《動物莊園》，一部豆瓣評分在9分以上，被《被稱為西方25部傳世文學作品之一，它到底講述的是一個什麼樣的故事？這部看似簡單的寓言到底有哪些超越時代的預言？讓我們跟隨下面這篇書評文章來窺見一二。
喬治·奧威爾(George Orwell, 1903~1950)，本名埃裡克·阿瑟·布萊爾(Eric Arthur Blair)，英國著名小說家、雜文作家、記者和評論家，生於英國殖民下的印度，在緬甸當過警察，參加過西班牙內戰。喬治·奧威爾一生短暫，但他以敏銳的洞察力和犀利的文筆審視和記錄著他所生活的那個時代，並做出了許多超越時代的預言，被稱為“一代人的冷峻良知”。他的作品以揭露社會不公現象、反對極權主義為特點，其中最著名的代表作就是《1984》(1984)和《動物莊園》(Animal Farm)。《動物莊園》出版於1945年，講述了一個農場的眾多動物不堪人類主人的壓迫，在豬的領導下革命成功後，又在陰謀與權力的傾軋下，迴歸極權主義悲慘生活的故事。小說生動地講述了極權主義形成的過程，借豬喻人，體現了作者對人類社會的深刻洞悉，讀來令人膽戰心驚。
作品賞析
《動物莊園》講了這樣一則寓言故事：曼納莊園中一頭名為少校的豬在臨終前發表了一番演講，認為動物們飽受人類主人的壓迫，過著極度悲慘的生活，應當發動一場革命，推翻人類主人，實現自治，建立所有動物皆平等的烏托邦社會。此番演講在動物們中間引起了極大的反響。少校死後不久，以豬為首的幾隻動物發動並領導了動物革命，成功趕走了莊園的人類主人，宣告成立動物莊園，開始了動物自治、共同開創美好生活的新時代。由於豬在革命中起到的重要作用以及豬在所有動物中無可比擬的智慧，豬們理所當然成了新莊園的領導者和規劃者，負責管理動物莊園中包括財產分配、勞動分配、反抗外敵入侵等所有事務。為了實現理想中的美好社會，動物莊園制定了“七誡”作為法規，寫在高高的建築物上，以確保所有動物能保持對人類的憎恨，永不享受屬於人類的東西，並享有平等的權利。
然而好景不長。智慧超群的豬中間有兩頭豬最為出色，一頭名為雪球，他思維敏捷，能言善辯，致力於動物莊園集體奔小康的發展，積極為動物們謀福利，在動物們中間頗有威望；另一頭豬名叫拿破崙，他強壯無比，極有心機，有很高的威懾力，很多動物都服他。兩頭豬猶如一座山頭的兩隻老虎，常常針鋒相對，爭執不下。在一次討論是否要花費巨大人力物力建風車的會議中，眼看雪球就要贏得民心，拿破崙突然用自己秘密訓練的由一群狗組成的軍隊趕走了雪球，並指出雪球就是近期動物莊園種種財產丟失事件的罪魁禍首，還義憤填膺地告訴大家雪球與人類沆瀣一氣，試圖奪取動物莊園。在拿破崙的“洗腦+棍棒”下，動物們聽信了他的說辭，從此民主的雛形破裂，拿破崙成了唯一的領袖。此後，拿破崙一邊將動物們的勞動果實據為己有，一邊將自己的罪行都推給逃走的雪球，同時還利用一頭名叫聲響器的豬宣傳造勢，讓“拿破崙同志永遠正確”的觀念深深紮根於動物們心中。此外，他停掉了雪球的掃盲計劃，並竊取雪球的風車創意，以“建風車發電”為藉口剝削動物們的勞動力。漸漸地，他開始公然違反“七誡”，並授意聲響器在民眾中散佈謊言來為自己掩飾，動物們稍有反對意見就施以血腥鎮壓，還故意引入與外敵的戰爭以增強個人威望。直到最後，“七誡”中最重要的一條“所有動物一律平等”也被堂而皇之地改為“所有動物一律平等，但有些動物更加平等”，豬們開始公然享受人類的住房、服飾與美食，並與人類平起平坐、共談交易，徹底完成了由豬向人的轉變。而此時動物莊園的動物們過著比以往更加悲慘的生活，卻在豬們的洗腦下認為自己過著的是比以往更好的日子。
