Animal Farm Rhetorical Analysis

Animal Farm begins on Manor Farm, where overworked, tired, and hungry animals are unhappy in the conditions that they are in, but when an old boar named Old Major introduces the idea of a rebellion and encourages the animals to take control over the farm, the animals begin an uprising against the humans, taking control over the land and renaming the farm “Animal Farm.” However, greedy and corrupt leaders rise to power and turn a once prosperous farm, into a nightmare. In Animal Farm, George Orwell asserts the idea that absolute power results in corruption. Napoleon and the other pigs, interested in remaining superior, persuades the other animals by using intimidation and emotional appeals in order to keep control of the gullible animals.

Animal Farm is a novel written by George Orwell. The story takes place in a farm full of animals. Eventually, the animals rebel against the humans, which leads them the make their own government. As the book progresses Orwell uses many types of literary devices to communicate his opinions and thoughts specifically about the government in the society. In Animal Farm Orwell uses satire through the animal allegory, and irony, commenting on the the Russian Revolution, to show a connection between the individuals of a society and a totalitarian government and to create a cautionary tale that warns the readers about abuse of power.

George Orwell, the author of Animal Farm, his intentions can be seen through his use of patterns and allusions. The reason why Animal Farm is regarded as an allegory is because the story has intentional elements. Authors may unconsciously write something which may be seemingly intentional. But in the case of Orwell’s Animal Farm, it is written with a clear pattern, with many allusions to historical happenings, thus making the work of literature intentional.

In Animal Farm, George Orwell uses satirical allegory throughout his novel to present the pessimistic view of human nature. The animal fable is used to demonstrate the issues of unfair treatment, exploitation and inequality in society. It is evident that this irony is particularly evident in the ending of both novels (Gulbin 88). The satirist irony is directed on the events of the Russian Revolution and on the totalitarian regime. Orwell uses political reason with creative reason to show his negative belief that people only change the dictators though revolutions but the systems stay the same. It is only a dream that people can gain a classless society through revolutions. Orwell believes that everyone wants equality, yet it is in one's nature as human beings to obtain power.

An author often writes a novel as a warning to mankind. In Animal Farm, George Orwell creates a world of animals that allegorically represent man. The intelligent pigs take advantage of the uneducated lower animals and take control of the farm. By showing the steady increase of the pigs' intellectual exploitation of the lower animals, Orwell warns the reader of the importance of an education.

The undeniable greed Napoleon possesses can only be fulfilled by giving the other animals the illusion of bettering themselves by not questioning his logic: “Boxer, who had now had time to think things over, voiced the general feeling by saying, ‘If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.’ And from then on he adopted the maxim, ‘Napoleon is always right,’ in addition to his private motto of ‘I will work harder’” (Orwell 60). Because Animal Farm’s audience predominantly consists of working class citizens, they begin to feel sympathy for Boxer since he cannot recognize Napoleon is exploiting him exclusively for his personal goal of becoming a puissant leader; therefore, animosity towards Napoleon develops in the audience. Considering the animals promptly welcome Napoleon’s promise of a better life, they work towards exhaustion, unknowingly fueling Napoleon’s greed: "All that year the animals worked like slaves. But they were happy in their work; they grudged no effort or sacrifice, well aware that everything that they did was for the benefit of themselves and those of their kind who would come after them, and not for a pack of idle, thieving human beings" (63). Although the animals working for Napoleon are unaware he is gradually becoming more human and willfully betraying his fellow animals for his own benefit, it is evident to the audience that Napoleon is corrupt. As Napoleon cunningly achieves power, his greed continues to grow, the same as a totalitarian leader’s:

Orwell uses the theme of education and literacy as a way of emphasising the importance of language and rhetoric as an instrument of social control. In Animal Farm, reading, writing and rhetoric is used as a means of social control by the pigs. The pigs on Animal Farm have the ability to read and write which allows them to persuade animals with their rhetoric for social control as well as

Karl Marx’s theories, ideas, and his Communist Manifesto can be refelcted in George Orwell’s character, Old Major. Old Major, also known as Willingdon Beauty, is the first major character in Animal Farm and represents Karl Marx. Old Major is the one who starts the revolution among the animals to overthrow Jones and change their ways of living just like Marx is the one who is credited for starting the communist revolution. Old Major starts his conversation by stating that he had a dream and then continues futhur by telling the animal about how cruel an animal life is and that no animal is free and are being

George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a satirical allegory through which he presents his cynical view of human nature. He uses the animal fable effectively to expose the issues of injustice, exploitation and inequality in human society.

Animal Farm in itself is an allegory, meaning it is made to express ideas, opinions and thoughts.

In the novella Animal Farm, the timeline of early 1900s Russia unfolds in an allegory, with revolutionists Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx sparking a rebellion against Czar Nicholas II. Subsequently, a social democratic party known as the Bolsheviks overthrew the czar, aided by two significant leaders: Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Even so, the newfound ideology of communism that Stalin introduced and quickly corrupted through propaganda proved to be just as oppressive as the reign of Nicholas II. Most importantly, this corruption and oppression was elucidated by British author George Orwell through the use of rhetorical devices in the allegorical satire Animal Farm, where the audience receives a glimpse into the cunning caricature of

Animal Farm is an allegory of the period in Russian history between 1917 and 1944. It is a satirical story written in the form of an animal fable. In writing Animal Farm as a fable, George Orwell is able to present his subject in simple symbolic terms by treating the development of communism as a story that is taking place on a single farm with talking animals. The characters of Animal Farm represent figures in Russian history during the Russian Revolution. Places, objects, and events of the Russian Revolution are also symbolized in Animal Farm.

“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and and from pig to man again, but already it was impossible to say which was which.” Orwell wrote Animal Farm as an allegory based on problems resulting from the Russian Revolution. In Animal Farm, George Orwell uses tone, characterization, and stylistic elements to show that people in power use manipulation to stay in power.

Incorporating allegory in literature assists with our understanding of the work and real world issues by utilizing metaphors and overusing symbolism. Occasionally composers use allegory to teach a principle or moral lesson. Influenced by the political events of the Russian Revolution, Orwell’s views on how oppression of the exploiting class leads to inequality and corruption within the communist society, are expressed through a variety of allegorical conventions in his novella Animal Farm. There are two main techniques Orwell utilizes to voice his opinions. He constantly attempts to satirise the events of this historical milestone so he can permit the reader to experience his unsatisfied perceptions in regards to the Russian Revolution.

Writers often use social commentary to inform the general population about a pressing issue while at the same time appealing to people’s sense of justice. One way of accomplishing this is through a fable which is simply a short story in which animals are used to convey a moral lesson. George Orwell is a prime example of an author who can use a fable as a social commentary. Orwell makes a parody of Russian communism as demonstrated in the pigs attempt at totalitarian rule, there manipulation of the working class and the pigs evolution into the capitalists they initially opposed.