Chapter I - Introduction

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study
Culture has important role in supporting and picturing the evolution of social development in which it has become a reflection of changes happened in society. Culture does not only consist of customs, habitual and language system, but it has literature as part of it. Literature is a part of culture, and culture is created by society.

Literature is a reflection of society life, a documentation of history and evidence of social changes. It also can be defined as social institution using language as its medium. Wellek in his book Theory of Literature stated that “Literature represents life, and life is in large measure, a social reality, even though the natural world and the inner or subjective world of the individual have also been object of literary imitation” (1981:94)

One of literary works that will be discussed by the writer in this thesis is a novel. Novel is a part of literature that is categorized as a prose fiction that contains more than fifty thousand words. Novel is a unique and aesthetic literary work because it usually provides complexity of ideas and length of plot which need deep understanding and vivid thought of its readers to find the main ideas and the messages want to be conveyed by the author.

The writer is appealed to analyze the best seller novel in twentieth Century that is Animal Farm is her final thesis for the requirement to fulfill her study at Pertiwi School of Foreign Languages. Animal Farm was written by George Orwell who has born as Eric Arthur Blair in 1903 in Notihari, Bengal, in the British colony of India, where his father Richard worked for the Opium Department of the Civil Service. His Mother Ida brought him to England at the age of one. At the age of five Blair was sent a small Anglican Parish School in Henley. Then he was sent to St Cyprant’s School in East Bourne, Sussex. After that he continued in Eton.

After finishing his study in Eton he joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, but he resigned and returned to England in 1928 because he hates imperialism. Orwell volunteered to fight for the Republican against Franco’s Nationalist uprising after the outbreak of Spanish Civil war. As a sympathizer of Labors Party, then he joined the militia of non-Stalinist far-left POUM (worker’s party of Marxist Unification).in which he fought as an infantryman.

He adopted his pen name that stressed his deep lifelong affection for the English tradition and countryside, George is the patron Saint of England as the George V is the monarch at the time. While the river Orwell in Suffolk was one of his most beloved English sites.

Orwell First work is Burmese day published in 1934. This novel expressed his hatred to imperialism which describes his five years experience as a policeman in Indian imperial police in Burma. The story focuses on a few Englishmen in the timber business in a small settlement in upper Burma who are manipulated by a corrupt local politician, U Po Kyim, whose chief ambition is to become a member of the European Club, a private establishment.

Published in the same year is A Hanging, an essay written in his time as police officer in Burma where he observes a criminal being executed. Shooting an elephant is his Essay written during the autumn of 1936, it retells his account of shooting an elephant in Britain controlled Burma when he was an imperial policeman. In this novel Orwell symbolizes an anti imperialist essayist. Orwell frequently and clearly states his displeasure with colonial Britain.

In 1944 Orwell finished his anti Stalinist allegory Animal Farm which was published the following year with great critical and popular success. Four years latter that is In 1949, Orwell published his allegorical political novel Nineteen Eighty Four. The story take place in nightmarish Dystopia where the Omnipresent State enforces perfect conformity among members of totalitarian party through indoctrination, propaganda, fear and ruthless punishment. The world Nineteen Eighty Four also reflects various aspect of social and political life in both England and United States of America, there have been suggestion that the primary character was named Winston after Winston Churchill, who had been British Prime Minister during the second World War.

Among his works Animal Farm is the most famous work that is able to criticize the totalitarian Russian Government under Stalin. And he tells to the world about a great history of great Nation and the rotten political strategy inside.

Animal farm introduces its prime theme of revolution as a reaction of a domineer class to break into dominator class. Revolution taken is neither unprepared nor pointless, not also just an expression of anger, rather it is part of social evolution in human’s history in which they must experienced a capitalism system where the conflict of interest will always emerges.