這無疑是一則政治寓言。喬治·奧威爾在1945年該書出版時曾說：“這是一部革命史，但它誤入歧途，而且每次都偏離得那麼有道理。”書中的“人”就象徵著“獨裁者”，從“豬”到“人”的墮落，就是在權力的腐蝕下從受苦受難的普通人到獨裁者、剝削者的轉變。書中的動物們原本想要建設一個烏托邦式的美好社會，卻最終走向了極權主義。然而，這不僅僅是個故事，而是可能發生在所有社會中的可怕預言。而極權主義之所以能夠形成，不僅僅是因為有像“拿破崙”這樣的豬——他們有超乎尋常的智慧、狠毒殘酷的手段、侵吞權力的野心以及滿足私利的強烈慾望，更是因為還有一群無知的民眾。在動物莊園成立之初，大部分動物早已受慣了人類的壓迫，所謂“自由、獨立、平等”的生活對他們來說就像一個美好的幻夢，他們心嚮往之，卻全然不懂如何操作，他們空有一番熱情，卻毫無相應的知識和智慧，於是只能盲目地追隨聰明且學習能力強的豬，任由他們洗腦，即使稍有疑惑，也會被豬們的“洗腦+棍棒”消除得一乾二淨。節選中的拳師就是很好的例子。可以說，他是動物莊園中最忠誠、最賣力的動物，是典型的勞動模範，同時他也是最擁護、最輕信拿破崙各種宣傳和說辭的動物之一。在為拿破崙的政策“鞠躬盡瘁，差點犧牲”後，他滿意地回顧自己辛勞的一生，想象著自己退休後的美好生活，卻沒料到自己最終只落得被拿破崙送往屠宰場的悲慘下場。而這一切都源於他的無知。雪球曾開展掃盲計劃，讓所有的動物學會讀書寫字，可大部分的動物卻都像拳師一樣，只知道埋頭幹活，學了前幾個字母便放棄。也正因如此，當豬們堂而皇之地修改了寫在牆上的“七誡”時，卻很少有動物清楚發生了什麼。雖說也有少數像本傑明這樣擁有堪比豬的智慧和知識的長者，可他卻從頭到尾抱著事不關己的態度，直到眼睜睜地看著自己最好的朋友走向最悲慘的死亡。
然而，描寫極權主義的形成並不是喬治·奧威爾的目的，他也不是為了讓讀者痛恨獨裁者的慘絕人寰，更不是為了讓讀者同情動物們的悲慘命運。書中所有的一切，包括那些描述詳盡的愚弄民眾的政治伎倆，都是寫來警醒世人的。由於人的劣根性所致，人(尤其是領導者)在權力的誘惑下越陷越深並偏離正軌、釀造悲劇的事情在歷史上並不少見，而作為普通民眾，要預防並阻止類似事件的發生並不容易。然而，有一件事是可以做也是必須要做的，那就是用知識武裝自己，擁有有見識、有分辨能力的清醒頭腦。因為只有當人人都強大起來，才不易被愚弄；只有這樣，才不至於出現“豬”墮落成“人”這樣的荒誕劇，人類才有可能實現真正的自由和平等。
精彩片段試讀
Late one evening in the summer, a sudden rumour ran round the farm that something had happened to Boxer (拳師，一匹身強力壯的馬，是動物莊園中最勤勞最忠誠的動物，深受動物們的愛戴。). He had gone out alone to drag a load of stone down to the windmill. And sure enough, the rumour was true. A few minutes later two pigeons came racing in with the news: "Boxer has fallen! He is lying on his side and can't get up!"
