Should Animal Farm Be Considered A Fairy Tale

The debate whether Animal Farm should be considered a fairy tale has yet to be solved. Animal Farm should be considered a fairy tale for the various reasons. There is typically a hero or heroine that is prominent in the book, stated by Tanglin Trust School Library(Six Steps to Fairy Tales). A fairy tale also has a villain that tries to trick the hero. Propp's Functions of Folk Tales states, the plot of a fairy tale contains a death , interdiction, violation, trickery, and villany. According to National Theater: An Introduction To Fairy Tales, the main distinguishing characteristic of a fairy tale is the moral lesson or the deeper meaning that is given. Animal Farm would be classified as a fairy tale because it has a hero. In fairy tales, the hero is typically humble, simple, naive, or innocent. Boxer, the workhorse, would fit all of those characteristics. He is so naive that he believes everything Napoleon says, as stated on page 56 of Animal Farm, where Boxer adapts the maxim “Napoleon is always right.” While including a hero, a fairy tale also includes a villain. In Animal Farm, the villain is Napoleon. Napoleon exploits the other animals’ ignorance and hard work for his own personal gain. By using
Most fairy tales have a death, an interdiction, a violation, a trickery, and villainy. All of these elements are present in Animal Farm; for example, Old Major dies. (Orwell, #15) The interdiction in this story happens to be The Seven Commandments. As in all fairy stories, someone breaks the major rule or rules, and Animal Farm is no exception. The commandments are first broken by Napoleon when he allowed Mr. Whymper to be their solicitor.(Orwell, #65-66) Boxer, the hero, is tricked by Napoleon into believing everything Napoleon says is right. Even though, Napoleon is eventually the cause of Boxer’s demise. (Orwell, #122-125) The plot also ties in with the moral or deeper message that is conveyed through the