Final answer:
The 'outside' in literature often symbolizes the larger world beyond a character's familiar, controlled environment, which can challenge their beliefs and lead to revelations or transformations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question "How is the outside different from Animal Farm?" prompts a discussion on how characters or individuals perceive or are influenced by the world outside their immediate environment. In George Orwell's Animal Farm, the 'outside' represents the world beyond the farm, which is initially oppressive and controlled by humans, and contrasts with the alleged equality and self-rule within the farm after the animals take over. In contrast, in the broader literary context, 'outside' can refer to various forms of reality that challenge the status quo or the perceived truths within a controlled environment, such as the child raised in a supremacist commune or the Hadleys' experiences with their too-real virtual African veldt in Ray Bradbury's story. The concept of the 'outside' often serves as a revelation or a source of truth, confronting characters with the broader realities that lie beyond their narrow worldviews.
In examining texts, the 'outside' can be a catalyst for characters to realize their misconceptions, as seen in the experiences of the child who leaves the commune or the prisoner in Plato's 'Allegory of the Cave.' It also may represent a place of danger or truths too harsh to accept, such as the virtual veldt that becomes all too real for the children in Bradbury's story. Furthermore, characters like Winterbourne in Henry James's work view the 'outside' through a particular lens, interpreting Daisy's actions differently based on his cultural and societal expectations.
As the excerpts suggest, each story, poem, or essay provides a different perspective on the role of the 'outside,' whether it be in challenging ingrained beliefs, symbolizing escape and discovery, or evoking fear and contemplation. The 'outside' generally symbolizes something alien and distinct from the enclosed, familiar, or controlled spaces characters are used to, often leading to revelations or transformations.