The history of revolution like any other history, ought first of all to tell what happened and how. The most indubitable feature of a revolution is the direct interference of the masses in historical events in ordinary times the state, be it monarchical or democratic, elevates itself above the nation, and history is made by specialist in that line of business such as kings, ministers, bureaucrats, parliamentarians, journalists. But at those crucial moments when the old order becomes no longer endurable to the masses, they break over the barriers excluding them from the political arena, sweep aside their traditional representatives and create by their own interference the initial groundwork for a new regime.

Animal Farm presents how the revolution changes the pattern of thought and characters of the society, especially the government who enforces it to others. Revolution is taken for holy aim or good will that is to make better life, in fact the realization will not always refer to the previous purposes since the transitional condition in the transformation government, system, and ideology will be the golden time to make self interest become the first priority. Thus power and sovereignty make a good revolutionist be a blind betrayer. How Animal Farm describes this reality to the reader is really fascinating base on the real fact of Russian Revolution.

Pioneered by the old major as the thinker who gave birth to the idea to run rebellion against human being, then the revolution’s messages is well kept by the pigs as the smartest animals in the farm. The pigs bring the idea into effect, by preparing it by themselves and teach others the spirit of Animalism as the organized system of the Old Major’s idea.

Snowball and Napoleon helped by Squealer have made success in organizing other animals to make great result in the rebellion when time is in their side. After getting success expelling humans as their enemy, they manage the farm by themselves.

What is dreamed before has greatly changed, the revolution which was aimed to create social prosperity, has become the green field for the power searcher. The dualism leadership is the first indicator of the betrayal of rebellion. The figures of the rebellion who have in utmost support in changing others’ way of thought, have been changing their own thought to search for self indulgence after facing the reality.

The misleading, misconception, and self interest have made the great success of the rebellion be a new grave for other animals. They change their view that human is their enemy, but they are still in the same fate that they are slaves of some of their own class, a tiny group of animals, that is the pigs.

Finally the rebellion which is purposed to abolish the stratification of class, to expel the dominator has made new class structures, where the suppression still exists.

Out of his hatred to Stalinism and criticism to Stalin’s policy, Animal Farm is fascinating, unique and able to grasp the reader’s attention to the entire plot during the story flowing. Without Question, Animal Farm is a Master piece of George Orwell.

The hatred of Orwell to Stalinism was really expressed in this novel, by presenting the central figure as the power abuser and dictator leader “Stalin” represented by Napoleon in the story. He actually ignored the key figure of the revolution that is V. I. Lenin. Stalin is the successor of Lenin after his death. Stalin was Lenin’s secretary who deviated his thought.

B. Problem Formulation
The novel has many interesting aspects and the moral messages to the reader as it is depicted from a great history of a great nation but in this thesis the writer will formulate the problem that she considers as the essential aspects of the work

The novel strongly presents about the political and social matters, in this case the writer puts some important basic questions:
1. How does the character of Animal Farm represent Russian revolutionary
Figure?
2. How does the revolution transform the system and the ideology of Russia?
3. What are the revolution impacts toward Russian Society?

C. Objective of Study
There are some reasons which have stimulated the writer to consider taking this novel as her discussion. Firstly the writer is interested in the background of the author as a humanitarian and political activist, who aggressively fights against totalitarianism and colonialism through his works. Besides, the writer is interested in knowing the great historical event, Russian revolution. Through this thesis the writer intends to put the objectives as follows:

Firstly, the writer explains to the readers how the character of Animal Farm represents Russian revolutionary figure, secondly the writer explains to the reader the revolution impacts toward Russian Society, and thirdly the writer elaborates how the revolution transforms the system and the ideology of Russia

D. Definition of Terms
In this thesis the writer entitles “The Portrayal of Russian Revolution and its impact toward Russian society in George Orwell’s Animal Farm”

Portrayal in oxford dictionary means the picture, description, and act in play. In this thesis the writer uses this term to refer to a description of revolutionary event which happened in Russia told in Animal Farm. (1995:321)

