I was just cracking up reading the Wikipedia entry on TCOL49 because of the awesome names. For some reason, Dr. Hilarius being a Nazi scientist always seems over-broad in the context of the book, but it never fails to bring a smile to my face when I consider it elsewhere.

horse who's name I'm forgetting that got sent to the glue factory.

His name was Boxer. Poor Boxer. In fact I am sitting here tearing a bit thinking of how poor, loyal Boxer was betrayed. I sobbed and sobbed when reading the book. I am not sure that Animal Farm is the sort of book that it supposed to evoke an emotional response, but it did.

I cry at any book that has bad things happen to animals.

looks at Watership Down wearily

In the name of being well-read. I'll just double up in my AD's.

His name was Boxer.

Yes, thank you.

Poor Boxer.

Oh yes.

I am not sure that Animal Farm is the sort of book that it supposed to evoke an emotional response, but it did.

Me too. I think Boxer's fate was supposed get an emotional response, though.

Thinking critically about Animal Farm....

I think that George Orwell's writing philosophy was like Brecht's-- to incite action rather than emotion. I just find Brecht's (and Orwell's) works to be emotionally moving. I think it may just be a reaction to the melodrama that same before them, though.

I also am just guessing about orwell's motives, as I know little to nothing about him.

Okay, I've never read Animal Farm and now I ain't gonna. 1984, though, and scads of 50s-70s scifi, so I'm all countercultured up.

I read Animal Farm directly before reading 1984, so it struck me how the former seemed almost like preparation for or a precursor to the latter.

They were both spring break reading material. Along with Catcher in the Rye and...maybe A Streetcar Named Desire ? Possibly Glass Menagerie. There was at least one play, and I think it was Tennessee Williams.

Oh God, somebody's pulled Corwood's chain. We'll be here all night. (sighs, puts out peaches)

Did you read them on Spring Break as part of school, or on your own?

Back in the dark ages when I was in school, we never, ever, ever had to read anything when we were on vacation, although we read one book a year as "outside reading" which meant that we chose 1 of 3 or 4 books, and then took a test when we were done reading. I think vacation reading is weird, even though I read like a maniac on vacation. I feel like perhaps it would have made me want to read LESS.

I didn't actually ask for the long story, erika! Maybe we'll be safe.

Did you read them on Spring Break as part of school, or on your own?

On my own. Kind of a "Why the hell haven't I read these books for school?" binge. Oh, I also read Brave New World after 1984.

I ended up writing my senior thesis on dehumanization in dystopian societies in the two books, so I got more bang for my intellectual buck.