Who would have thought that a barn full of farm animals could ever represent the real world? In fact, that’s what British author and journalist, George Orwell, accomplished in his short fictional novel, Animal Farm. First published on this date in England in 1945, this novella uses pigs, horses, and other common farm animals to describe what should be a utopia. However, there is one fatal flaw the corruption of its leaders. Animal Farm reflects Orwell’s satirical take on communism and Joseph Stalin. Despite its initial difficulties in getting published, Animal Farm went on to become one of the most widely read books in the Western world.
誰可曾想過一個充滿許多農莊動物的穀倉能代表現實世界？事實上，那正是英國作家兼記者喬治．歐威爾在他的短篇虛構小說《動物農莊》裡所呈現的。這本短篇故事在 1945年的今日於英國首次出版，故事內容利用了豬、馬及其他常見的農莊動物來描寫烏托邦應有的樣貌。然而烏托邦裡卻有一項致命缺陷，那就是其領導人的腐 敗。《動物農莊》反映出歐威爾對共產主義及喬瑟夫．史達林所抱持的諷刺看法。儘管剛開始在找人出版時遇到了一點困難，但《動物農莊》後來仍成為西方社會最 廣泛閱讀的書籍之一。
知識大補帖
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喬治．歐威爾以《動物農莊》（右圖，翻攝網路）和 《1984》（Nineteen Eighty-Four）這兩部作品享譽全球。在這兩篇小說中，他以敏銳的目光來觀察和批判以史達林時代的蘇聯為代表、掩蓋在社會主義 （socialism）名義下的極權主義（totalitarianism），並以辛辣的筆觸諷刺泯滅人性的極權主義社會。其中，《動物農莊》為歐威爾奠 定國際地位，使他成為著名的評論作家；而《1984》則被《時代雜誌》（Time）評為1923年至今最好的100本英文小說之一。
單字片語
◎accomplishvt. 完成，實現
例：The secret agent successfully accomplished the mission.
（那位秘密探員成功完成了任務。）
◎fictionala. 虛構的；小說的
例：The fictional characters in this movie were inspired by real people.
（這部電影中虛構角色的靈感來自於真實人物。）
◎novella
n. 短篇故事；中篇小說
◎corruption
n. 腐敗；貪污
例：The investigation uncovered widespread corruption inside the police force.（這項調查揭發警方內部的大規模貪污。）
◎satirical
a. 諷刺的；挖苦的
Dick wrote a satirical essay about the problem.
例：Dick wrote a satirical essay about the problem.（迪克寫了一篇有關該問題的諷刺文章。）
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