The word Revolution in Oxford dictionary means complete change in the system of government, especially by force, complete change in conditions or ways of doing thing, and one complete movement in a circle. In this thesis the writer uses the term revolution which refers to great changes in the system of government by force, which happens in Russia in 1917. (1995:355)

Impact, according to epistemology in dictionary means hitting one object against another, strong effect on something or somebody. In this thesis the term of impact refers to the effect of revolution. (1995:208)

Society, according to dictionary, is system in which people live in organized communities, social community. In this thesis the term society refers to the people who live in organized community. (1995:405)

E. Urgency of Study
Animal farm tells to the readers a great history of the world that is revolutionary event happened in Russia. As the first Communist Country in the World Russia has curved great memory in all people’s heart. Russia had ever made great success and became The Second super power country. Russia Also has offended many hearts through its events.

This paper is hoped to be one of the clues or ways out where people nowadays who are still confused or haven’t got some sources about Russian Revolution History. Russia is a great country and its history is part of World history, thus this thesis is dedicated for the readers who want to know much about Russian revolution.

The writer employs some theories of Great Thinkers that is Karl Marx’s and Mark Weber, therefore by reading this thesis the readers are hoped to derive some inputs about the influences of Great Thinker’s Idea toward society and the causes of social changes in philosophical point of view.

Furthermore, this thesis is aimed to give explicit description to the readers about the analysis of sociocultural-historical novel by understanding and combining the data in the novel with the history, with the following steps:

Firstly the writer read the novel repeatedly until she understood the entire story, and then found some information about the novel and the author in some sources. Secondly, after knowing the novel and identifying the author’s work, the writer just found some facts that the novel is talking about historical event.

Thirdly, the writer got a clue to choose an approach and some related theories to support her analysis. Thus the writer derives clear description about the great history in a tiny and simple novel that is Animal Farm, through her analysis.

F. Theoretical Ground
The writer performs some theories that will give information about the problems which is going to be discussed deeply in the next chapter, the theories is taken from some sources, such as library, internet or some related books.

Sociology discusses the major topic about society with their relationship with cultural and historical life. Marx Weber in his book states that “Sociology is a science concerning itself with the interpretative understanding of social action and thereby with a causal explanation of its course and consequences, we shall speak of action in so far the acting individual attaches a subjective meaning to his behavior be it overt or covert omission or acquiescence action is social in so far its subjective meaning take account of the behavior of others and is thereby oriented in its source” (www.wikipedia.org.com/sociology).

Another definition can be stated sociology as the study of human social behavior, and includes the examination of the origins, institutions, organization, and development of human life. It is a social science involving the study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies, sometimes defined as the study of social interactions. While social interaction is a dynamic, changing sequence of social actions between individuals or groups who modify their actions and reactions due to the actions by their interaction partners. In other words they are events in which people attach meaning to a situation, interpret what others are saying, and respond accordingly.

In sociological hierarchy, social interaction is more advanced than behavior, action, social behavior, social action and social contact, and is in turn followed by more advanced concept of social relation. In other words, social interactions, which consist of social actions, form the basis for social relations. (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/social_interaction)

Thus human as social entity will always get involve in social interaction in any activities. Any kind of activities which regarded as a significance and doing repeatedly from the convention of related society is called Culture. The word culture, from the Latin colo, -ere, with its root meaning "cultivate" and the ending makes it mean "to cultivate", generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. Different definitions of "culture" reflect different theoretical bases for understanding, or criteria for evaluating, human activity (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/culture).

The writer uses sociocultural and sociohistorical approaches and then it will also discuss other related theories such as Marxist theory, Social changes theory and some other else. Solcioculture-Historical approach insists in the only way to locate the work in reference to civilization that produces it. As Civilization is the attitude and actions of specific groups of people, this approach take this attitudes and actions as its subject of matter. Sociocultural and sociohistorical is part of Sociology.

