23rd Annual Student Research Conference
Dogs, Pigs, and Sheep: Pink Floyd, George Orwell, and the Human Condition
James D. Megahan
Dr. Bob Mielke, Faculty Mentor
Released during a period of social and economic unrest in England, Pink Floyd's 1977 album Animals melds a progressive-rock sound with politically-charged lyrics to produce a stinging critique of Western capitalism and its effects on the modern human condition. Utilizing distinctly anthropomorphic metaphors throughout its five tracks, Animals bears a striking resemblance to George Orwell's classic anti-Stalinist novel Animal Farm. While differing in format and in their specific targets, both Animals and Animal Farm set forth a negative assessment toward contemporary forms of political corruption and social inequality through similar imagery. In this paper, literary analysis is combined with both political and social theory to explore these concerns as found in the respective lyrics and prose of Animals and Animal Farm.
Keywords: Pink Floyd, George Orwell, progressive rock, literature, anthropomorphism, capitalism, Stalinism, social democracy
Topic(s):English
Political Science
Sociology/Anthropology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 30-4
Location: VH 1432
Time: 10:15