George Orwell, author of Animal Farm states In a time of universal

deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. And he is exceptionally

right by saying this. Humans in every century are surrounded by
leaders, the media, family and friends deceiving us to make
themselves and their ideas more appealing. In the novel we are shown
this by Boxer trying to stand up to Squealer several times throughout
the book to tell the truth but every time he is shut down by the pigs. In
the Russian Revolution, 1917 Joseph Stalin hated being opposed and
punished anyone who tried to do this. It is hard to speak the truth in
any society.
In the novel, any animal that tries to stand up to the leader, or in this
case the dictator, Napoleon or to any order of his, is either killed or told
that they are wrong. This happens because the pigs are afraid that
they will be overthrown or downtrodden by the other animals that are
not as equal as the pigs. This issue shows that if any animal wants to
speak up they would have been very audacious. For example on page
54 of the novel Boxer says
I do not believe that Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the
Cowshed. I saw him myself. Did we not give him Animal Hero, First
Class immediately afterwards?
That was our mistake, comrade. For we know now it is all written
down in the secret documents that we have found that in reality he
was trying to lure us to our doom.
But he was wounded, said Boxer. We all saw him running with blood.
That was part of the arrangement! cried Squealer. Joness shot only
grazed him if it wasnt for our heroic leader, Comrade Napoleon.
Squealer then goes on to explain more about how stupefying Napoleon
was. A lot of the time it is easier for society to hear lies and tell lies
rather than hear and speak the truth. This is because we, as humans
want to follow everyone else around us and fit in. If this means to fit in
we become deceitful, then only someone who is willing to be a misfit is
going to speak the truth. This is why is it a revolutionary act to tell the
truth.
After the Russian Revolution Joseph Stalin refused to be challenged by
anyone and anything else, including the truth. It made it very hard for
anyone to give him any ideas to improve the country and economy of
Russia or tell the truth about what Stalin was doing was wrong. Any
person that suggested Stalins morals or beliefs were wrong in any
way, no matter what his or her place in the hierarchy would be exiled
or most likely, killed. Leon Trotsky was Stalins main opposition. Trotsky
tried to explain to Stalin that his ideas of communism werent going to
work because of the isolation of their country. No matter how truthful
Trotsky was, Stalin exiled him to Mexico. Leon Trotsky was never to be
seen again. This historical scenario is precisely the same as Animal
Farm where the leaders make it extremely hard for anyone at all to
express their opinion, however truthful it is. Therefore you have to be
extremely brave to stand up for the truth you believe in.

In modern day society it is hard to know what the truth is. Many
opinions are thrown at individuals from the media, making it difficult to

determine what the truth is and what it is not. Journalists and public
figures can morph what the truth is to become what it is not to benefit
themselves. The problem is that it can sound exactly like the truth to
exterior by-standers. On page 51 and 52 of Animal Farm Squealer
writes over the seven commandments on the barn wall that all
animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. The
Pigs have changed the seven commandments over the course of three
years. The commandments changed from their farm society standing
for 'animals should unite and overthrow humans' to the complete
opposite where humans and the animals that are higher in the
hierarchy should work together and the others should be deceived
about what they are doing and who they are doing it for. In human
history Stalin morphs the truth about Trotsky and his death by editing
him out of pictures, news articles and books to try and edit history. In
both the novel and history the superiors morph the truth into lies to try
and convince their followers things that arent true to suit themselves
instead of doing what is right for everyone. This does not help the fact
that it is so hard already to break away from what everyone else is
doing and to tell the truth.
Every human being faces the same choice whether to sin or not to sin,
and this includes lying and being deceitful. And it is so hard to make
the right choices because everyone is surrounded by lies told by the
media, friends and just everyday good people. As humans we are
originally made to follow other people, to choose a leader and follow
them, to pick the latest fashion trend and wear that classiest designer
clothing, that is just how we were made. So to break that tight, binding
bond is such a revolutionary act.