Snowball's Chance
Encyclopedia
Snowball's Chance, is a parody of George Orwell
's Animal Farm
written by John Reed
, in which Snowball
the pig returns to the Manor Farm after many years' absence, to install capitalism — which proves to have its own pitfalls.
The title raised the ire of Christopher Hitchens
. A New York Times article about a hostile letter sent to the publisher from the Orwell estate, which cited issues of copyright infringement, precipitated a journalistic and online debate about the book at a time when Orwell's legacy was under question, due to a list of "crypto-Communists" he handed over to the British Foreign Office. Marxists and Orwell admirers also objected to the work. Hitchens accused Reed of being a "Bin Ladenist." As was reported in Australian paper The Age:
"[William] Hamilton [the Orwell estate's legal representative], of London, said: 'If it were a straight parody, I would say 'Good on you.' But this book seems to take rather than give." Reed said: 'I think that Orwell, were he still alive, would far rather be with me in my hovel than sitting in some corporate office preparing lawsuits.'"
, the original antagonist of Animal Farm
. The animals of the farm, fearing what will become of them, learn that Snowball
is alive and well, and Snowball returns to the farm to encourage capitalism
.
A second windmill is soon built alongside the first, and the two are thenceforth known as the Twin Mills (allegorical of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center
), and the animals all learn to walk on their hind legs, something hitherto forbidden by Old Major
shortly before the expulsion of Mr. Jones
from the farm. Also, in place of the original Seven Commandments, Snowball adopts a single slogan for the animals to live by: All animals are born equal - what they become is their own affair.
As time passes, the animals, under the leadership of Snowball, realise the properties of monetary gain, and begin to file lawsuit
s against neighbouring farms, allowing Animal Farm to gain land and wealth. The revitalised farm also attracts animals from elsewhere in England
, who are segregated from the farm animals (a possible allegory for American racial segregation
).
In an effort to increase their wealth, Snowball proposes to transform the farm into a large fairground
named Animal Fair (similar to the development of Coney Island
in the 19th Century), and in order to provide power for the fair, the animals drive off a group of beavers and other woodland creatures living by a nearby river, and the beaver-dams are destroyed in order for the farm to exploit the water-supply of the river.
Despite the success of Animal Fair, the excessive littering and pollution leaves the farm in a deplorable state, and matters worsen when the Twin Mills are destroyed by the woodland creatures in retaliation for their expulsion from the riverbank (in a manner similar to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center). Snowball counteracts this by declaring war on the now-fanatical woodland creatures, even though Animal Farm is in no position to win the war.
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Animal Farm
Animal Farm
Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II...
written by John Reed
John Reed (novelist)
John Reed is an American novelist. He is the author of four novels: A Still Small Voice , Snowball's Chance with a preface by Alexander Cockburn, The Whole , and All the World's a Grave: A New Play by William Shakespeare...
, in which Snowball
Snowball (Animal Farm)
Snowball is a fictional pig in the book Animal Farm written by George Orwell. He is based on Leon Trotsky.- Snowball's ideas :Snowball believes in a continued revolution: he argues that in order to defend Animal Farm and strengthen the reality of Old Major's dream of a life without humans, the...
the pig returns to the Manor Farm after many years' absence, to install capitalism — which proves to have its own pitfalls.
Background
Of Snowball's Chance as a follow-up to Orwell's work, Reed stated: "My intention is to blast Orwell, I’m really doing my best to annihilate him."The title raised the ire of Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens is an Anglo-American author and journalist whose books, essays, and journalistic career span more than four decades. He has been a columnist and literary critic at The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry, and became a media fellow at the...
