Republic？

Review of Animal Farm
After reading this book, I was literally overwhelmed by the story itself and the undertone behind it. Although this book is categorized as children’s fables, it has undoubtedly claimed its place in contemporary literary arena as one of the best satirical masterpieces. With implicit allusion to Former Soviet Union and Stain, Animal Farm skillfully portrays a historic tragedy which appears again and again in human history-An uprising for equality ironically ending up in dictatorship. As a Chinese, I was completely grasped by its plots since it easily aroused my déjà vu of the past. Garcia Marquez once said that novel was a covert history of a nation. This book, in my opinion, is a perfect demonstration of his words.
Napoleon is the most controversial figure across the story. Here I use figure because his implication is much beyond what an animal can carry. There is no doubt that Napoleon is the evil dictator who manipulates his power so as to justify his legitimacy of superiority. In the story, he distorted the Seven Commandments with Squealer’s help; He toiled the other animals by making use of their obedience; He even slaughtered his peers in an attempt to consolidate his ruling. However, all of these atrocities are trivia compared with another autocratic method-brainwashing. I was struck by one plot that Clover and Benjamin were the only two literate animals in the farm other than the ruling pigs. As for the other illiterate animals, they were pathetically wielded by the pigs since they had nothing to counter the propaganda which was forced into their mind. Here comes my question: what should be blamed for this tragic result?
As far as I can see, it is not the dictatorship itself but the way Animal Farm is organized that should be blamed. Supposed Snowball finally makes his way back to Animal Farm and defeats Napoleon, there is still doubt that whether he will keep his integrity till the end. If a nation’s prospect completely depends on its leader, dictatorship probably can not be avoided. It is ironic to acknowledge that those countries tagged as republic are the least republic countries in the world. If a nation’s constitution can be altered to cater to its leader’s desire, say the Seven Commandments in Animal Farm, it is hard to imagine that things like equality can have its place in this country.
One of the Seven Commandments says that every animal is created equal. But its equality is referred as materially equality. If there is an authentic meaning about equality in this story, I think equal access to education should outpace the rest. Material equality is worthless since it can be awarded and deprived. Of. Compared with materiality, however, wisdom can never be snatched away once we acquire it.
Here I want to use the famous ending sentence as the conclusion of my essay.
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, from man to pig, and from pig to man again, but already it was impossible to say which was which”
    God bless us.