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Lancaster Mennonite’s Drama Department presented Animal Farm for their Fall Play in November. Director Katelyn Coryell shares that, “[George Orwell’s Animal Farm] tells the story of a group of anthropomorphic farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy.” Ultimately the society is betrayed by a power hungry pig who leads the rest of the pigs to take away the voice of the community, forming a dictatorship. I remember studying this book in English and unpacking Animal Farm as an allegory for Stalinism. Revisiting the story in play format with the students, and reflecting on the cyclical nature of our world’s happenings, I’ve come to see how it can be applied to many different points in history. The students did intelligent work developing their characters to be more than just a pig or a workhorse; they are each a walking allegory.