Socio–cultural covers many elements ranging from state to the country, or from government to individual, these elements has many aspect of life such as economic, social ,politic, art, etc. Karl Manheim in Toward a Sociology of Culture of India states that socio of culture is an extension of the sociology of knowledge, to encompass not only the discursive thought but the whole Gamut of symbolic expression including art and religion (1965:14)

Tarlott Parson still in the same book states that sociology of culture should specifically be oriented to the study of the system of scientific, technical, and creative knowledge, growth of ideologies and its changes, emergence and dynamics of new values including of value-relevance, and value institutional, system of religion and its relation to social structure, broadly speaking all levels of interaction between culture and social system (1965:14).

Mathew Arnold in the Sociocultural critic emphasizes upon the moral, intellectual, and social aspects of literature and literary criticism, Arnold declared that criticism take a crucial role in the creative process by providing the sort of intellectual climate in which literature flourishes (Norman, 1968:163).

If socio of culture is more concern with the interaction between culture and social system, on the other hand socio historical deals with the history and social life. Webster’s third new international dictionary gives definition of the word history as a systematic written account comprising a chronological events and usually including a philosophical explanation of the cause and the origin of such event. Analytically speaking history is the past of such.
History refers to the study and interpretation of the record of humans, families, and societies. Knowledge of history is often said to encompass both knowledge of past events and historical thinking skills. (http: // en. wikipedia. Org / wiki / History).

Analytically speaking history is the past of event which is recorded in society as the part of important event in human’s life. To middling some any cases which encounter society with its cultural and historical matters, can be reflected in a literary work like novel.

Animal farm is observed in socio cultural-historical approach. The approach is seeing the problem from its social, cultural and historical facts. This frame will make the analysis more focus and directly concerned with the problem. The social life deals with social interaction in society, and culture or civilization taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Thus literature as the product of society, only occurs in social context must be closely related to culture as the product of social interaction.

Edmund Wilson describes in well known essay entitled the Historical Interpretation of Literature as the interpretation of literature in its social, economic and political aspects. Wilson description accurately suggests is in the literary work’s interaction with life, and this interaction involves not only the work’s social, economic and political implication but also, in the largest sense, its moral and cultural implication indeed the word, social, political, moral, cultural or their cognates and synonyms again and again in the writing of socio-cultural critic (Norman, 1968:162)

The theory of Taine also supported historical critics. Taine in History of English Literature, 1863 postulated race, moment, and milieu that is national character, epoch, and environment, as the three major dominant in literature. Taine stated the literature is used as a means to comprehend not only the psychology of people but also to discover the wellspring of human behavior.
In this consists the important of literary works, they are instructive because they are beautiful, their utility grows with their perfection, and if they furnish documents it is because they are monuments. The more book brings sentiments into light, the more it is a work of literature, for the proper office of literature is to make sentiments visible. The more a book represents important sentiment, the higher it is its place in literature, for it is by representing the mode of being of a whole nation and a whole age, that a writer rallies around him the sympathies of an entire age and an entire nation, it is then chiefly by the study of literature that one may construct a moral history, and advance toward the knowledge laws, from which events spring. (Norman, 1968:162)

From the series of theories above, it can be concluded that the literary works can be studied in the widest possible context rather than itself. Every literary work is the result of a complex interaction of social and cultural factors and is itself a complex cultural object.

G. Method of Study
In writing this thesis the writer takes a descriptive analysis by using library research. The writer uses sociocultural and sociohistorical approaches, collecting some data and theories related to it.

The novel entitled Animal Farm is the primary source of this thesis to analyze. The writer reads some books about Russian history and the idea of great thinkers who influenced, besides browsing some websites in internet to get sufficient data and information about literary, sociological discourses, some approaches and criticisms to supporting her thesis.

The writer uses sociocultural and sociohistorical approaches to the problems related to Russian Revolution including the cause and effect of the revolution which is revealed in Animal Farm. This approach also will describe how the characters in Animal Farm represent the Russian revolution figures.