Unlike most Americans, I did not read this classic in school. My first read was at 50 years old, better late than never?!? However, I can see why this is a required read in school, the animals permitting an easily understandable lesson that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." (John Dalberg-Acton) and can easily up the door for a discussion regarding totalitarianism.