About half the animals on the farm rushed out to the knoll（圓丘；土墩） where the windmill stood. There lay Boxer, between the shafts（傳動軸） of the cart, his neck stretched out（伸出）, unable even to raise his head. His eyes were glazed（呆滯的）, his sides matted（亂蓬蓬的） with sweat. A thin stream of blood had trickled（滴，淌） out of his mouth. Clover8) dropped to her knees at his side.
"Boxer," she cried, "how are you?"
"It is my lung," said Boxer in a weak voice. "It does not matter. I think you will be able to finish the windmill without me. There is a pretty good store of stone accumulated. I had only another month to go in any case. To tell you the truth, I had been looking forward to my retirement. And perhaps, asBenjamin（本傑明，一頭驢子，充滿智慧卻不太愛管事，與拳師是好朋友） is growing old too, they will let him retire at the same time and be a companion to me."
"We must get help at once," said Clover. "Run, somebody, and tellSquealer（聲響器，一隻豬，動物莊園的領袖拿破崙的發言人，負責給動物們洗腦） what has happened."
All the other animals immediately raced back to the farmhouse to give Squealer the news. Only Clover remained, and Benjamin who lay down at Boxer's side, and, without speaking, kept the flies off him with his long tail. After about a quarter of an hour Squealer appeared, full of sympathy and concern. He said that Comrade Napoleon（拿破崙同志，在起義後趕走競爭對手雪球，成為動物莊園的領袖） had learned with the very deepest distress of this misfortune to one of the most loyal workers on the farm, and was already making arrangements to send Boxer to be treated in the hospital at Willingdon. The animals felt a little uneasy at this. Except for Mollie and Snowball, no other animal had ever left the farm, and they did not like to think of their sick comrade in the hands of human beings. However, Squealer easily convinced them that the veterinary（獸醫的） surgeon（外科醫生） in Willingdon could treat Boxer's case more satisfactorily than could be done on the farm. And about half an hour later, when Boxer had somewhat recovered, he was with difficulty got on to his feet, and managed to limp（一瘸一拐地走） back to his stall（隔欄，分隔間）, where Clover and Benjamin had prepared a good bed of straw for him.
For the next two days Boxer remained in his stall. The pigs had sent out a large bottle of pink medicine which they had found in the medicine chest in the bathroom, and Clover administered it to Boxer twice a day after meals. In the evenings she lay in his stall and talked to him, while Benjamin kept the flies off him. Boxer professed（表達） not to be sorry for what had happened. If he made a good recovery, he might expect to live another three years, and he looked forward to the peaceful days that he would spend in the corner of the big pasture（牧場）. It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. He intended, he said, to devote the rest of his life to learning the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet.
However, Benjamin and Clover could only be with Boxer after working hours, and it was in the middle of the day when the van came to take him away. The animals were all at work weeding（給……除草） turnips（蘿蔔） under the supervision of a pig, when they were astonished to see Benjamin comegalloping（飛奔） from the direction of the farm buildings, braying at the top of his voice. It was the first time that they had ever seen Benjamin excited—indeed, it was the first time that anyone had ever seen him gallop. "Quick, quick!" he shouted. "Come at once! They're taking Boxer away!" Without waiting for orders from the pig, the animals broke off work and raced back to the farm buildings. Sure enough, there in the yard was a large closed van, drawn by two horses, with lettering on its side and a sly（狡猾的）-looking man in a low-crowned bowler hat sitting on the driver's seat. And Boxer's stall was empty.
The animals crowded round the van. "Good-bye, Boxer!" they chorused. "Good-bye!"
"Fools! Fools!" shouted Benjamin, prancing（騰躍） round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. "Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?" In the midst of a deadly silence he read:
"'Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon. Dealer in Hides and Bone-Meal.' Do you not understand what that means? They are taking Boxer to the knacker's（廢馬屠夫）!"
文章來源《賞析 / 舒夏 新東方英語》
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