1984 / Animal Farm

        Essentially, my big question pertains to both 1984 and Animal Farm in an extremely similar way.  In both novels, a higher power (Napoleon in Animal Farm and Big Brother - meaning the inner party and the thought police collectively - in 1984) holds sway over the general populace.  This higher power employs highly effective means of manipulating history (in 1984, namely) and/or tweaking their own laws without their subjects being aware - as an object of blame is provided (Emanuel Goldstein and Snowball) as the reason for change (though the higher power usually states that no change ever occurred at all).  Such perversion of law and history to suit the needs of such higher powers paired with the constant state of ignorance and unconditional (and unavoidable) obedience that the people are kept in ensures that the higher power is never in the wrong, and ultimately has complete control over its subjects.

'84 2

        In the second half of 1984, Winston's life gets a lot more interesting, as he and Julia start living together (they both seem to be experiencing love between one another).  Winston and Julia finally are happy (as happy as one can be in such a society, anyway), though they realize that the lifestyle that they are living is dangerous.  Dangerous enough for the thought police to take notice, bust in their room, and arrest them - which is exactly what happens.  The rest of the book basically consists of Winston and Julia (mainly Winston) being tortured, until Winston eventually breaks, to which he and Julia are released back into the bleak world - only to live as brainwashed pawns of Big Brother.  The intelligence of the thought police and the inner party continues to be a pivotal aspect of the novel, as their collective power over the human mind is clearly demonstrated on Winston, who emerges from their tortures as nothing more than a tool of Big Brother - no longer with any true self at all.

'84

        The first half of 1984 is about as one might expect: characters are introduced, like the main character, Winston, the dark-haired girl named Julia, and of course, Big Brother (if he counts as a character) along with his thought police.  I'm going to save the summary for now, and rather consider how my big question pertains to 1984.  I see the main source of intelligence in 1984 to be the inner Party and the thought police - for obvious reasons, really.  The inner party decides what goes in the history books (how to change history to best suit the Party's interests) and controls what the people know and have access to, and the thought police keeps an ever-vigilant eye on the people to insure that Big Brother's (essentially, the inner party's) will is obeyed.  Basically, together the inner party and the thought police control every aspect of the common people's lives, keeping them as obedient and ignorant as possible. 

Animal Pharm (second half)

        In the second half of Animal Farm, things really start to go downhill for the farm animals as Napoleon secures his place of power and unquestioned rule among his "comrades".  Squealer, nothing more than a puppet of Napoleon's, spreads more preposterous nonsense to the rest of the animals, who by now are two infatuated (and just plain stupid) with Napoleon's notions of "freedom" that they can't even tell right from wrong anymore - they don't even realize that they are being worked to death (quite literally, in boxer's case) by Napoleon, and that they are living under much harsher conditions than when humans ran the farm.  It seems to me that Napoleon's grip over the other animals tightens more and more the smarter - and ultimately more human - he becomes, eventually getting to the point where he wears clothes and walks upright; and at the same time he (unbeknownst by his brainwashed "comrades") narrows the seven commandments down to just one.

Animal Pharm

        The first half of George Orwell's Animal Farm seems to move pretty progressively.  The animals, under the guidance of their new-found pig leaders, Napoleon and Snowball (though their views are almost always contrasting of one another), seem to be doing well; succeeding in their rebellion against the human farm owners one step small (save the battles they engage in) victory at a time.  But behind the scenes - behind the rest of the animals' backs - Napoleon is weaving an intricate web of deceit, and Squeeler (along with the German shepherds, eventually) help to make sure that Napoleon's will is carried out, and the only reason why Napoleon has the ability to formulate such sinister plots is because his superior intelligence gives him an edge over the rest of the animals, allowing him to be a step ahead - and above - his "comrades" at all times.

Album Cover

        After some consideration, I have decided on a (somewhat) fitting album cover for the Animal Farm / 1984  soundtrack.  This picture could represent a major figure of either or both books.  For Animal Farm it could represent the portrayal that Napoleon and his underlings give of humans; telling their "comrades" that they mistreat animals everywhere and that under them, the animals' living conditions where worse than they are under Napoleon's rule (a complete fabrication, of course).  For 1984, the image could represent Big Brother, and how his intentions (though he may only be a figure-head representing the Party - specifically the inner Party) are foul and selfish.  No offense to Al Gore though, I just thought it was a good picture.

Track 5

        This will be the last track on the Orwell Album.  This one will be a second song pertaining to 1984 - to be more specific, it will go to represent the common people of Oceania (and probably the rest of the world as well).  I think that this song could represent how the people, though they are so firmly oppressed and their rights are so fragile that they, when it comes down to it, aren't even really allowed to be happy in their already meager lives - let alone be capable of finding it in such a bleak world as the one that they live in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXE-m_yPH_s

Track 4

        Next on the hit list..... another (and probably final; my fifth song might as well be another one for 1984) one for Animal Farm.  I think it is only fitting to - since I already designated a song to more or less be Napoleon's theme - give Napoleon's favorite "comrade" (sarcasm, of course), Snowball, a beat of his own.  More specifically, this song is meant to represent the post-banishment Snowball (that is, after Napoleon and his dogs give him the boot), and how Napoleon uses Snowball as a sort of scapegoat for anything that goes wrong within the farm, even though in reality Snowball is virtually never involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA

Track 3

        Alrighty then, the third edition to the Animal Farm / 1984 soundtrack.  I figured that I might as well post a track that relates (or at least that I think sounds like it could relate) to 1984.  I think this tune could represent the thought police (primarily because of the lyrics), as they constantly monitor the actions of everyone - save the proles maybe - keeping them in check (and by that I mean extremely ignorant, angry, and generally depressed) almost with an air of omniscience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBQalkIeE7s

BQ (aka Burger Qing)

        What role does intelligence play in influencing one's moral values and judgement?  That be my "Big Question".  I primarily geared this question towards George Orwell's Animal Farm when I composed it.  I basically intended the question to target the pigs in specific; how their intelligence (relative to the other farm animals) has influenced their judgement and actions.  It would definitely appear that the pigs' superior intelligence is the main reason why their word (especially Old Major's, and later Napoleon's) is typically revered be their fellow animals, and makes them optimal leaders - but how does it actually affect their judgement or their morals?  Although he was only included in the opening chapters of the book, Old Major seemed to want what was best for his fellow farm animals, but Napoleon and his minions (primarily Squealer) feed lies to their "comrades", and really only wish to exploit them for their own self-benefit.  So does the pigs' intelligence cloud their judgement?  Not necessarily, but it does seem to give them more potential to take advantage of others (since they can effectively figure out how to).          

Songy-Poo numbuh 2

        Alright then, the next song in the Animal Farm OST (well, not exactly).  Seriously though, this one's supposed to be a theme for Napoleon's ever-tightening grip over his "comrades", and how, despite the fact that they are being ever more oppressed with every passing day, they are too brainwashed by their "valiant" leader to be conscious of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgcY6qlzdf8