicion of anyone who misuses power or language.
A note on copyright before you download
George Orwell died in 1950, and copyright rules for his books depend on the country you live in. In the UK, the EU and several other countries that protect works for the author's lifetime plus 70 years, Animal Farm entered the public domain on 1 January 2021. In countries with a lifetime-plus-50-years rule, such as Canada (for works that expired before its 2022 extension), Australia and China, it has been public domain for longer.
In the United States, however, Animal Farm is still protected by copyright and is expected to enter the public domain on 1 January 2041. If you live in a country where the book is still protected, please do not download or share the PDF. Check your local law first, and consider buying a copy or borrowing one from a library instead.
Book details
| Title | Animal Farm: A Fairy Story |
|---|---|
| Author | George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) |
| First published | 1945 |
| Genre | Allegorical novel, political satire |
| Language | English |
| Format |