30-Day Book Challenge: Day 28

Day 28: Least-favorite Required School Read

This really sucks because it was a case of bad book and bad timing.

     I am trying to make myself believe that I understand and respect George Orwell's intentions for this story, which I read my sophomore year of high school, but thus far I have not convinced myself of that.

    This was probably the biggest struggle for me in terms of actually reading a book from cover to cover. I just did not enjoy it at all. I couldn't for the life of me get into the story. I don't think my English teacher made it any worse, but he certainly didn't make it any better.

    The biggest reason for my loathing of this book is because I liked only one character: the horse Boxer. I could not care less what happened to the other animals; I just wanted Boxer to be okay.

    I felt so attached to Boxer because he reminded me of a dog, whom I'll call "Rover" here (although that wasn't his real name), that my family and I had at the time. "Rover" was a golden retriever. We got him when he was three or four months old. He had previously been adopted to a different home, and my family and I had reason to think he was abused. He was terrified of hardwood floors and doorways.

    Boxer reminded me so much of "Rover" because they both had the same demeanor as gentle giants. "Rover" was probably a good ninety pounds, but he was the most gentle dog I've ever known. He was sweet, warm, and very loving.

    Unfortunately, we had to put "Rover" to sleep at about the same time my English class started Animal Farm. One day he was fine. At midnight the following day, he threw up and my parents took him to the vet. At 3:30 A.M., my mom woke me up to tell me that "Rover" had widespread cancer and that they were going to euthanize him. At about 5 or 6 A.M., he was gone. It happened that quickly. It was the first time I could remember seeing my dad cry. Just writing about this is making me cry.

    I can't remember exactly when my class read the chapter in which Boxer is taken to the slaughterhouse in relation to "Rover's" euthanizing, but it was fairly soon after. I remember that as we were reviewing the chapter in class, my teacher jokingly remarked that we all probably cried when Boxer died. I, of course, thought, Yes. I actually did.

    Animal Farm is definitely my least-favorite required school reading--not because of the book itself, but because it was too painful to read about Boxer's death so soon after my dog was euthanized. I don't ever want to read that stupid book again.