How Does Orwell Use Power In Animal Farm

The book Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is the story of the rise of Napoleon, a pig who becomes the brutal dictator of Animal Farm through manipulation, deceit and violence. In this essay I am going to describe why I agree that the character of Napoleon can be likened to any other dictator in history. Firstly by his violent take over, secondly with his purges against anyone who opposed him and lastly the manipulation of his people.

Revolutions are supposed to induce a new and improved government system. However, in George Orwell's Animal Farm, an attempt to overthrow a human dictator results in an even more corrupt leader taking over. The remaining animals, too ignorant and powerless to defend themselves, are left struggling to survive under dangerous living conditions along with daily threats of starvation, exhaustion, and execution. In Animal Farm, George Orwell asserts the idea that absolute power results in corruption. Napoleon and the other pigs, interested in remaining superior, persuade the other animals by using intimidation and emotional appeals in order to keep control of the gullible animals.

While Napoleon was gaining power over the animals he had to get rid of other politicians and opposing citizens. He did this by raising dogs that would strike fear into citizens and end up chasing Snowball out of the farm making Napoleon have total power. “Four young porkers…uttered shrill squeals of disapproval…. But…the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again.”(document B). This made it so the animals were too scared to oppose or overthrow Napoleon. He also made it so no one could challenge him politically. He did this by having his dogs kill masses of people so no one would dare have different opinions and speak out against him. “When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out, and in a terrible voice, Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess”(document B). The mass murder made it so Napoleon had total control of the farm. The violence of Napoleon’s leadership caused the animals to fear to have their own opinions and forced them to conform to Napoleon’s

The 7 Commandments of Animalism are seen as the rules of the farm. Since the animals could not read or write, besides the pigs and Benjamin the goat, it was easy for Napoleon to change the 7 Commandments to benefit the pigs and himself. For example, “All animals are equal” was changed to, “All animals are equal but some are more equal than others,” (Document A). Some of the animals noticed something different about the Commandments but they never thought too much about it to know something was truly wrong. Since Napoleon used Animalism to his benefit, he persuaded the animals to do as they’re told because he knew the animals believed and supported

Out of the many themes possible in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, political corruption stands out the most. Political corruption on the farm began when “Napoleon stood up and, casting

‘Animal Farm’ is an allegory of the Russian Revolution, where animals in the book represent certain revolutionaries and depict them through their similar actions and roles in the story. The pigs are able to gain power with their intelligence, but eventually oppress their fellow animals, and lead the revolution in the wrong direction. In George Orwell’s novel ‘Animal Farm’, the impacts of education and literacy are prevalent to the success of the revolution because the more knowledgeable animals are able to win the support and trust of their peers, as shown by Squealer’s rhetorical language, Snowball’s beneficial and brilliant ideas, and Napoleon’s assumed knowledge. Squealer continuously lies to his peers about how they have an abundance

Napoleon uses military force to intimidate the other animals and consolidate his power. In his supreme craftiness, Napoleon proves to be more treacherous than his counterpart, Snowball. At the regular meetings, Snowball often won over the majority by his brilliant speeches, but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. He was especially successful with the sheep. The sheep had taken to bleating “Four legs good two legs bad!” both in and out of season, and they often interrupted meetings with this. It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into the chant at crucial moments in Snowball’s speeches. Also, it was observed that Napoleon had been taking the sheep aside to teach them a new song. After weeks of secret meetings, the sheep started shouting “Four legs good, two legs BETTER” and then the pigs were seen walking on their hind legs. This is a perfect example of how the pigs change the rules and bend the overall concept of Animalism to satisfy them and to make life easier for them. Also, the pigs start executing animals that don’t do what they are told. The other animals recall that it was in fact against the rules for an animal to kill another. The animals go to read over the 7 commandments to confirm their suspicions only to

Manipulation is a key attribute to the corruption of Napoleon and is portrayed through his use of fear and superior intelligence to his advantage. Fear is conveyed through the vicious guard dogs and these dogs keep order using intimidating actions ‘the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again’ this shows the control over the animal through the

When Napoleon permits the pigs to sleep in the farmhouse’s mattresses, this is stated. ” … but also slept in the beds, and Boxer passed it off with the usual ‘Napoleon is always right!’…’it says, no animals shall sleep in a bed with sheets’ she announced finally” (Orwell 79). This exposes that not only did Napoleon contravene the commandment established by Old Major, but he altered it so it can benefit him and the pigs. When the animals are recapping on how life in the animal farm is presently, George Orwell says, “It had become usual to give napoleon the credit for every successful achievements and every stroke of good fortune” (Orwell 93). This shows napoleons rebellious leadership because he is disobeying the seventh commandment “all animals are equal.

But as the story progresses the pigs, mainly Napoleon, took more and more power, soon he was above all the animals on the farm. On page sixteen the Seven Commandments were written on the barn wall by Napoleon. He wrote “ No animal shall kill any other animal”. But on page fifty-one he had over eleven animals killed by other animals. Obviously that went against the rules.

The Seven Original Commandments are the following: “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. No animal shall wear clothes. No animal shall sleep in a bed. No animal shall drink alcohol. No animal shall kill any other animal. All animals are equal.” Napoleon rewrites every single rule to benefit only him and his decisions; without the animals ever noticing. Another strong tactic Napoleon utilizes is fear; he uses fear to control the animals and keep them from speaking out against his rule. Napoleon raises a litter of puppies to be his secret police and terrify others; “they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking

Most governments are set up in a way that the leader get’s all say and that no one can check the leader. This is the way it was set up on animal farm. Nobody can accuse Napoleon, so whatever he says the animals have to do it even if it’s against their initial government. Napoleon acts fear upon his followers. They are too afraid to have their own opinion seeing as Napoleon's dogs protect him.

George Orwell’s allegorical novella, Animal Farm is a satirical retelling of the events leading up to the 1917 Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalin. After the animals rebel against Mr. Jones and his employees, they set up a government constituted by “Animalism”, which in its raw state parallels the basic principles of socialism. In order to govern them, they create basic laws meant to unify them known as, “The Seven Commandments”, which they write on the outer wall of the barn. However, the pigs begin to disobey the commandments and change them to get away with it. None of the other animals notice due to their illiteracy, so Napoleon continuously exploits this fact to get what he wants. As a result, the farm that was meant to be utopic

Orwell discusses many different factors that would lead to a society being distopian the first being Propaganda which the pigs use to solidify their leadership position and class. Examples of this the commandment that reads “1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.” This breaks all connection and trust between humans and the animals and allow the pigs to persuade the others that they are the only ones that they can trust to keep the farm running. The next factors are very similar these factors are corruption and power which are shown by the pigs. Corruption is shown by Napoleon which uses his power for his individual motives. The last factor is power or the abuse of power Orwell clearly demonstrates how power can reveal a person's

The main goal of Napoleon was to have absolute power on the animal farm even if it takes away the animal’s freedom on the farm. He was so blinded by his power, he would do anything to make it seem like he wanted to spread Animalism to other farms and to create a thriving Animal Farm even though that was not his purpose. Napoleon misused his power so many times for his own benefit. Not many of the animals on the farm were open to what was actually happening. They were so oblivious to what was actually happening on the farm, that they did not realize that their freedom was soon destroyed. Not to mention, not many have realized that their food rations were unfair. Napoleon was so manipulative to them,