The Contemporary Significance of Orwell’s Animal Farm in Indonesia’s Contemporary Political Situation

Abstract

The truthfulness of literature lies in the conveyance of human experiences through the interpretations of typical characters and probable events in the literary works for humans to see themselves in this global ‘mirror’ created and held up by the authors. To build a nation in a certain form like monarchy, republic, etc. is not an easy task to do. To hold it together to stand the tests of time is even more difficult to do. This is what has always been true throughout human history, including Indonesia in its nation-building with its vast diversity in ethnic groups, languages, religions, and ideologies. This study aims at briefly presenting the significance of characters and events in the satirical novel Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945) in connection with contemporary Indonesia’s political situation. It deals with the related issues focusing on the character Napoleon and his comrades as seen through their deviant of original idealism, their violence and dictatorship, their greed for power, their abuse of propaganda; it then continues to relate them to theocracy and communism in Indonesia, and finally to what Indonesia needs now.