Do you remember that part in Animal Farm after Napoleon takes control, but life on the farm is not going as planned? The windmill--his chance at greatness--has fallen apart. Neighboring farms are starting to doubt his control over the situation. And the hens, oh those nasty hens, are yammering on about wanting control over what happens to their eggs. So what does Napoleon do? He points to Snowball or rather, "decreed that there should be a full investigation into Snowball's activities." The animals are confused because they still carry a positive image of him for his bravery and sacrifice. "They all remembered, or thought they remembered...how he had rallied and encouraged them at every turn." Accusation after accusation, repetition ad nauseum, even sweet-hearted Boxer finally breaks down and says, "If Napoleon says it, it must be right."
What follows is one of the farm's darkest days, surely darker than when even Farmer Jones was in charge. In an impulsive tantrum, Napoleon unleashes his dogs on the hens and other enemies of the state. Then he bans the joyous verses of "Beasts of England" and they are all left with is a much simpler anthem, led by the sheep and their incessant bleating: "Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad."
Reading this chapter aloud to my kids today in class, one turns to me as the bell rings and says, "Whoa, this is getting intense." Boy, is he right about that.
That sounds like fake fiction to me!
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