Animal Farm is a political allegory that tells the story of a group of farm animals who overthrow their human owner in hopes of creating an equal society. However, as the pigs seize control, the farm’s ideals of equality are corrupted, leading to a dictatorship that mirrors the tyranny they sought to escape. The novel is a critique of totalitarianism and a satirical reflection on the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the early Soviet Union.

Animal Farm has been banned and censored in various countries due to its critique of totalitarian regimes and its allegorical representation of communism. The book was seen as subversive, particularly in countries with communist governments, where its portrayal of the corruption of socialist ideals was considered dangerous. In the United States and the United Kingdom, it faced challenges in schools for its political content, with some viewing it as anti-government or inappropriate for young readers. These elements made Animal Farm a target for censorship, especially during the Cold War era.