Nineteen Eighty Four Inspired Dog Names

Like many other great authors, George Orwell was also quick with a turn and his writing thick with symbolism. Whether that was as overt as Nineteen Eighty-Four or a bit more buried like in Animal Farm, it remained steadfast throughout his writing and with it, he was able to make overarching commentary about the state of the world during his tenure as a vigilant and insightful writer. 

So it should come to no surprise that when Orwell penned Animal Farm, he was able to use dogs as symbols as well. The first we hear of the novella’s dogs are in the form of Jessie and Bluebell, each of which have a litter of puppies that are quickly scooped up by the power-hungry pig Napoleon, whose intent is to “educate” the puppies from an early age. In doing so, Napoleon draws direct correlations to Joseph Stalin, a considerable terror when the book was being written as well as during its first months/years of publication. 

With that comparison, Orwell turned the nine dogs into a version of Stalin’s NKVD, a powerful and secret police force used for political repression, a theme that continues in Animal Farm as Napoleon attempts to assert his control over the barnyard. The dogs themselves represent various attributes from brute strength to power in numbers, but above all else, they seem to reinforce a very powerful theme throughout the book: there are no bad dogs, just bad owners. 

But the concept extends beyond even the corrupt pigs as well. In fact, throughout the process of posturing the dogs within the hierarchy, they are linked to human beings as well, specifically Mr. Jones, whose drive for inebriation and lack of action and care are further symbolic of mankind’s often laissez-faire attitude toward responsibility and the exertion of control. The dogs themselves are often seen as menacing, quick to respond with intimidating force on the heels of a whistle, but in turn, also represent loyalty and generally only stand to reinforce the power structure more than standing on their own as abusers of power individually. 

In turn, their position in the book is meant to link together the powers that exist, from human to pig. Even once the humans are out of the picture following the rebellion, a large enough void is formed for the pigs to cement themselves as rulers, continuing on with the pre-established corruption, say in no small terms that loyalty can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on who and what those followers are most loyal to, no matter their form.