Book Review: Animal Colony - by Thomas Allen Rexroth and Mark Andrew Olsen | Eastern North Carolina Now

    At the dawn of a killer colonial winter, starving and desperate to live, a brave band of animals escape the tyranny of their human masters. Led by a visionary stallion, they brave miles of wilderness and a treacherous river crossing to start a homeland of their own - Animal Colony. There, they find freedom and prosperity...for a while. But a strange new belief system invades Animal Colony. Some will recognize it as socialism. Others will recognize it as our current day entitlement mentality.

    As this disastrous mentality takes hold among the animals, the humble beasts who established and organized the animal utopia must then learn to tell truth from enticing lie, or risk losing everything for which they've fought and bled.

    Over fifty years ago, George Orwell wrote a powerful story - ANIMAL FARM - of animals on a farm to almost single-handedly discredit Soviet Communism for an entire generation. Borrowing the same powerful technique, ANIMAL COLONY utilizes a collection of animals in an early American colony to help illustrate to younger readers what happens when a society turns to socialism. ANIMAL COLONY highlights the dangers of collectivism and socialism in a way that is understandable, relate-able, informative, and entertaining. This relatively short book presents many compelling arguments to young impressionable minds for individual freedom, limited government, fairness, and for productive values to govern communities that they live in and will live in when they get older. The story is wonderfully told and its themes are brilliantly addressed, and for those reasons, ANIMAL COLONY is a must-read for every child in the United States who will be expected to take his or her place in society and carry the torch for freedom. For parents, if you are concerned for the future of this country and understand, as Ronald Reagan once said: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free," you will find this book a useful tool to help plant the seeds of individual liberty, fundamental fairness, and personal responsibility in your child's mind - or your grandchild's mind. It is a perfect way to get your child - or grandchild - thinking about the nature of freedom. After the child reads the book, the opportunities for discussion and analysis with respect to what is happening in our country today are endless!

    I would recommend this book for grade school children and even for high school students, as a means to stimulate classroom debate and discussion.

    Deborah Thornton wrote an excellent detailed review of book on the Christian conservative blogsite, Caffeinated Thoughts [https://caffeinatedthoughts.com/2012/07/animal-house-or-animal-colony-or-neither/]:

    In the book ANIMAL COLONY, doctor and Iowa resident Thomas Rexroth and co-author Mark Olsen have crafted a tightly written parable about audacity and guts, combined with voting. A group of over-worked and under-fed farm animals is contemplating a long, cold winter as the property of inept British colonists. After a barnyard fight over a single kernel of corn, and the realization that many of them would be killed and eaten over the winter, a wise goose (named Gander) and visionary horse (Hoss) propose that the animals escape.

    After a long journey and struggle, they find a home and settle the animal colony. The colony was founded on the premise of personal liberty and self-determination, of being wild animals instead of kept slaves. "The thrill of liberty led to success, and prosperity."

    "Our Creator wrote the knowledge in our minds." This idea, along with other statements by the animals, recalls the words and actions of our United States Founders. As the little group goes on, it establishes a government and institutes voting as "free and equal citizens." It has many successes, prosperity, and some failures and losses.

    Critical to their success was the establishment of personal property and self-responsibility for working and caring for their families. In doing this, the animals established four operating principles: (1) Any animal that refuses to work should not eat; (2) Everyone deserves an equal opportunity; (3) The harvest belongs to those who toil for it; and (4) Whatever behavior we reward will increase and what we punish or penalize will decrease. Another key concept was that the leaders should think of themselves as servants of the group, not the masters.

    The animals fight off an attempt by humans to re-enslave them. They have children and their colony expands. They develop money and the concept of commerce. New species ask to join their group, and they invent new technologies and ways of working productively. In general, liberty proves all it promised to be.

    Unfortunately, during one of the periods of difficulty (a flood, followed by drought and harsh winter) - things change. Under the guise of a temporary help to those in need, who have by this time become "victims," a "sharing" system is implemented. Each family is forced to give a "small" portion for a short time to help those who can't, or won't, help themselves. As a result the pigs, known for their intelligence and eloquence - but lack of barnyard usefulness - take over, and the sharing soon becomes permanent and small soon becomes large. This is because the "huge inequities between the rich and the poor" were thought to be unfair. Those who have become successful are denigrated and their resources are taken from them by force.

    Gill the pig is elected leader of the colony and puts himself in charge of redistributing the sharing. As a result of keeping an undefined "token" for himself and his family for the effort and only hiring family members, they soon become fat and corrupt. The pigs basically become the union forces of the animal colony. The dogs, previously the colony's watchers and guardians, are enlisted to become the enforcers. There are several very nasty incidents. And, as one can anticipate, those who previously worked hard and willingly shared with those in real or temporary need became less and less willing to work. The denigration of their efforts continued and forced redistribution increased. Seeing the results of their hard work and success taken from them by force did not encourage them to continue.

    On the other side, those who now didn't have to work for their food and shelter continued their self-indulgent ways. Environmental regulations were put into place, preventing increased productivity and economic growth. Health care was centralized, and became bureaucratic and low quality. Children were allowed to run wild and educational standards changed. The colony quickly fell into disrepair and poverty.

    It is not hard to see where Dr. Rexroth and Mr. Olsen are going with the story.

    The final insult to the original leaders comes when the four ultimate truths, are re-written by the pigs: (1) All eat, whether or not they work; (2) Equal results, not equal opportunity; and (3) Harvest belongs to all. Truth number four, unfortunately, held true. The rewarded behavior, now of sloth and indulgence, did increase.

    Fortunately, the sincere, honest animals did not resort to Animal House-type behavior as a revolt against the political structure. The colony probably would not have been able to withstand that sort of chaotic takeover and destruction. But they did take actions to protect themselves and their families.

    Finally, things came to a climax, with Gander the goose and many of those who originally settled the colony taking a stand against Gill the pig and his minions.

    "Tomorrow we vote."

    The story doesn't tell us the result of the vote; however, Gander was not expected to win.

    Animal Colony is a parable without an ending, though effectively done. It raises important questions about the nature of liberty and the direction of our country. Rexroth and Olsen have created study guides for both small and large groups, detailing the issues raised and offering a structure for discussion.

    Publisher's note: Contributor Diane Rufino also serves of co-publisher for Pitt County NOW.