. A New York Times article about a hostile letter sent to the publisher from the Orwell estate, which cited issues of copyright infringement, precipitated a journalistic and online debate about the book at a time when Orwell's legacy was under question, due to a list of "crypto-Communists" he handed over to the British Foreign Office. Marxists and Orwell admirers also objected to the work. Hitchens accused Reed of being a "Bin Ladenist." As was reported in Australian paper The Age:
"[William] Hamilton [the Orwell estate's legal representative], of London, said: 'If it were a straight parody, I would say 'Good on you.' But this book seems to take rather than give." Reed said: 'I think that Orwell, were he still alive, would far rather be with me in my hovel than sitting in some corporate office preparing lawsuits.'"
Plot
The story begins with the death of NapoleonNapoleon (Animal Farm)
Napoleon is a fictional character and the main antagonist in George Orwell's Animal Farm. While he is at first a common farm pig, he gets rid of Snowball, another pig which shares the power...
, the original antagonist of Animal Farm
Animal Farm
Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II...
. The animals of the farm, fearing what will become of them, learn that Snowball
Snowball (Animal Farm)
Snowball is a fictional pig in the book Animal Farm written by George Orwell. He is based on Leon Trotsky.- Snowball's ideas :Snowball believes in a continued revolution: he argues that in order to defend Animal Farm and strengthen the reality of Old Major's dream of a life without humans, the...
is alive and well, and Snowball returns to the farm to encourage capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
.
A second windmill is soon built alongside the first, and the two are thenceforth known as the Twin Mills (allegorical of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
), and the animals all learn to walk on their hind legs, something hitherto forbidden by Old Major
Old Major
Old Major is the first major character described by George Orwell in Animal Farm. This "purebred" of pigs is a kind, grandfatherly philosopher of change...
shortly before the expulsion of Mr. Jones
Jones (Animal Farm)
Mr Jones of Manor Farm is a human character in George Orwell's allegorical novel Animal Farm. Jones is an allegory for Tsar Nicholas II. Jones was overthrown by the animals of his farm, who represent Bolshevik and liberal revolutionaries.-Description:...
from the farm. Also, in place of the original Seven Commandments, Snowball adopts a single slogan for the animals to live by: All animals are born equal - what they become is their own affair.
As time passes, the animals, under the leadership of Snowball, realise the properties of monetary gain, and begin to file lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s against neighbouring farms, allowing Animal Farm to gain land and wealth. The revitalised farm also attracts animals from elsewhere in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who are segregated from the farm animals (a possible allegory for American racial segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
).
In an effort to increase their wealth, Snowball proposes to transform the farm into a large fairground
Funfair
A funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
named Animal Fair (similar to the development of Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
in the 19th Century), and in order to provide power for the fair, the animals drive off a group of beavers and other woodland creatures living by a nearby river, and the beaver-dams are destroyed in order for the farm to exploit the water-supply of the river.
Despite the success of Animal Fair, the excessive littering and pollution leaves the farm in a deplorable state, and matters worsen when the Twin Mills are destroyed by the woodland creatures in retaliation for their expulsion from the riverbank (in a manner similar to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center). Snowball counteracts this by declaring war on the now-fanatical woodland creatures, even though Animal Farm is in no position to win the war.
Differences from Animal Farm
- Sugarcandy MountainBig Rock Candy MountainBig Rock Candy Mountain, first recorded by Harry McClintock in 1928, is a song about a hobo's idea of paradise, a modern version of the medieval concept of Cockaigne...
- the likely allegory for HeavenHeavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
mentioned by Moses the Raven in Animal FarmAnimal FarmAnimal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II...
. In Snowball's Chance it is renamed the Sugarcandy Lodestar.
- The language of Snowball's Chance is more over-the-top than that of Animal Farm. As John StrausbaughJohn StrausbaughJohn Strausbaugh is an American author, cultural commentator, and host of the New York Times "Weekend Explorer" video podcast series on New York City....
noted in the New York PressNew York PressNew York Press was a free alternative weekly in New York City, that was published from 1988 to 2011. During its lifetime, it was the main competitor to the Village Voice...
: "He not only shanghais Orwell’s story, but amps up and mocks the writer’s famously flat, didactic style."