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Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone of Animal Farm shifts dramatically throughout the novel, as the farm transitions from idealistic revolution to totalitarian control. Initially, the tone is hopeful and almost mischievous. The third-person omniscient narrator’s voice is always withdrawn and austere, but it’s tinged here with the optimism of the animals as they dream of a better life free from human oppression. This hopeful tone resonates with the excitement of Old Major’s calls for rebellion and the potential for a new social order on Manor Farm. However, as the pigs begin to assume control and the reality of the new regime sets in, the narrator’s attitude quickly gets more cynical. This cynicism mirrors the animals' growing awareness of trouble in paradise and their disillusionment with the pigs’ leadership.
Orwell employs satire throughout the narrative as a way of reflecting on totalitarian regimes, specifically the devolution of the Russian revolution into Joseph Stalin’s tyrannical dictatorship over the Soviet Union. Through satirical jabs that compare the pigs’ actions with real historical events, the novel exposes the hypocrisy and brutality that often accompany absolute power. The swift deterioration of the farm once the pigs start to become truly corrupt parallels the events history has shown to be common in totalitarian states. The tone shifts from lighthearted and hopeful to increasingly dark and oppressive as the pigs betray the revolution in word and deed. The third-person narrator’s voice also changes. As the book continues, it grows more glib and detached, which underscores the increasing grimness of the situation and the normalization of the pigs’ autocratic rule.
By the end of the novel, the tone has become horrified and powerless. This reflects the complete transformation of the farm into a pig-led dictatorship indistinguishable from the human regime it replaced. The other animals, powerless and subjugated, are left in a worse position than before. This time, however, their oppressors were the very pigs who promised them freedom.
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