In George Orwell’s book Animal Farm, which is an allegory of the Russian Communist revolution that occurred in the early XX century, is narrated the establishment and evolution of a totalitarian system which is ruled by the pigs, under the supreme control of Napoleon, corresponding to Stalin in the Soviet context. The dictatorship is based on manipulation, corruption, propaganda, fear, and violence. The initial, pure idea of “animalism” turns into a strict ruthless regime where a restricted number of animals enjoys the results of the hard work and sacrifices of others. The situation portrayed in the book clearly reflects the social-economic status that characterised Russia during and after the Red Revolution. After Lenin’s death, Stalin …show more content…
Until his death, Boxer is a blind supporter of the revolution and Napoleon; he was naive and lacked of critical thinking and therefore followed and conformed himself to everything was established, even if to more critical eyes, like Benjamin’s, it was evidently unjust. “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’.” (G. Orwell, Animal Farm, V). In these lines is perfectly reflected Boxer’s attitude not to question or complain; his behaviour allows Napoleon to takeover the farm and the …show more content…
Especially at the end of the book we notice how, along with new and exponentially unfair policies, the sheep start intoning repetitive anthems in support of Napoleon, like a mass of brainless followers. In chapter 10, when the animals raised a protest because the pigs engaged themselves in human behaviours and began walking on two legs, we read at some point: “But just at that moment, as though at a signal, all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of ‘Four legs good, two legs better! Four legs good, two legs better! Four legs good, two legs better!’” (G. Orwell, Animal Farm, X) . The sheep are essential for Napoleon and his dictatorship to succeed. They're dumb followers who go along with the crowd. All they can do is chant simple and repeatable slogans that can be easily manipulated. In other words, whatever side you're on: if you can chant it at a rally, it's probably not a well-thought out political
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is, first and foremost, a political satire warning against the pursuit of utopian desires through unjust and oppressive means. Operating under the pretense of an animal fable, Orwell disparages the use of political power to poach personal freedom. He effectively alerts his readers to the dangerous price that can accompany the so-called “pursuit of progress”. And he illuminates how governments acting under the guise of increasing independence often do just the opposite: increase oppression and sacrifice sovereignty. While the cautionary theme Orwell provides proves widely applicable, in reality his novel focuses on one tale of totalitarian abuse: Soviet Russia. The parallels between the society Orwell presents in his Animal Farm and the Soviet Union – from the Russian revolution to Stalin’s supremacy – are seemingly endless. Manor Farm represents Tsarist Russia, Animalism compares to Stalinism, and Animal Farm, with the pig Napoleon at its helm, clearly symbolizes Communist Russia and Joseph Stalin. But Orwell does more than simply align fiction with fact. He fundamentally attacks Soviet Russia at its core. And in so doing he reveals how the Communist Party simply replaced a bad system with a worse one, overthrowing an imperial autocracy for a totalitarian dictatorship. This essay will demonstrate that Orwell’s Animal Farm is
Blind obedience plays a role in Napoleon's rise to power. Because the animals don't have an education, they don't bother to think for themselves and instead take everything Squealer tells them for the truth. Examples of this are mainly portrayed by Boxer, who upholds the mottos "I will work harder!" and "Napoleon is always right!" (81). At the beginning of the novel, we learn that the sheep learn the maxim "Four legs good, two legs bad" in order to understand the basic spirit of Animalism (41). When Napoleon gains power, he
Another motto that Boxer has is that “Napoleon is always right.” When Napoleon says something, even though it is not proper, Boxer is always the one who believes it first. Again, because of Boxer’s reputation in the farm whatever he does, the animals tend to follow and in turn it benefits the pigs’ ambitions. On the other hand, not only Boxer was the one who pressures the animals, the sheep, who was used by the pigs, also took part in pressuring the animals.
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:
Napoleon stated that he will educate the puppies, and help build the windmill to make life easier in the farm, made the animals think that Napoleon is a hard worker and always right. He uses that advantage to create dictatorship within the farm. By having the support of the pigs by his side, he is able to convince the community that is always right. By creating propaganda of praise by the animals, he becomes a symbol of hope to the community. When Boxer stated Napoleon is always right, so did the rest of the animals since Boxer was seen as a symbol of strength for the
Elie Wiesel in Night and Snowball from Animal Farm are very similar characters because they were victimized by tyrants and used as scapegoats, but they are also unique and individual characters because Elie knew he was being taken advantage of and Snowball did not. Animal Farm is written by George Orwell, and it is about a farm of animals that take over the farm. Napoleon, a large pig, slowly takes away food and supplies from the other animals until he starts walking on two feet and becomes a “human.” Because of him Snowball is expelled from the farm and acts as a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong on the farm. Night is an autobiography written by Elie Wiesel, and in it Elie tells the story of he was taken from his home and put into a concentration camp under the control of Adolf Hitler.
