Animal Farm Quotes

Context

This line is from the novel Animal Farm (1945) by George Orwell.

Using the allegory of animals rebelling against humans, George Orwell satirized the rise of Stalinism and the corruption of socialism in his seminal novel Animal Farm. Through the character of Napoleon, a pig who rises to power in the farm on a platform of revolution and equality, he critiques Joseph Stalin. This book was written at a dangerous time when Orwell's home country, the United Kingdom, had an alliance with Soviet Russia against Nazi Russia, so it was no plate of cupcakes getting Animal Farm published.

"Four legs good, two legs bad" distills Napoleon's hatred for the humans into an easy-to-remember slogan created by the sheep of the farm. Orwell uses sheep to deliver this line because of their traditional stupidity and the fact that they'll follow anyone. This line is also an attack on the propaganda-driven culture of the Soviet Union, with its slogans, posters, songs, and marches with no substance behind them.

Eventually, the pigs become more and more like humans, and their slogan changes to "four legs good, two legs better." There is no real difference between them and their masters. This is Orwell showing that the so-called socialism of Soviet Russia has just become another authoritarian regime, like the czars, who used to rule Russia.

Anyway, there's nothing like a catchy jingle for keeping order in a dictatorship and getting your subjects to hate your enemies. For example, the theme for the addicting video game Tetris was originally a Soviet worker's anthem.

Where you've heard it

You've probably heard this quote in an English or History class when the professor is discussing propaganda and its role in the rise of authoritarian governments. It's a great quote for any "us vs them" situation; you can substitute your favorite sports team and their rival with "four legs" and "two legs" respectively.

Additional Notable References:

• A clever artist has turned "four legs good, two legs bad" into an actual Soviet-style propaganda poster.
• Here is a clip of Napoleon explaining the Seven Commandments of Animalism, which is like the Communist Manifesto of his dictatorship, with an added chorus of "Four legs good, two legs bad" from the 1954 Animal Farm animated film. It was actually animated by a studio that did propaganda films for Britain during World War II.
• In an episode of the 1990s cartoon Johnny Bravo, the title character runs around saying, "Four legs good, two legs bad" at his aunt's farm.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Save the propaganda for the dictators, and leave this quote at home with your high school copy of Animal Farm , okay?