Napoleon says “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy” (Orwell 43) so many times, that it is ingrained into the minds of the sheep. Napoleon says this in order to brainwash the animals into following him and the other pigs. The animals feel that they have no alternative other than to follow Napoleon. This is identical to when the Russian Citizens felt that they had to follow Stalin. During this time period, the poor Russian people were terrified.
In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, a Novel based on the Russian Revolution (1917-1918), Orwell explores multiple themes. Orwell was expressing that the pigs in this book began to rule the farm and, Napoleon mainly, began to lie to the other animals. As he grew more powerful among the other animals he became more and more power hungry. This essay will firstly explain how the animals, despite being free of the farmer Mr. Jones, weren’t actually free, and secondly, how the pigs manipulated and built a society off of lies. Lastly this essay will explore how Napoleon used fear and the stupidity of the other animals to ensure his power.
The slogan “Four legs good, two legs bad!”<50> (This was later changed to a chilling “Four legs good, two legs better!) and the songs “Beasts of England”, and “Comrade Napoleon” are all good examples of manipulative propaganda. When Napoleon slaughters the “Supporters of Snowball”, the animals are grief-stricken, and sing “Beasts of England” as if singing a dirge; slowly, mournfully, and with much emotion. When they are done, Squealer waddles up to them, and tells them that the song has been banned. From Napoleons point of view, this is a very good move. The animals, though stupid, have an idea that this is not the dream Old Major envisioned, and they do not know what to do about it. If they had been allowed to keep singing it, they might have been inspired to rebel, but it was outlawed, so they have no outlet for their injustices. This is just another way power is abused through language in Animal Farm.
Intelligence and Power. These two concepts are closer than most think. Many political figures use their intelligence to get their position in society. However, many use their intelligence for the sake of themselves and not for others. Their intelligence is what lead them to power and power is what polluted their mind.
Introduction: A community of animals live in a totalitarian regime dictated by a boar that goes by the name of Napoleon. Throughout the book, he gradually develops human traits, such as executing animals in public, drinking alcohol, engaging in trade, touching money and sleeping in beds, causing the animals to believe that they are being led by creatures indistinguishable to humans. In order to maintain his position as a leader, Napoleon uses different forms of propaganda to keep his ignorant animals from rebelling against him. The society in George Orwell’s Animal Farm is depicted as totalitarian by the end of the book because the pigs and dogs had full control of all the other animals. Napoleon proved his dictatorship after taking advantage
This book was very peculiar. The characters had very different, strong personalities that mixed well within the book creating an interesting story. They all stood out in their own way, but overall one was far more prominent. Squealer stood out because of his job and how he did it. Although trustworthy, he was a very manipulative and exaggerated person.
The rebellion was initiated to escape the human’s cruel ways but instead brought out the ultimate good and evil in the animals. Animal Farm begins with an idea of rebellion thought up by the most respected animal; Old Major, after revolution/rebellion of Manor Farm to Animal Farm. The animal’s true characters begin to show and Animal Farm begins to show the same qualities of Manor Farm. A dictatorial government comes into play and the animals develop the human like qualities that they were trying to rid themselves of. The resurrection of Manor Farm after the revolution was due to the tyrannical behavior of Napoleon and his ability to convince the other animals that everything he was doing was for the best.
Throughout history, there were not many laws people abided by. Karl Marx decided to come up with a theory called Marxism. Karl wanted to come up with a theory that explained the value of all commodities. Karl wanted to make a system that allowed farmers and workers to sell products for capitalists for a wage. This is comparable to the commandments that the pigs created in Animal Farm.
Power is something that many people are greedy for, and according to George Orwell, some people are more power hungry than others. In the novel, Animal Farm, the author, George Orwell, shows how a person which is greedy for power will use others to get as much power as they can. The few people who have the quality of egocentricity and greediness for power is exactly what prevents a communist community. One will use duped, innocent, and quiet people to get themselves to become more powerful which is shown through the character named Napoleon. Certain people would go to any extent for dictatorship which includes using others. The animals Boxer, Benjamin, and the sheep are three animals that Napoleon uses and contribute to Napoleon’s dictatorship